Highlight:
- Thailand became alert on the issue of PM2.5 toxic dust in 2018, which was a result of the higher PM2.5 dust value until the Pollution Control Department had a document to educate and in early 2019, there was a cabinet resolution. Announced to make PM2.5 dust a national agenda
- From the wake of PM2.5 dust in 2018, the import of air purifiers in 2019 grew by 490%.
- Before 2018, Thailand had the highest import of air purifiers from China. But after that, Thailand imported the highest air purifier from Italy.
Nowadays, air purifiers are likely to become just as essential household appliances. with air conditioner due to pollution problems Especially toxic dust, PM2.5, which air purifiers can range from large sizes for buildings, houses or small businesses for just a room. one in the house or in the condo Smaller in size for use only in confined spaces such as desks or even car air purifiers. Until now, there is a trend of portable air purifiers for hanging on the neck. which has been very popular But at the same time, there are still questions about the efficiency of using whether it can really help purify the air or not.
Some people may have only one. But some people may have all of the above. just to need clean air to breathe which must be exchanged for a price that has to be paid quite a bit
PM2.5 and the import of air purifier
If you look back at the PM2.5 dust values in the past 5 years from the country’s average annual PM2.5 dust data from 2016-2020 from the Pollution Control Department It was found that it was the highest in 2016 at 27 micrograms per cubic meter and has been steadily decreasing at 22, 24, 25, 23, respectively.
However, from this average, it cannot be concluded that PM2.5 dust in Thailand is low because it is the average from the whole country. which includes areas with high dust values such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai and areas with very low dust values such as Phuket and Satun
With the work of Rocket Media Lab, an organization working in the field of journalism. It was found that the issue of toxic dust has been discussed since 2007. The severe impact of PM10 dust in the northern region led General Surayut Chulanont’s government to declare the problem of smog in the north a national agenda. Then Thailand began to be more alert on the issue of dust. Especially the problem of PM2.5 dust, especially during 2018, which was a result of the extremely high PM 2.5 dust values during 2017, as documents from the Pollution Control Department came out to educate about PM2.5 dust. Whether it’s an article titled “How to fix PM 2.5 dust on the spot” or “Protecting people’s health from PM 2.5 dust: network cooperation”, news reports on the issue of PM 2.5 have appeared in the media after that. For example, the article titled “Bangkok dust: How worried should you be?” by BBC News. Thailand, which matched the Wisesight survey by Social Listening Method, found that there was a significantly higher percentage of PM2.5 on social media in late 2018 to early 2019.
and if looking at the import data Air purifier* from the Customs Department It was found that even the average annual country-wide average of PM2.5 dust is not directly related to the amount of air purifier imports. But there is an interesting observation that From the above factors that make people more alert about PM2.5, may result in a leap in imports of air purification machines byIn 2018, there were 883,482 pieces of air purification machines imported, valued at 611,551,409 baht, or a growth of 269%. 2,78,4221,707 baht, a 490% increase from 2018. ever
After that, the total imports of air purifiers began to stabilize. In 2020, imports of air purifiers were 6,258,280 pieces, and in the past year, air purifiers were imported at 5,097,054 pieces, worth 5,097,054 pieces. 1,780,682,954 baht
*Note: Air Purifier Named by Customs Tariff No. 84213920 without being able to classify the type of use and size of the air purifier.
Where do we import air purifiers from?
From the import data of the Air Purifier Department of the Customs, it is found that before the issue of PM2.5 dust was widespread in Thailand until it caused an alarm (before 2018), the data goes back as far as it was found in 2012 in Thailand. The highest imported air purifier from Malaysia but since then Thailand has been the number one importer of air purifiers from China until 2017. In addition, followed by Malaysia, Germany, India, Japan.
The turning point was in 2018, imports of air purifiers from Italy reached 700,206 pieces, or 79.25%, while imports from China were only 121,784, accounting for 13.78%, and from 2018, etc. Every year, Thailand imports the highest number of air purifiers from Italy.
For example, in 2021, air purifiers imported from Italy were 3,700,486 pieces, representing 72.60%, followed by China at 1,226,391 pieces, accounting for 24.06%, third was Japan, 102,540 pieces, accounting for 2.01, and the fourth was Taiwan, 25,510 pieces. accounted for 0.5%, and fifth was Malaysia, 17,090 pieces, accounting for 0.34%, and more than 20 countries, totaling 21,849 pieces, accounting for 0.44%.
However, if considering only the import value, it is found that China began to have the highest import value of air purifiers in 2017 to date. Before that in 2015 it was Germany and in 2016 it was Malaysia. by the country in the first order The import value of air purification equipment is China, Malaysia, Japan, Germany, South Korea, and there are also the United States, India, Switzerland.
In 2021, imports from China will be the highest value. 1,346,232,197 baht, representing 75.6% of total imports. followed by Malaysia, 146,875,191 baht, third place is Japan, 82,867,792 baht, fourth place is South Korea, 44,041,902 baht, fifth place is Switzerland, 40,518,733 baht, which is interesting to note that air purifiers are imported from Switzerland. Only 1,055 of Switzerland, but their value is so high that they can be in fifth place. While Italy even imports the highest amount. but the value is in the tenth place at 8,662,568 baht
How much have you lost on clean air that should be free?
Not only the need to buy an air purifier, but the PM2.5, especially in Bangkok, is several times higher than the criteria set by the WHO. It also causes many other losses, according to a Greenpeace study. Southeast Asia and IQAir found that by 2020, air pollution is responsible for more than 14,000 premature deaths for Thais in six provinces, with an estimated economic damage of USD 5 billion or 149,367,000,000. Bangkok, the economic damage from PM2.5 air pollution is more than 3.5 billion US dollars, or about 104,557 million baht.
In addition, the State of Global Air report found thatIn 2019, there were 32,200 PM2.5-related deaths in Thailand, and in the Ministry of Public Health’s report, in 2021, the number of cases (diseases) related to air pollution in Thailand was as high as 7,795,677 cases
As for Bangkok, a report by Rocket Media Lab found that in 2021 Bangkok residents inhaled PM2.5 toxic dust that is comparable to smoking 1,261 cigarettes. from air pollution, particulate matter no more than 2.5 microns in size (PM2.5) in the Bangkok metropolitan area” of the development group for non-communicable disease epidemiological surveillance systems Division of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control also found that overall, during the study period January 1, 2020 – October 26, 2021, the occurrence of respiratory diseases (Asthma, COPD, ACS) compared to the average amount of dust of less than 2.5 microns tends to go in the same direction. And the reporting of cases will increase during the pollution crisis. air and dust with a size of not more than 2.5 microns between late November and March of the following year
Will it be possible for Thailand to have clean air?
In addition to government plans under the National Agenda Action Plan “Troubleshooting the problem of dust pollution”, which occurred in 2019, was also found in the movement of the people’s sector. In particular, the issue of the draft law relating to pollution management and related to clean air, which has reached 5, and 3 have been dropped, leaving only 2 of them, namely the Clean Air Act for the People B.E. .. proposed by MPs for the Pracharat Party Comments are open on the website of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives.
and the draft of the Clean Air Management for Integrated Health Act B.E. past The next step will have to wait for the parliament to consider whether it is a financial law or not. After that, it was sent to the Prime Minister. considered for further approval. which the figure that had been brushed past was rejected on the grounds that it was considered a financial law
The dire situation of PM2.5 dust in Thailand has been around for more than ten years. But nowadays, Thai people still have to buy an air purifier to alleviate the toxic dust situation by themselves. And it is not yet known when the law that will come out to help protect Thai people with clean air for free will be successful. On the days when we have PM2.5 dust values increasing every year
