Thailand bears Southeast Asia's second-heaviest economic cost from air pollution, behind Indonesia
PM2.5 air pollution costs the Thai economy an estimated US$45.3 billion annually, or 3.89% of its GDP, the second-highest figure in Southeast Asia behind Indonesia's, per a World Bank assessment.
Thailand faces the second-highest economic impact from air pollution in Southeast Asia, falling just behind Indonesia, according to recent research. The Nation reported on figures shared at a seminar, placing Thailand at 20th globally in terms of the healthcare cost burden caused by PM2.5 fine-particle pollution. The long-term consequences of this pollution are far-reaching, impacting workers' productivity, consumer spending, tourism revenue, and property values, particularly in areas heavily affected by the smog.
Furthermore, the frequent smog during Thailand's dry season poses a significant challenge to the country's efforts to attract skilled workers and affluent tourists, while also jeopardizing the quality of the future workforce due to its detrimental effects on children's physical and intellectual development. Environmental advocates and economists have expressed concern over the Thai Parliament's delay in enacting the Clean Air Bill, deeming it a major setback for Thailand's sustainable economic growth.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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