Fri Jan 24 05:19:32 UTC 2025: ## Bangkok Chokes: Schools Close as City Ranks Among World’s Most Polluted

**BANGKOK, Thailand** – Bangkok is grappling with a severe air pollution crisis, forcing the closure of over 350 schools and prompting a work-from-home advisory as the city ranks eighth globally in air quality index (AQI). Hazardous levels of PM2.5, cancer-causing microparticles, have soared, reaching 108 micrograms per cubic metre on Friday – more than 21 times the World Health Organization’s recommended annual limit.

The pollution, attributed to seasonal crop burning, vehicle emissions, and rubbish incineration, triggered an AQI reading of 185 on Friday, prompting the closure of an additional 100 schools. While authorities advised residents to work from home, only about 100,000 of Bangkok’s over 10 million residents have heeded the call. Six-wheel trucks have also been banned from certain areas.

The Kasikorn Research Centre estimates that prolonged pollution could cost the city between 88 and 177 million US dollars. While the AQI is expected to improve over the weekend, reaching 71 by Monday according to IQAir, the current crisis highlights the urgent need for effective long-term solutions to combat Bangkok’s recurring air pollution problem.

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