Chiang Mai is in a severe crisis as PM2.5 levels this morning continue to rise, maintaining its position as the world's most polluted major city for the fourth consecutive day. Meanwhile, residents are rushing to buy N95 masks and saline nasal sprays. They urge the government to urgently address the problem, saying that after facing a fuel crisis and a struggling economy, they now have to buy clean air to breathe.
On 1 April 2026, reporters described this morning's atmosphere in Chiang Mai province as still heavily shrouded in haze, with a gray sky. The IQAir AirVisual app recorded the air quality within Chiang Mai municipality at 08:00, ranking the city as the worst polluted in the world for the fourth day straight. The AQI reached 235, severely affecting everyone. Residents and students commuting for summer school all wore masks to protect themselves from PM2.5.
Some people have gone out to buy face masks and saline nasal sprays at pharmacies for wearing and nasal rinsing, leading to a 30 percent increase in N95 mask sales at these stores during this period.
A 40-year-old man from Chiang Mai told reporters that today he bought face masks for his family because the air quality is very poor, making breathing difficult and requiring extra care. He said this year's situation is worse than previous years; initially, he thought the dust problem might be less severe or absent this year, but it has sharply increased this week, affecting many sectors including tourism. Tourists may avoid visiting Chiang Mai during Songkran due to the air quality combined with high fuel prices. Even locals now do not want to stay in Chiang Mai under these conditions.
He also urged the relevant agencies and government to urgently solve this problem because the economy is already weak, and people have to spend money buying face masks and saline nasal sprays to maintain their quality of life and to buy breathable air.
Data on the 24-hour average PM2.5 situation at 07:00 on 1 April 2026 in the area covered by the Pollution Control Department Region 1 (Chiang Mai).
PM2.5 levels range between 80.3 and 293.1 micrograms per cubic meter, with air quality classified as “unhealthy.”
Chang Phueak Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Mai Province: PM2.5 = 110.3 µg/m³.
Sripoom Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Mai Province: PM2.5 = 82.0 µg/m³.
Suthep Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Mai Province: PM2.5 = 80.3 µg/m³.
Chang Kheng Subdistrict, Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province: PM2.5 = 155.2 µg/m³.
Muang Na Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province: PM2.5 = 286.0 µg/m³.
Hang Dong Subdistrict, Hod District, Chiang Mai Province: PM2.5 = 80.3 µg/m³.
This morning, the Center for Forest Fire Prevention and Suppression reported receiving hotspot data from GISTDA on 1 April 2026, showing a total of 83 hotspots across 16 districts.
Since 1 January to 31 March 2026, there have been a total of 5,090 hotspots, which is 1,423 more than in 2025—a 39 percent increase.