BANGKOK (ANN/THE NATION) – The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) disclosed that in 2024, 12.3 million Thais experienced health issues attributed to air pollution, with the northern area facing the highest rate, followed by the northeastern region.
It also reported that within just two months of 2025, the number of people affected exceeded 980,000.
NESDC presented Thailand’s fourth-quarter social situation and an overview for 2024, emphasising crucial health issues that need attention going forward. The PM 2.5 dust problem has intensified, greatly affecting public health. Air pollution continues to be major issue, worsening, especially PM 2.5 pollution.
According to the 2024 Air Quality Index report from IQAir, Thailand ranked 33rd out of 141 countries worldwide for air pollution, a decline from 2023, where the country ranked 36th. Thailand is the third among nine Southeast Asian countries with an average annual PM 2.5 level of 24 micrograms per cubic metre.
The average annual PM 2.5 level for 2024 increased from 23 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023, exceeding the World Health Organization’s annual average standard for PM 2.5 by 4.8 times. This has led to both acute and chronic health effects, such as asthma , bronchitis, and lung cancer.
Research conducted by Chulalongkorn University in 2024 revealed that PM 2.5 dust in Bangkok and surrounding areas contains heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, and chromium at relatively high levels, all of which increase the risk of lung cancer.
According to the Health Data Centre of the Ministry of Public Health, in 2024, 12.3 million people were diagnosed with diseases related to air pollution, an increase of 10.1 per cent from 2023. The northern region recorded the highest number of cases, followed by the northeastern region and Bangkok.
Between January 1 and February 14, 2025, there were 980,000 instances of diseases linked to air pollution. Particular care is required for high-risk groups, including the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic conditions.
