Air quality in Khlong Luang

Is there a high level of air pollution present in Khlong Luang?

Khlong Luang is located in central Thailand, within Pathum Thani province, neighboring other major provinces such as Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi. In regards to its air pollution levels, Khlong Luang has been subject to some higher levels in times past, with prominent spikes in pollution having been recorded throughout 2020, with readings high enough to place it within the top 800 most polluted cities ranked worldwide for the year.

In 2021, particularly towards the end of the year (which is when burning season, or slash and burn farming practices start to take place), Khlong Luang starts to see mild elevations in its pollution levels, which then steadily increase as the months go on, with these increments being seen well into the early months of the following year before they abate and return to more appreciable levels. In early September of 2021, US AQI readings of 30 were recorded, placing Khlong Luang into the 'good' air quality rating bracket, which is color-coded as green and requires a US AQI reading of 0 to 50 to be classified as such. This is the most optimal level of air quality classifications that can be achieved, indicating that in early September the air cleanliness was at a respectable level, free from larger clouds of smoke, haze, smog and dangerous particulate matter in the atmosphere.

The US AQI reading itself is a number aggregated from several of the main air pollutants found in Khlong Luang, as well as throughout Thailand and the rest of the world. They include chemical compounds such as ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and the two forms of particulate pollution, PM2.5 and PM10. Out of both of these particles, the smaller PM2.5 remains as one of the most dangerous forms of pollution that can be found in the air, with its size of 2.5 micrometers or less giving it the ability to penetrate deep into the tissues of the lungs, bypassing the bodies natural defenses and causing irritation, inflammation and damage to the respiratory tract and the tissue of the lungs. Furthermore, it can even pass into the bloodstream due to its ultrafine size, causing a whole host of health issues that will be touched on in further detail in the following questions.

PM10 still presents a hazard and can irritate exposed mucous membranes such as the mouth, eyes, nose and ears, as well as triggering dry coughs or other forms of respiratory distress. However, it remains that PM2.5 is the far more dangerous pollutant that can be found in the air in Khlong Luang, and as such, when the PM2.5 count is on record as being high at any given time (usually with an accompanying elevated US AQI level), preventative measures should be taken to safeguard one’s health and prevent the host of negative effects that can occur, particularly for those who belong to vulnerable or at-risk groups. Other US AQI readings that were present in September and late August of 2021 were ones such as lows of 19 and 17, representing an even more optimal level of air quality. Highs of 66 and 67 were also seen, placing Khlong Luang into the 'moderate' air pollution rating bracket for those particular days. Forecasts predict elevated readings of PM2.5 and US AQI for the latter part of September, indicating that pollution levels may continue to rise towards the end of the year, as has been demonstrated many times over in years past.

What are some of the biggest contributors to air pollution in Khlong Luang?

As with many regions in Thailand, one of the biggest causes of high air pollution levels comes directly from slash and burn farming practices, which although deemed highly illegal, still take place due to the difficulty of enforcing farmers to stop their activities, with many of them taking place in hard to reach areas or under the cover of darkness. These fires can cause massive elevations in the PM2.5 count, which will be discussed at the end of the articles, with the numbers on record indicating just how damaging these fires can be. It is of note that this is more prominent in the northern regions of the country, although many other areas of Thailand can be affected by such activity, and as such, the cessation of open burning practices would see prominent reductions in overall pollution levels.

Besides this main contributing cause, there are many others present in the cities, towns and Khlong Luang itself, which typically stem from other combustion sources. Car engines can give out a multitude of chemical pollutants and hazardous particles, along with boilers in factories, power plants and other industrial sites or businesses giving off their forms of pollution, particularly when fossil fuels are utilized. Other sources of pollution are construction sites, demolition sites, road repairs and other similar activities that can release large amounts of dust or fine particles into the air. This is a far more salient source of pollution than many people are aware of, particularly with badly maintained construction sites, which can leak huge amounts of particles into the air due to improper cleaning procedures or piles of sand and gravel being left uncovered.

What health issues can arise from pollution exposure in Khlong Luang?

Certain health issues that can arise when pollution exposure is high in Khlong Luang include those that fall under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) bracket, which includes asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia. Due to PM2.5 being able to enter the bloodstream, damage to blood vessels can occur, along with a heightened risk of cancers, particularly of the lungs and skin. Heart attacks can increase, along with instances of ischemic heart disease, strokes, arrhythmias as well as death, with many cases of premature death being attributed directly to pollution exposure in Thailand.

When does the air quality become poorer in Khlong Luang?

Observing the air quality readings taken over 2020, it can be seen that Khlong Luang had its highest figures over January through to April, as well as November and December showing prominent elevations. Out of all of these, January and February had the highest readings at 44.3 μg/m³ and 42.2 μg/m³ respectively, placing them into the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' bracket.

When does the air quality see signs of improvement in Khlong Luang?

After the more severe air pollution bouts come to an end in the middle of the year, the months of June through to September have the more optimal levels of air quality present, although subtle rises can be seen towards the end of this period, before the PM2.5 readings start to rise more rapidly. June and July came in with the best readings at 7.6 μg/m³ and 8.7 μg/m³, placing them both in the World Health Organization's (WHO's) target bracket for the best level of air quality at 10 μg/m³ or less, making them the cleanest months of the year, as is common in many cities in the central region of Thailand.