Air quality in Pluak Daeng

Is there a high level of air pollution present in Pluak Daeng?

Pluak Daeng has had some high levels of air pollution present in years past, and will likely continue to see elevated readings in the following years, particularly during certain months of the year. This is due to how pollution patterns throughout much of Thailand typically function, with a big dip in pollution levels being seen in the mid-months of the year, and sudden elevations towards the end of the year that carries on into the following year before abating again. In late September of 2021, US AQI readings of 29 were recorded, placing Pluak Daeng into the 'good' air quality rating bracket for that particular day and time in which the reading was taken. This is color-coded as green and requires a US AQI reading of 0 to 50 to achieve classification, making it one of the most optimal levels of air quality possible, with the closer to 0 indicating decreased amounts of smoke, haze or other contaminating elements in the air. whilst this is on the more optimal side of air cleanliness levels, Pluak Daeng and many other cities and regions throughout Thailand typically see significantly better levels of air quality in September and October, as well as the few months before these. Towards the end of the article, the most polluted and most clean months on record will also be discussed, so that preventative measures can be put into place to avoid the highly negative health effects that can be caused by pollution exposure.

Why is Pluak Daeng more polluted?

Many of the main contributing factors in rising levels of air pollution in Pluak Daeng are ones such as the exhaust fumes released from the vehicles in use on the road. With cars, motorbikes and heavier freight vehicles such as lorries and trucks in use on the road, they all compound the pollution situation and add to the overall PM2.5 and US AQI levels. It is not uncommon for many of these vehicles to be significantly aged, damaged, or in a poorer condition due to years of usage, which puts a greater strain on the environment due to the higher output of pollution released, due to the poor combustion process that takes place within run-down engines. Large amounts of oil vapors, hazardous particles and chemical compounds are released from these more aged vehicles, far more than what be seen emanating from newer or more environmentally-friendly models. Regarding the heavier freight vehicles contributing to motor-based pollution, many of these utilize diesel fuel and as a result, can give off tons of microscopic rubber particles from the residual wear and tear of the tire treads. This causes particle pollution to go up by a large amount, as well as impacting the soil and various ecosystems around it. Other sources of air pollution include dust from construction sites, road repairs, and even demolition sites (all of which can be a major source of particulate matter, far more than many people are aware of), along with the burning of trash, although this continues to be on the decline in more developed areas and mostly a continuing issue within certain provinces or far away from any major cities.

What is PM2.5 and its effect on air pollution levels in Pluak Daeng?

PM2.5, or ultrafine particles, can have a serious impact on the health and wellbeing of those who are subject to exposure, particularly when these exposure levels are high, or take place over long periods (chronic exposure). PM2.5 can be formed from materials such as water or other liquid vapors, along with ultrafine metal particles, nitrates and sulfates, mold spores and bacteria, dust and soot, as well as silica and gravel that has been word down to microscopic levels. These particles can cause significant damage to the lungs when inhaled, with many of them have extremely carcinogenic properties, which can cause the rates of lung cancer to rise significantly when exposure takes place to larger amounts of the population.

Is the air safe to breathe in Pluak Daeng and what health risks can occur from breathing polluted air?

Exposure to high levels of air pollution can bring about all manner of unwanted and dangerous conditions, particularly to certain individuals who fall into the sensitive group's bracket. However, even healthy adults can succumb to the ill effects of air pollution if exposure is excessive, or taken in over a long time (particularly for those who live near highly polluted areas such as industrial districts or near busy roads, whereby the air quality will be poor for a most of the year). Many conditions that may arise as a result would be the typical short-term ones such as dry throat and coughs, as well as chest pains and mild infections of the respiratory tract. These can resolve themselves quickly when exposure to air pollution is lessened or ceased altogether, and as such, they can be considered as more short-term or acute health issues. They may also develop into more long-term or chronic issues, with continuous chest infections and coughing leading to the scarring of lung tissue, which often results in permanently decreased lung capacity.

Additionally, the subsequent scarring or damage and inflammation to the tissue of the lungs will make individuals far more vulnerable to a whole host of respiratory distress, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) making itself present. COPD is an umbrella term that encompasses a multitude of lung and respiratory tract ailments, usually resulting in shortness of breath and other negative symptoms. Breathing in polluted air when one already has pre-existing conditions can cause them to worsen, or progress into more life-threatening forms of the illness. Some of the conditions that can be classified under the COPD bracket are pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema as well as asthma. 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 life expectancy.

When is the air at its most heavily polluted in Pluak Daeng?

Observing air quality readings taken over 2020, it can be seen that Pluak Daeng had its most polluted periods during January and February, as well as March, April, November and December also having higher levels of PM2.5 present. January and February came in at 38.7 μg/m³ and 43.6 μg/m³ respectively, placing them into the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' rating bracket, the only two months of the year to do so. Many of the other months were 'moderately’ polluted, which although less harmful, is still far from perfect and can cause health issues amongst more vulnerable members of the population.

When does the air quality see improvements in Pluak Daeng?

Pluak Daeng has a fairly bad situation in regards to its year-round air pollution levels. Whilst many Thai cities, towns or provinces have a high level of air pollution during certain months, they are usually redeemed by certain months in the middle of the year showing vast improvement. This was not the case in Pluak Daeng however, with only a single month falling into the 'good' air quality bracket, with June presenting with a reading of 11.5 μg/m³. No month achieved the World Health Organization's (WHO's) target goal of 10 μg/m³ or less, hence indicating that Pluak Daeng has some issues related to its ambient pollution levels. Caution should be taken and pollution levels monitored closely to avoid the damage that can be incurred to one’s health. The air quality maps, graphs and forecasts available on this page and the AirVisual app can aid greatly in determining when outdoor activity is safe and of less danger to your health.