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 Nakhon Phanom Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Nakhon Phanom

Nakhon Phanom faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 569 thousand across 12 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 22µg/m³. That's 4.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 365 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 Nakhon Phanom met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.66 years longer.

That's 945K years of life stolen from 569 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 Nakhon Phanom. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Ban Phaeng
1.9 years lost
2.Na Thom
1.9 years lost
3.Si Songkhram
1.8 years lost
4.That Phanom
1.7 years lost
5.Tha Uthen
1.7 years lost
6.Renu Nakhon
1.7 years lost
7.Muang Nakhon Phanom
1.7 years lost
8.Na Wa
1.7 years lost
9.Na Kae
1.5 years lost
10.Phon Sawan
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%

569K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 12 Districts in Nakhon Phanom

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Muang Nakhon Phanom	129K	22.0	1.7 years
That Phanom	69K	22.7	1.7 years
Na Kae	58K	20.6	1.5 years
Si Songkhram	51K	23.1	1.8 years
Phon Sawan	42K	20.2	1.5 years
Tha Uthen	42K	22.6	1.7 years
Pla Pak	41K	19.8	1.4 years
Na Wa	39K	22.0	1.7 years
Renu Nakhon	37K	22.3	1.7 years
Ban Phaeng	29K	24.8	1.9 years
Na Thom	19K	24.6	1.9 years
K. Wang Yang	15K	19.9	1.5 years

Showing 12 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Nakhon Phanom is Injurious to Health.