MIRIAM NNOLI 
No fewer than 350 schools have been reportedly forced to shut down in Bangkok, Thailand over air pollution.
New Telegraph reports that seasonal air pollution has long afflicted Thailand, like many countries in the region, but this week’s hazy conditions have shuttered most schools since 2020.
In a bid to curb pollution, Bangkok officials also announced free public transport for a week in a bid to reduce traffic in a city notorious for noxious exhaust fumes.
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On Thursday, January 23, more than 250 schools in Bangkok were closed, and officials urged people to work from home and restricted heavy vehicles in the city.
Air pollution hits the Southeast Asian nation seasonally, as colder, stagnant winter air combines with smoke from crop stubble burning and car fumes.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is currently attending the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, called for tougher measures to tackle pollution including limiting construction in the capital and seeking cooperation from nearby countries.
