TDRI QUARTERLY REVIEW

Volume 37, No. 03, Month SEPTEMBER, Year 2022, Pages 1 - 16

Policy measures to fight pm2.5 in the automotive sector

Kannika Thampanishvong, Promphat Bhumiwat

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Air pollution, ranging from smog hanging over cities to smoke inside the home, poses a major threat to human health. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the combined effects of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution cause about 7 million premature deaths worldwide every year.1 Those premature deaths result largely from increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.2 According to a joint study undertaken in 2016 by the World Bank and the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the premature deaths in Thailand due to air pollution in 2013 were estimated to be 48,819, which reflected an approximately 56 percent increase over the level in 1990 (World Bank, 2016). Such premature deaths due to air pollution result in a welfare loss of almost US$ 63.4 billion or around 6.29 percent of Thailand’s GDP and result in a loss of labor productivity valued at almost US$ 2.4 billion. Even though there are various types of air pollutants, such as lead, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and ozone (O3), fine particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter (PM2.5) is among the most widely discussed as it is so concerning for both the environment and people. According to the Pollution Control Department (PCD), large cities in Thailand have encountered PM2.5 problems for several years. According to the data on concentration of PM2.5 in Bangkok Province during the period 2011- 2019 from the Pollution Control Department, the PM2.5 concentration exceeded the safety standards established by WHO and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, especially during the months from December to March. There are several sources of PM2.5 depending on geographical location. In rural areas, the major source of PM2.5 is open burning of agricultural residues. In large cities, such as Bangkok, the most important source of PM2.5 pollutants that urgently need to be controlled is inefficient combustion of

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