The Governor of Bangkok has announced that 437 schools in Bangkok will be closed and said a statement from the Prime Minister will order other schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to follow.

Source: Air Quality Index Website
(Captured at 5.31 p.m.)

Pol. Gen. Assawin Kwanmuang, Governor of Bangkok, made a statement at 11.30 today (30 January 2019), that 437 schools in Bangkok will be closed from 30 January at 12.00 to 1 February 2019.  He added that he is only responsible for the Bangkok area, but other schools will follow soon by the Prime Minister’s order.

“This order involves only schools in Bangkok. But a moment ago, the Prime Minister made a phone call to say that he will order the Minister of Education to order all schools under OBEC closed, as well as others involved. Maybe from tomorrow onward.”   

Soon after the statement, Thammasat University, Mahidol University, Srinakharinwirot University and Chulalongkorn University announced there will be no teaching from 31 January to 1 February 2019. The latter also has been offering N95 masks for students at Chamchuri 9 building, second floor, from 8.00 to 16.00.

An order has also been issued by the Ministry of Education to schools in the Bangkok Metropolitan region, including Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, and Samut Sakhon which will have no teaching from 30 January to 1 February.

On 30 January, the Air Quality Index (AQI) website showed most monitoring stations in the Bangkok Metropolitan region reporting unhealthy levels. The government is still spraying water to contain the problem. Drones will be employed to spray water mixed with molasses to better capture the particulates.    

Northern Thailand also faces the problem even though there is still no sign of any educational institutions being closed.