BANGKOK, Thailand – Governor Chadchart Sittipunt visited the Community Development Village School in Khlong Toei District to inspect its dust-free classrooms and Safe Zone facilities. The visit coincided with school closures due to hazardous PM2.5 air pollution levels, where the school remained open for children needing a safe environment.
Governor Chadchart highlighted that the Community Development Village School, a major Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) school catering to students from Grade 1 to Grade 9, had been closed on January 23-24, due to PM2.5 levels exceeding safety standards. Recognizing that some parents could not care for their children at home, the school provided dust-free classrooms and Safe Zones as alternative safe spaces. Last year, the BMA upgraded all schools to include Safe Zones—large air-conditioned rooms equipped with air purifiers.
For BMA kindergarten classrooms, Chadchart noted that there are 1,966 classrooms across 429 schools, of which 744 have already been upgraded with air conditioning and air purifiers. The upgrades are expected to be completed in all kindergartens by the end of this year. He explained that younger children are prioritized because they are more vulnerable to the long-term effects of inhaling dust, and wearing masks can be particularly challenging for them.
“While schools are closed due to high pollution, these rooms often go unused. Therefore, we implemented a policy to open Safe Zones and dust-free classrooms during closures so students can use them. This helps parents who cannot provide care at home and ensures children remain in a protected environment. Otherwise, they might end up playing outside and being exposed to the harmful air. The school also provides breakfast, lunch, and fresh milk for the students,” Governor Chadchart stated. (BMA)
