Worsening smog forces Bangkok school closures

Bangkokians told to shelter indoor as smog and haze grips the city. The Education Ministry on Wednesday ordered educational institutes in Greater Bangkok to close for two days, starting tomorrow, after air pollution worsened. The ministry will review the situation this weekend to decide whether the measures would be extended, said minister Dr Theerakiat Charoensettasin. […]

000_1C78BB.jpg

A layer of smog blankets the Thai capital Bangkok on January 14, 2019. - Thai authorities are set to deploy rain-making planes to combat the pall of pollution that has shrouding the capital in recent weeks. (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP)

January 31, 2019

Bangkokians told to shelter indoor as smog and haze grips the city.

The Education Ministry on Wednesday ordered educational institutes in Greater Bangkok to close for two days, starting tomorrow, after air pollution worsened.

The ministry will review the situation this weekend to decide whether the measures would be extended, said minister Dr Theerakiat Charoensettasin.

The decision followed instructions from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for the ministry to consider urgent measures to deal with the worsening air pollution in Bangkok on Wednesday, the minister said.

The Pollution Control Department reported of unsafe levels of PM2.5 – airborne particulates 2.5 microns or less in diameter – in 39 locations around the city, of which 23 were along main roads.

If the situation remains unchanged, the order to suspend the classes may have to continue, he said.

The minister was speaking after chairing a meeting of the Office of the Basic Education Commission, Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Office of the Private Education Commission and Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC).

Theerakiat said that the OHEC will ask cooperation from universities to consider suspension of classes for the sake of students.

Referring to the O-net examination scheduled to take place between February 2-3, he said nothing could be done at the moment so the examination will proceed as scheduled.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

scroll to top