PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Thailand's Kalasin Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Kalasin

Kalasin faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 821 thousand across 18 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 21.2µg/m³. That's 4.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 352 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Kalasin met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.59 years longer.

That's 1.3M years of life stolen from 821 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Kalasin. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.K. Kong Chai
1.9 years lost
2.Kamalasai
1.8 years lost
3.Yang Talat
1.7 years lost
4.Rong Kham
1.7 years lost
5.Muang Kalasin
1.7 years lost
6.Tha Khantho
1.6 years lost
7.Somdet
1.5 years lost
8.Sahatsakhan
1.5 years lost
9.Huai Mek
1.5 years lost
10.Huai Phung
1.5 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

100%

821K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 18 Districts in Kalasin

Complete air quality data for every district in Kalasin, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Muang Kalasin	123K	21.9	1.7 years
Yang Talat	109K	22.1	1.7 years
Kuchinarai	91K	20.1	1.5 years
Kamalasai	56K	23.7	1.8 years
Nong Kung Si	52K	20.3	1.5 years
Somdet	51K	20.8	1.5 years
Huai Mek	41K	20.5	1.5 years
Kham Muang	38K	20.0	1.5 years
Sahatsakhan	35K	20.7	1.5 years
Tha Khantho	33K	21.2	1.6 years
Khao Wong	32K	20.0	1.5 years
Na Mon	31K	20.2	1.5 years
Huai Phung	25K	20.4	1.5 years
K. Na Du	25K	19.8	1.5 years
K. Kong Chai	24K	24.3	1.9 years
K. Sam Chai	23K	20.4	1.5 years
K. Don Chan	21K	19.4	1.4 years
Rong Kham	14K	21.9	1.7 years

Showing 18 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Kalasin is Injurious to Health.