BANGKOK, 6 October 2015 – Labor Minister Sirichai Ditthakul has expressed concerns over the health of Thai workers in Malaysia, Singapore and southern Thai provinces currently affected by haze from Indonesia.
He instructed the ministry’s officials to monitor the situation surrounding the haze caused by brushfires which could possibly have an impact on the workers’ health as well as to provide them with care, advice and assistance, should emergency arise.
The haze from Indonesia might possibly affect the neighboring Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei where more than 150,000 Thai workers are currently employed, according to the labor minister.
Meanwhile, three southern Thai provinces, namely Songkhla, Yala and Pattani, were found to have particulate matter (PM10) amounting in excess of the maximum permissible level of 120 micrograms per cubic meter.
Nevertheless, the haze was not reported to have affected people in other southern provinces such as Phuket and Pattalung as yet.
