Thailand temporarily limits cargo trucks

Thai Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-archa said on January 16 that all cargo trucks will be temporarily allowed to ply Bangkok streets only on every two days in order to reduce the volume of the city's airborne dust.

Accordingly, cargo trucks are permitted to run on Bangkok streets between Kanchanaphisek ring road around the capital city and its inner parts only on even days during January and February.

Such temporary measure to reduce the volume of PM 2.5 airborne dust in the city, which is to be endorsed by the cabinet on January 21, will be terminated when its air pollution is expected to improve from March, according to the minister.

Meanwhile, he called on Bangkok residents to consider using a car pool among their neighbors or relatives to reduce the volume of the particulate matter.

As much as 72 percent of the city's PM 2.5 airborne dust has reportedly resulted from vehicles' exhaust smoke, he said./.

VNA