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 Surat Thani Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Surat Thani

Surat Thani faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.1 million across 19 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 16.7µg/m³. That's 3.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 277 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 Surat Thani met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.16 years longer.

That's 1.2M years of life stolen from 1.1 million 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 Surat Thani. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Muang Surat Thani
1.3 years lost
2.Wiang Sa
1.2 years lost
3.Phunphin
1.2 years lost
4.Ban Na Doem
1.2 years lost
5.Prasaeng
1.2 years lost
6.Ban Na San
1.2 years lost
7.Kanchanadit
1.2 years lost
8.Khian Sa
1.2 years lost
9.Chaiburi
1.1 years lost
10.Tha Chang
1.1 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

9.7%

103K

15-25 µg/m³

90.3%

967K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 19 Districts in Surat Thani

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Muang Surat Thani	182K	18.2	1.3 years
Kanchanadit	118K	16.8	1.2 years
Phunphin	117K	17.4	1.2 years
Ban Na San	85K	17.0	1.2 years
Wiang Sa	70K	17.5	1.2 years
Prasaeng	65K	17.0	1.2 years
Tha Chana	55K	14.8	1.0 years
Chaiya	54K	15.4	1.0 years
Khian Sa	47K	16.7	1.2 years
Khiri Ratthanikhom	44K	16.0	1.1 years
Don Sak	37K	15.7	1.1 years
Phanom	37K	15.6	1.0 years
Ko Samui	36K	14.4	0.9 years
Tha Chang	35K	16.1	1.1 years
Ban Na Doem	25K	17.4	1.2 years
Chaiburi	20K	16.6	1.1 years
Ban Ta Khun	17K	16.0	1.1 years
K. Wipawadi	14K	15.1	1.0 years
Ko Phangan	12K	14.0	0.9 years

Showing 19 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Surat Thani is Injurious to Health.