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Air quality in Thailand: Understanding the regulatory context

Air pollution is a critical issue in Thailand and, while the government regularly announces new measures to combat it, enforcement remains a key issue. This paper presents a comprehensive desk review of existing regulations and plans, outlining gaps and barriers to implementation, as well as success stories. Poor air quality is a pressing concern in Thailand, not only in urban areas but across whole swathes of the country and particularly during what is becoming known as “burning season”, when crop fields are burned to harvest sugarcane or remove remnant biomass. At the same time, industrial and vehicular pollution are year-round problems.