Thai authorities warned that pollution levels in Bangkok and surrounding provinces had hit unhealthy levels yesterday, ordering government employees in the capital to work from home for the next two days and urging others to do the same.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told reporters that crop burning was the main culprit behind the spike, but added that around quarter of the pollution was from vehicles, a factor “we can control”.

IQAir said the level of fine inhalable particles in the city was 15 times higher than the recommended level by the World Health Organization, making it the world’s 8th most polluted city yesterday.