Thailand pilots installation of air purifiers on buses

The Thai Transport Ministry will install air purifiers on the roofs of Bangkok buses this month. (Photo: The Nation)

Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai Transport Ministry will install air purifiers on the roofs of Bangkok buses this month, starting with vehicles of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and fitting trucks as well if the results are good.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said plans were being finalised with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the National Science and Technology Development Agency and Chiang Mai University (CMU) to outfit the 387 buses on 129 routes.

Unlike home units, these air purifiers will require no electrical power, simply gulping in air as the vehicles move.

A simulation of the CMU found that a unit mounted on car moving at 20 kilometres per hour could purify 20,000 cubic metres of air per hour. The average adult breathes 0.5 cubic metre of air per hour, so theoretically, a bus with a purifier could supply fresh air to 40,000 people in one hour. The Department of Land Transport has yet to determine whether a bus even moving faster than 20kph would produce enough purified air just by its movement.

The units are expected to be inexpensive. The changeable filter costs around 500 THB (16.07 USD) and is good for 400 hours, or around 2-3 weeks.

Saksayam said the ministry might also design a purifier for small vehicles including motorcycles but would not make their installation obligatory.

Earlier, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ordered temporary halt to the construction of high-rise buildings and electric train routes in Bangkok from February 4-6 to reduce air pollution in metropolitan areas.

Last month, the Thai cabinet approved 12 measures to reduce air pollution, including banning lorries on Bangkok streets on even dates during January and February./.