They are the world's most polluted cities

 

Climate & environment
Southeast Asian cities among the most polluted in the world

Christina Nordh

Updated 09.25 | Published 09.23

Smog engulfs Thailand's capital Bangkok. (Archive image) Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP

Cities in Southeast Asia are among the five most polluted in the world.

One of them is Vietnamese Ho Chi Min City, according to the organization IQAir, which measures air quality.

On the unflattering list, Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh is in fourth place, followed by the Thai capital Bangkok.

In a Bangkok surrounded by smog, the pollution is noticeable among those who work outdoors.

- My nose is constantly blocked. I have to blow my nose all the time, says Supot Sitthisiri, 55, who drives a motorcycle taxi, to Reuters.

The city's air pollution is caused by a combination of industrial emissions, heavy traffic and the burning of farmland.

In the Thai capital, authorities were forced to close 300 schools a week due to air pollution.

"They need to do more, not just inform about high levels of air pollution and close schools. More is needed than that," Khwannapat Intarit, 23, told the news agency.

"It keeps coming back and gets worse every time."

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra wrote in a post on social media that companies and authorities should allow employees to work from home to reduce car traffic.
In Vietnam's largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, pollution levels were eleven times higher than WHO recommendations. The capital, Hanoi, has been ranked the world's most polluted city and has prompted authorities to urge residents to wear respiratory masks and eye protection.