Air quality in Chaiyaphum

Is the air in Chaiyaphum very polluted?

Chaiyaphum, located in the central northeastern region of Thailand within Isan, is currently subject to some rather prominent and severe levels of air pollution, as of late February 2022. There have been heightened levels of air pollution present in the preceding months, and these elevations will likely continue for a few more months before they reside slowly, as is so common throughout many cities and provinces in Thailand, particularly those in the northern portion of the country. This is due largely to the instances of slash and burn farming present in the northern side of Thailand, and although they are the most prominently affected, it is important to note that this phenomenon also affects cities in the central and lower regions of the country, due to open burn sites taking place here, as well as large clouds of smoke being blown across from rural areas to cities many miles away.

Regarding its air pollution levels, Chaiyaphum is indeed very polluted and presented with a US AQI reading of 168 in the latter days of February 2022, with readings also going as high as 153 in late January. This reading of 168 places Chaiyaphum into the 'unhealthy' air pollution rating bracket, which requires a figure of 151 and above to be classified as such. The 'unhealthy' rating is color-coded as red to indicate the danger that it presents, along with its name also alluding to the more serious pollution problems present when such ratings are shown. when the above-mentioned US AQI reading was taken, the pm2.5 level was also found to be at a concentration of 17.6 times above the World Health Organization's (WHO's) safe annual exposure limits. This also indicates that the number of fine particles in the air (which would consist of a myriad of materials ranging from ultrafine silica particles, metals, nitrates and sulfates, oil and liquid vapors, along with certain bacteria and mold spores and a whole host of other highly dangerous materials that can cause just as many adverse health effects amongst those who are exposed). Whilst these pollution levels will likely not remain this high for the majority of the year, Chaiyaphum is indeed highly polluted in the earlier months of the year, and will potentially stay this way until April and beyond when the air pollution levels start to recede to safer readings. During bouts of severe air pollution levels such as the ones mentioned above, many preventative measures should be employed, which include the use of fine particle filtering masks, as well as avoiding outdoor activities, if possible, especially if they are strenuous ones such as jogging and other forms of exercise, which can increase respiration rates and cause individuals to take deep breathes of air that contains all manner of hazardous particles and chemical compounds. Air quality reports can be monitored via the graphs and forecasts present on this page, as well as on the AirVisual app. If available, indoor air purifiers can be run to prevent indoor air pollution levels from rising too significantly.

What causes the air to become dirty and polluted in Chaiyaphum?

Due to its central northeastern position in Thailand, Chaiyaphum can also be affected by the slash and burn farming issues that take place throughout the country, with the most prevalent burning activities taking place in the northern regions, with cities such as Chiang Rai being affected by considerable amounts. Due to this, pollution levels will tend to be higher in Chaiyaphum during the months that, year in and year out, always show elevated levels of air pollution which are related to the open burning of organic material found in forestland and crop fields. Besides the burning of these organic materials (which has been deemed highly illegal but continues to take place due to many reasons), several anthropogenic and industrial related causes contributing to air pollution spikes in Chaiyaphum, along with natural or man-made disasters potentially contributing.

Vehicles, as with many cities throughout Thailand and Asia, can contribute significantly to the air pollution levels, leaving accumulations of smog, haze, smoke and damaging particulate matter in the air close to ground level, making it easy to breathe and thus presenting many health risks to the citizens of Chaiyaphum (with some of these adverse health effects being discussed in further detail in the following question). With increasing vehicle ownership, there comes further pollution from said vehicles, due to the combustion process in the engines giving out high quantities of fumes that contain all manner of chemical compounds. Furthermore, with many aged or poor quality vehicles still in use (which are far more prevalent in rural areas, despite efforts to remove them from the roads), pollution levels can rise further from their use, as the poor combustion process taking place within the engine, along with cheaper or lower quality fuels often used, can lead to noxious oil vapors leaking from the engines, along with a much higher output of dangerous particles.

Heavier freight vehicles, vital to the transportation of both people (buses) as well as industrial materials or other produce (trucks and lorries) can also give out a large amount of pollution, often running on diesel fuel which can give out many of its unique pollutants when combusted. With all vehicles, there is also the issue of residual wear and tear occurring on the tire treads, which can lead to many tons of microscopic rubber particles being deposited into the air. Rush hour traffic in certain areas may also lead to the buildup of soot, or black carbon around roadside areas, which can have highly damaging effects on both the environment, as well as human health when inhaled. Other prominent or noteworthy causes of air pollution include emissions from factories and power plants, along with other similar industrial areas. Poorly paved roads can give off large amounts of dust and fine particles, along with construction sites (and even demolition sites) all contributing to elevated levels of air pollution in Chaiyaphum.

When is the air quality most likely to be at its worst in Chaiyaphum?

The air quality in Chaiyaphum, as touched on briefly in the first question of the article, is likely to be at its highest at both the very beginning and very end of the year, following the burning season trend with a direct correlation in its pollution levels. Whilst there are many other sources of pollution present, the ones that cause the biggest spikes seen on record typically come from the mass burning of organic material such as farm or forestland. As such (although there are always deviations from this norm being possible and should be taken into consideration), the early and late months of the year are when safety measures should be taken to avoid breathing excessive levels of pollution, with the mid-months of the year typically seeing the cleanest levels of air quality present.

What health issues stem from air pollution exposure in Chaiyaphum?

Some health problems that can arise from breathing badly polluted air in Chaiyaphum include coughing, chest and throat infections, as well as skin problems such as acne and eczema also developing. More serious issues include those that fall under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) bracket, namely asthma and bronchitis, along with heightened rates of cancer, heart attacks, strokes and even premature death occurring, with many cases of deaths within Chaiyaphum and indeed across Thailand having direct or at least indirect links to high air pollution levels.

Which people can suffer from more prominent side effects of air pollution in Chaiyaphum?

Those that are most likely to be more prominently affected amongst the citizens of Chaiyaphum include the elderly, due to their tendency to fall far more ill from pulmonary conditions, which can sometimes cause death if not properly treated. Other groups include young children and babies, along with pregnant mothers, and those with compromised immune systems, usually as a result of pre-existing health conditions which can be worsened significantly by air pollution exposure.