The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is urging city residents to work remotely for three days next week, anticipating worsening air quality.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt appealed for cooperation from both private and public sector employers to enable telecommuting from Monday through Wednesday.
BMA spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala stated that this precautionary directive is based on weather forecasts predicting hazardous levels of PM2.5, tiny dust particles, likely to cover more than two-thirds of the capital’s districts and elevate pollution into the orange zone.
Mr. Amrapala also highlighted the recent identification of over 80 hot spots within the city, from Saturday to Wednesday, which have significantly impeded airflow and ventilation.
In light of these conditions, the spokesperson noted that it might become necessary to extend the work-from-home policy throughout the entire week if the smog levels are deemed dangerous for public health.
The orange designation for air quality indicates that PM2.5 concentrations range from 37.6 to 75.0 micrograms per cubic meter. In these zones, it is strongly recommended that residents wear face masks and limit their outdoor activities to reduce exposure.
Moreover, the BMA has granted autonomy to directors of all BMA schools, allowing them to decide whether to close their institutions during this affected period.
City Hall officials have also been given the discretion to either commute to their offices or continue working from home, based on their personal assessment of the situation.