Smog in Northern Thailand: Three Targets for Reducing Pollution

Smog in northern Thailand was the topic of a meeting on November 10 in Chiang Rai: provincial representatives and researchers discussed indicators for fighting air pollution and coordinating scientific work that should help track the situation in the region. The meeting covered Chiang Rai, Lampang and Phayao, but the program of the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) covers eight provinces of the Upper North and addresses both open burning and fine particle concentrations and health risks. As of November 2026, the announced values — planned indicators, not the actual number of fires, pollution days or people who fell ill; they do not mean that air quality has already improved.

What Is Known

According to the Matichon newspaper, a meeting on coordinating research into fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) for Chiang Rai, Lampang and Phayao was held in Chiang Rai on November 10. The governor of Chiang Rai gave a welcome address, and the meeting was chaired by the director of the National Research Council of Thailand, Dr. Vipharat Di-ong. For more on the problem itself, see the article on the smog season and PM2.5 in Thailand.

This is the second meeting of the provinces group: the previous one, for Nan and Phrae, took place on September 24, 2026 (2569 on the Thai calendar). The meetings are linked to the research program “Thailand Safe from PM2.5,” not to the announcement of a new general ban on burning.

The program is designed for eight Upper North provinces: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Phayao, Phrae and Nan. The list is given in the published program description of the Agricultural Research Development Agency of Thailand; individual meetings are held for groups of provinces.

Smog in Northern Thailand: Three Targets

According to Matichon, the program has set three annual targets. As of November 2026, these refer to planned results, not achieved values:

• No more than 5,000 hot spots per year, linked to open burning without permission across the eight northern provinces.
• No more than 50 days per year with fine particle (PM2.5) concentrations above 37.5 µg/m³. The indicator is calculated as an average across the eight provinces, not as a separate limit for each.
• No more than 1,000 new patients per year with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were hospitalized for the first time where exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) was a cause or risk factor for the disease.

The hot spot target is also listed on the official website of the National Research Council of Thailand. At the same time, a satellite hot spot, unauthorized burning and measured concentrations of pollutant particles are different indicators: not every detected heat spot automatically means illegal burning.

The medical target also needs to be read precisely. It does not mean that a causal link between the disease and exposure to fine particles has been proven for each patient individually. On the scale of the Pollution Control Department of Thailand 37.5 µg/m³ — is the upper limit of the moderate category, while the category where health effects begin starts at 37.6 µg/m³.

How Program Progress Will Be Tracked

Meeting participants proposed tracking the program’s progress monthly using a monitoring plan and an information dashboard. This is a proposal for a monitoring system: the report on the meeting does not confirm that a public dashboard is already operating or that a launch date has been set.

According to the research council, the program includes developing data systems for management decisions, reducing agricultural and forest burning, and reducing transboundary smoke pollution. The council also supports the “Burn-Free Communities” initiative, which encourages settlements that have stopped open burning. Research work itself does not amount to introducing new fines or restrictions for all residents.

What to Do

If you live in northern Thailand or are planning a trip, check current air quality measurements on the official website of the Pollution Control Department. Fine particle concentrations can vary between locations and change over time, so the program’s targets do not replace up-to-date data for a specific area.

Follow official warnings and current health advice. If air pollution raises concerns about your health, see a doctor; useful information is also collected in the article on medical care in Thailand. When choosing travel dates, you can also check the overview of Thailand’s weather seasons.

These are targets of the monitoring and pollution reduction program, not evidence of air quality improvement that has already been achieved. This article does not replace medical advice. Air quality indicators and regional restrictions may change; check official announcements.