Air pollution caused by agricultural burning blankets parts of northern Thailand

Air pollution caused by agricultural burning blanketed parts of northern Thailand this week Footage shows the smog in Phayao on Wednesday (March 3) when the levels of harmful PM 2.5 particles in the atmosphere exceeded safe levels.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded levels of 180 – more than three times the safe level of 50.

Officials said that the pollution was caused by a combination of agricultural burning and cooler temperatures with less wind and rain.