Bangkok, 15 April 2026

Save the Children Thailand is calling for the urgent advancement and enforcement of the Clean Air Act, as more than 2 million children in northern Thailand continue to be exposed to hazardous levels of PM2.5 air pollution. The organization stresses that this is not only an environmental issue, but a child rights crisis. Although the draft law has passed the House of Representatives, it remains under consideration by the Senate, leaving children to breathe toxic air every day.

This year’s haze crisis intensified in mid-March and has continued for several weeks. Many children have had to stop outdoor activities, switch to online learning, or stay indoors for extended periods. This has affected their physical health, mental well-being, and long-term development.

Save the Children Thailand’s fieldwork in Chiang Mai reflects the real-life impact on children. A 7-year-old girl shared, “I don’t like having to stay inside all the time. My friends can’t come out to play together. I don’t want the air to be full of dust like this. I feel sorry for our lungs.” Another 7-year-old said, “It feels uncomfortable having to wear a mask all the time. I want everyone to think about children.”

The impacts on children are both immediate and long-term. In the short term, children experience symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, allergies, and in some cases nosebleeds due to prolonged exposure. In the long term, research shows that continuous exposure to air pollution can impair lung development, increase the risk of chronic diseases, and affect learning and overall development.

This situation highlights that many children are unable to fully enjoy their fundamental rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, including the right to health, the right to development, and the right to grow up in a safe and healthy environment.

Guillaume Rachou, Executive Director of Save the Children Thailand, said: “Every day without enforcement increases risks to children’s health, learning, and future. What may appear as numbers of affected people for some is, for children, a reality they are living through every day.

This is not something that can wait. This is a crisis affecting children’s fundamental rights. We call on all sectors to take urgent and concrete action to ensure that the Clean Air Act is enforced as soon as possible. Children should not have to wait for the situation to worsen before meaningful action is taken.”

As an organization working to advance child rights, Save the Children continues to advocate for sustainable solutions to climate and environmental challenges. This includes creating space for children and young people to share their perspectives and contribute to policy solutions, as well as developing recommendations that reflect both local and national contexts.

In addition, Save the Children is preparing to collaborate with education authorities and civil society partners in Chiang Mai to integrate climate change and PM2.5 air pollution into school curricula, equipping children and young people with the knowledge and skills to respond to these challenges in the long term.

Thanapol Kheolamai, Climate Change Specialist at Save the Children Thailand, said: "The government must urgently provide support and relief to affected children and communities. This includes developing preparedness plans and anticipatory action systems to ensure timely support for at-risk populations, without waiting for official disaster declarations.”

Save the Children Thailand is part of the world’s leading independent child-focused organization, working for children for over 100 years globally and for 47 years in Thailand. The organization works to ensure that every child in Thailand has the right to protection from violence, access to quality education, and both physical and mental healthcare, because every child deserves a bright future.

[1] Ngamsang, P., Wongta, A., Kawichai, S., Kosashunhanan, N., Chuljerm, H., Khiaolaongam, W., Kijkuokool, P., Jiraya, P., Fakfum, P., Parklak, W., & Kulprachakarn, K. (2025). Restrictive Lung Function Patterns and Sex Differences in Primary School Children Exposed to PM2.5 in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. International journal of environmental research and public health, 22(10), 1530. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22101530