Bangkok to announce remote work policy to combat air pollution

By Phan Anh   January 13, 2025 | 03:12 pm PT
Bangkok to announce remote work policy to combat air pollution
Smog covers Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 2, 2023. Photo by Reuters
Bangkok is set to introduce a new remote work policy to help address the city’s chronic air pollution, Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has announced.

Sittipunt noted on Sunday that while the PM2.5 level stood at approximately 24.9 µg/m³ on Sunday thanks to favorable weather conditions, it could rise again by Wednesday, according to a report by the Bangkok Post. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter in the air that can pose significant health risks.

Under the proposed plan, work-from-home measures will be activated if PM2.5 concentrations reach a level deemed hazardous to public health. City authorities also intend to streamline remote work processes in both public and private sectors, aiming to reduce traffic congestion, a major contributor to air pollution.

In the event of severe air pollution, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will temporarily close schools and restrict certain types of vehicles from entering central Bangkok, according to BMA spokesman Aekvarunyoo Amrapala. Furthermore, the BMA’s education department plans to roll out "dust-free" kindergarten classrooms in 429 schools across the city, creating around 1,996 specialized classrooms in the 2025 fiscal year.

 
 
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