Chadchart asks government to declare Bangkok pollution control zone

Chadchart urges the government to declare Bangkok a pollution control zone to fight PM2.5.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Governor Chadchart Sittipunt on Thursday called on the government to declare Bangkok a pollution control zone to enable the BMA to better tackle PM2.5 pollution.

The governor explained that if the capital is declared a pollution control zone, the BMA will be able to access the fund for promoting environmental quality, allowing it to improve air quality without needing prior approval from the central government.

Chadchart said the fund could be used to implement various systems that would enable the BMA to address air pollution more effectively.He added that the BMA has also successfully implemented the low-emission zone (LEZ) measure to reduce PM2.5 levels in inner Bangkok.

The LEZ measure prevents unregistered trucks with six or more wheels from entering inner Bangkok within the Ratchadapisek ring road.

Only trucks that have been registered to conform with low exhaust emissions will be allowed to enter the inner zone of Bangkok. So far, 38,000 trucks have been registered as meeting the safety standard for entering inner Bangkok, Chadchart said.

Unregistered trucks that enter inner Bangkok will face charges from the BMA, Chadchart added.

He said the government should consider the LEZ measure when drafting the new national operational plan for dealing with PM2.5.

(2025/01/30-00:00)