Tourists advised to take precautions with ‘unhealthy’ air quality in Thailand’s north

Air pollution at dangerous levels; Chiang Mai streets pictured

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has issued a statement saying the air quality in parts of the country’s north has been at unhealthy levels for the past weeks.

It is advising tourists visiting Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and the surrounding provinces to monitor air quality index (AQI) reports and take necessary precautions.

Air quality in Thailand’s north at ‘unhealthy levels’; Chiang Mai streets pictured

The Pollution Control Department under the Ministry of Public Health is providing ongoing reports of air quality, and tourists can keep abreast of these via the Air4Thai website or by downloading the mobile application “Air4Thai” on App Store or Google Play.

The haze may also affect flight operations and cause delays. Passengers may check the flight status from the airline that they are travelling on or get the latest updates from the airport authority.

TAT also suggests that individuals take precautionary steps such as wearing an N95-rated face mask whenever going outside, and advises those with respiratory problems or other suspected effects of the haze to see a doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Tourists who experience “any unfortunate incidents” are encouraged to immediately contact the Tourist Police Hotline on 1155.

The NTO has also stated its readiness to support the government and other public or private sector efforts to tackle the haze, which is blamed mostly on forest fires, open scrub burning and vehicle emissions.

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