Air quality in Lat Phrao

Is the air in Lat Phrao polluted?

Lat Phrao is subject to some higher levels of air pollution during certain months of the year. Whilst it is not subject to majorly high levels of smoke and haze as many of the cities in the northern regions of Thailand, it is not without its problems during certain times of the year. Observing the US AQI reading taken in early November of 2021, it can be seen that a reading of 117 was taken, placing it into the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' bracket, requiring a reading of 101 to 150 to be classified as such. As the name suggests, this can present a risk to more vulnerable members of the population (which will be discussed in further detail later in the article). During times such as these, preventative measures should be employed, and air quality forecasts for Lat Phrao followed either on this page or the AirVisual app.

What are some of the main pollutants of concern in the air in Lat Phrao?

Pollutants that would be found prevalently in the air in Lat Phrao would be those that go into the US AQI aggregation, which are namely the two forms of particle pollution, PM10 and PM2.5, along with chemical compounds such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and sulfur dioxide. Black carbon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may also be found, being a common byproduct of the combustion of fossil fuels and other materials. Some examples of VOCs include benzene, toluene, xylene and methylene chloride.

What negative health impacts can occur when exposed to pollution in Lat Phrao?

Continuous exposure to higher levels of air pollution in Lat Phrao may cause many people to be subject to considerably negative health issues and other effects, particularly prominent to those who fall under the sensitive demographic bracket. Of note though, is that even healthy adults may fall ill or sustain damage when air pollution exposure is excessive, or exposure takes place over many years, with this phenomenon being particularly salient for those who live in closer proximity to highly polluted areas, which include industrial districts or near busy roads and highways, where the air quality will be poor for a majority of the year. Some conditions that may appear due to this exposure would be short-term ones such as dry coughs, as well as chest pains and subsequent infections of the respiratory tract and lungs. These typically resolve themselves fairly quickly when exposure to air pollution is halted. They may also progress into more long-term or chronic issues, with continuous bouts of chest infections and coughing leading to scarring of lung tissue, which can result in permanently decreased lung capacity and function. additionally, the sustained or continuous scarring or damage and inflammation of the lung tissue can cause those affected far more vulnerable to a myriad of other respiratory illnesses, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) being among them. COPD is an umbrella term that encompasses several different lung and respiratory tract ailments, usually resulting in shortness of breath and other unwanted or adverse symptoms. Breathing in polluted air when an individual already suffers from pre-existing conditions can cause them to worsen, and thus progress into potentially more life-threatening forms of said illness. Some of the conditions that can be classified under the COPD bracket are aggravated forms of asthma, as well as emphysema, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Other forms of damage that can happen within the body include increased risk of cancer, heart attacks, strokes and arrhythmias, as well as ischemic heart disease and many other cardiac or pulmonary conditions that can bring about decreased quality of life as well as lower an individual’s life expectancy in Lat Phrao.

What are some of the more serious causes of air pollution present in Lat Phrao?

Pollution accumulation in Lat Phrao is caused by a varied amount of different sources, with many of them being very similar to those that concern the other cities and provinces in Thailand, as well as any major cities in South East Asia. Vehicle fumes are one of these more prominent concerns, especially for the satellite cities and surrounding areas of Bangkok, with many people living outside the center of the city as is common worldwide, for lower property prices and potentially better quality of life and so forth, but inevitably the employment is to be found within the inner city and thus the daily commutes are made, causing rush hour traffic (a common theme in Bangkok that many visitors and inhabitants are aware of) to release vast amounts of hazardous particle pollution, clouds of smoke, haze and smog, all with varying degrees of different pollutants in them. Older and lower quality vehicles remain prevalent, even though there are many incentives in place to gradually phase them out altogether. This will aid greatly in pollution reduction in the major cities of Thailand but may prove much greater of a task in provincial areas throughout the countryside where ancient motorbikes, cars and trucks remain in use, leaking much larger amounts of noxious oil vapors due to their poor engine quality, as well as their exhaust fumes spitting out great clouds of dark smoke. Furthermore, vehicles contribute to other forms of particle pollution, with the consistent wear and tear placed on tire treads giving rise to large amounts of microscopic rubber particles entering into the atmosphere. From here they can cause a great number of health issues when inhaled, triggering off pre-existing health conditions as well as potentially entering into the bloodstream if their size is small enough (more on these details later when discussing PM2.5 and its nature), as well as accumulating in the environment and wreaking havoc on ecosystems. Other causes of pollution present in Lat Phrao include smoke and haze from industrial activity, as was mentioned, with various industrial sites, factories, power plants and even private businesses that rely on the combustion of fuels, or even fossil fuels such as diesel, natural gas and coal to provide their energy needs in Lat Phrao. Other ones of note include dust given off from construction sites and road repairs, as well haze floating over from other provinces where slash and burn farming practices are still more heavily relied upon, despite being made illegal. This can cause seasonal spikes in pollution to occur, with the latter months of the year, namely September or October onwards, through to the early months of the following year, typically abating around April or May, with many variations present throughout the country depending on human or industrial activities taking place, along with meteorological and geographical factors also having their role to play. As an example, coastal cities often have the benefit of strong coastal winds to blow away and disperse pollution buildup, whilst other cities that may sit below sea level, surrounded by an urban forest of tall buildings, will have the opposite occur and pollution can accumulate heavily, with dispersal being considerably harder to take place.

Who is at greater risk from air pollution exposure in Lat Phrao?

Whilst no member of the population is truly safe from excess pollution exposure, certain groups will always remain more at risk. These include young children, babies, pregnant mothers as well as those with pre-existing health conditions, particularly of the pulmonary or cardiac variety. Others include the elderly, as well as those with health issues that cause their immune system to be compromised. These groups should take extra care to keep their exposure to an absolute minimum during higher bouts of pollution.