Air pollution levels to stall Thailand's plans to boost tourism? Here's what happening

After an unexpected economic slump in the last quarter, Thailand is seeking ways to boost its tourism industry in a bid to negate the effects of falling exports. But the country’s air pollution levels can put a dampener on all its efforts. In February this year, air quality levels in the capital Bangkok and its surrounding regions deteriorated sharply, with PM2.5 levels almost 14 times the recommended levels by the World Health Organization, according to a Reuters report. The pollution levels in the country still remain high, with the atmosphere hazy around many tourist hotspots. As per a Nikkei Asia report, the Thai government and the tourism industry have promoted the dry season (from November to February) as the best time of the year to visit the country. But international tourists may “postpone their travel to Thailand, or worse, choose instead to go to a different country with cleaner air,” Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries told Nikkei while talking about the air pollution levels in the county. Why have Thailand’s air pollution levels increased? Farmers burn sugarcane fields in the dry season to remove the leaves before harvesting. This leads to Thailand’s air quality deteriorating. The air quality remains poor till April. Automobile emissions are another factor contributing to pollution levels. The northern part of Thailand as well as Bangkok and surrounding areas suffer from severe pollution. Deadlines for automakers to bring new vehicles up to Europe’s Euro 5 emissions standards have been pushed back to January next year. Political interest in the issue has also seesawed, with lawmakers losing interest in the topic around April each year, when the air pollution levels decrease. Initiatives to fight air pollution have been debated several times in the parliament, but none of them have been approved due to opposition from businesses which would be subject to stricter rules. What will be the effect of air pollution on Thailand’s economy? Delays in tackling air pollution will not only affect the health of the public, but will also lead to a decline in international tourists, who are invaluable to the economy. The country is counting on looser to COVID curbs in China to result in a record 28 million foreign visitors, as per the National Economic and Social Development Council. However, constant air pollution levels may wreak Thailand’s plans for economic growth. Whether the new initiatives launched by the government such as promotion of medical tourism and long-term stays by wealthy visitors will work, is yet to be seen. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.