Thai authorities issued a warning on Thursday about unhealthy pollution levels in Bangkok and nearby provinces, mandating government employees in the capital to work from home for the next two days and advising others to follow suit.
The air pollution is caused by a combination of crop-related burning, industrial pollution heavy traffic and a smoky haze covering Bangkok's skyline.
Swiss air quality tracking website IQAir said the level of fine inhalable particles in the city was 15 times higher than the recommended level by the World Health Organization (WHO), making it the world's eighth most polluted city on Thursday.
"It's getting worse because there's too much smoke haze," said motorcycle taxi driver Kornpong Poprakun, 57. "I have itchy eyes because there's a lot of dust and breathing isn't easy."
In a bid to curb traffic pollution, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told staff at the Metropolitan Administration's agencies to work from home and said other employees should also do the same.
He said some areas of the city had high levels of pollution and authorities were ready to manage the situation.
The government has offered subsidies to farmers to prevent burning and packages for cheaper electric vehicles, while Thai lawmakers are considering a clean air act for transport, business and agriculture to reduce pollution on a wider scale.
