Bangkok shrouded in smog due to air pollution. — XINHUA/VNA Photo

BANGKOK — The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has announced plans to revise its “work-from-home” (WFH) criteria in an effort to strengthen response to air pollution caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is forecast to worsen in early 2026.

Pornprom Vikitsreth, adviser to the Bangkok governor and chief sustainability officer, said that under the new 2026 plan, both public and private agencies will be urged to implement WFH measures immediately when PM2.5 levels reach the “orange” category, between 37.6 and 75.0 µg per cbm, in at least 35 districts, or 70 per cent of the city area.

Other triggering factors include poor ventilation rates (below 2,000sq.m per second) and more than 80 daily fire hotspots for three consecutive days.

Additionally, agencies are encouraged to implement regular WFH at least one day per week from January to March 2026.

Data on WFH participation, including employee numbers, travel distance, and transport type, will be compiled and submitted to the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation to calculate CO₂ reductions from lower fuel use.

Pornprom added that during 2025, 278 agencies with 96,307 employees have joined the BMA’s WFH network. The city now aims to expand this to 300,000 participants for 2026.

Residents and agencies can follow air quality updates and WFH announcements via the “WFH BKK” Line group, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration or Environment Department Facebook pages, or the Air BKK platform. — VNA/VNS