Bangkok (NNT/VNA) - Thailand and Japan have joined hands in airquality management and the reduction of fine PM 2.5 particulate matter intraffic congested areas, starting with air pollution surveys in Bangkok to findthe sources of pollution by the end of this year, in order to create solutionsto resolve this issue.

At the third seminar on Thailand-Japan cooperation on air quality management,the Pollution Control Department (PCD) Director General Pralong Dumrongthai,revealed the latest outcome from both countries cooperation to mitigateexcessive PM 2.5 airborne particulate matter in Thailand, during which relatedstaff have collected air samples from three locations with high trafficcongestion and community areas, namely Din Daeng, Bang Na, and Soi Ari Samphan.

The air samples were sent to Japan for an assessment of pollution sources, withthe results expected to be disclosed by the end of this year. The results fromthis studies will be made into mitigation guidelines for the PM 2.5 crisis inlarge urban areas with high road traffic volume.

Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Japan’sMinistry of the Environment, have signed an agreement on environmentalcooperation to provide support for academic works and the making of measuresand policies to solve the airborne particulate matter disaster in Thailand,including the making of a fine dust release list, an assessment of dustsources, and policy-level development to solve the dust issue.

The cooperation will continue for at least the two years 2018-2019.

The Japanese government has been providing support in the form of academics whohelp exchange ideas and make suggestions on policy making and the creation ofmeasures solving this problem. – NNT/VNA