Families in Chiang Mai report children suffering nosebleeds from hazardous air quality, prompting thoughts of moving amid record wildfires in northern Thailand.
Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, is facing severe air pollution that has led families to consider relocating for their children's health. Tirayut Wongsantisuk, 41, and his wife moved to the area in the 2010s for its cool climate but now worry about their daughters' frequent nosebleeds and rashes, attributing these to the haze.
Health Impacts on Residents
Tirayut's six-year-old daughter has experienced nosebleeds, eye irritation, and swollen eyelids, while Benjamas Jaiparkan, 35, sent her four-year-old son to a less polluted province after he developed similar symptoms. Exposure to the haze, which includes high levels of PM2.5 particles, can cause itchy eyes, nosebleeds, and potentially heart attacks, according to reports from the area.
Monitoring group IQAir ranked Chiang Mai among the world's most polluted cities this week, with satellite data showing 4,750 hotspots across Thailand on Tuesday. As of Wednesday, PM2.5 levels in Chiang Mai were classified as 'very unhealthy,' contributing to the persistent burning smell and reduced visibility in the region.
Sources of Pollution
The pollution stems from the peak fire season between November and March, where farmers burn fields and wildfires ignite in dry forests and farmlands. Local media reported mountains engulfed in flames, with residents describing the blazes as resembling 'volcanoes erupting.'
Thai authorities have responded by closing high-risk parks and warning of arrests for illegal burning, with convictions carrying up to 20 years in prison and fines of 2 million baht. In July 2023, about 1,700 people in Chiang Mai filed a lawsuit against former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and state agencies for failing to address the pollution.
In January 2024, a Chiang Mai court ordered the government to create an emergency air quality plan within 90 days. Hazardous haze has also affected other parts of Southeast Asia, with record hotspots in Malaysia and Indonesia.