Fine particle matter (PM_2.5) was directly related to seasonal weather, and has become the influencing factor of air quality that is harmful for human health in Chiang Rai province. The aims were determining the elemental composition in PM_2.5 and human health risk in haze (March 2021) and non-haze episodes (July–August 2021). Nine elements in PM_2.5 were measured by using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, and an enrichment factor was used to identify the emission source. The results showed that the average concentration of PM_2.5 was 63.07 μg/m³ in haze episodes, and 25.00 μg/m³ in a non-haze episode. The maximum concentration was 116.7 μg/m³ in March. The majority of elements originated from anthropogenic sources. In haze episodes, PM_2.5 mean concentration was approximately 4.2 times that of the WHO guidelines (15 μg/m³ 24 h), and 1.3 times that of the Thai Ambient Air Quality Standard (50 μg/m³). The analysis of backward air mass trajectory showed that transboundary and local sources significantly influenced PM_2.5 at the monitoring site in the sampling period. In the health risk assessment, the non-carcinogenic risk of Cd was the highest, with a Hazard Quotient (HQ) of 0.048, and the cancer risk of Cr was classified as the highest cancer risk, with the values of 1.29 × 10⁻⁵, higher than the minimum acceptable level.

Food safety management in rural ethnic schools remains underdeveloped in Northern Thailand. This study evaluates such systems in primary schools using the Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) framework, which can serve as a scalable and culturally sensitive tool to strengthen food safety systems in multi-ethnic school environments. Multi-criteria decision analysis was employed across nine schools representing the Hmong, Lisu, Lahu, Akha, Kamoo, Haw, Mien, Karen, and Lau communities. Data collection included (1) PDCA-based rubric scoring validated by three experts; (2) in-depth interviews and field observations; (3) food and water contamination testing; and (4) microbiological analysis of chefs’ hands and utensils (detected or non-detected). The results showed that only 45% of the schools involved had third-party food safety monitoring, and 45% lacked systems to gather student feedback. None could independently assess chlorine or food residue. Escherichia coli contamination was found on chefs’ hands (44%), utensils (56%), and drinking water (33%). Schools C (Lahu) and F (Haw) had the highest and lowest PDCA scores, respectively. Therefore, schools should (1) train employees, (2) work with a third party responsible for monitoring food safety, and (3) establish raw material and contamination self-assessment processes to improve food safety. Implementing PDCA to improve food safety in neglected schools is essential.

Background: Food contamination in institutional food service settings remains a significant public health concern, particularly where large numbers of consumers are exposed daily. This study aimed to assess chemical and microbiological contamination, evaluate food handlers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), and identify contamination patterns in university food outlets. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted across all 77 food outlets within a university in northern Thailand. KAP was assessed using a structured questionnaire, while chemical and microbiological contamination were evaluated using standard screening methods. Results: Food handlers demonstrated generally high KAP scores; however, microbiological contamination was still observed, including Escherichia coli on food handlers’ hands (27.3%) and food-contact utensils (14.3%), as well as Salmonella spp. in ready-to-eat food (6.5%). In contrast, chemical contamination was rarely detected in screening tests. Moreover, cluster analysis identified four distinct contamination patterns, indicating heterogeneity in contamination risk across outlets. Conclusions: These findings suggest that reported food safety practices may not fully prevent contamination and that food safety management should incorporate both behavioral and operational controls to effectively reduce contamination risks in institutional settings.

Rice farmers in Chiang Rai are increasingly exposed to recurrent drought under climate change. Although previous studies have applied Knowledge–Attitude–Practice (KAP) frameworks to drought adaptation, evidence on ageing farming populations and the interaction between behavioral and institutional factors remains limited. This study aimed to identify behavioral and institutional factors associated with drought adaptation practices among rice-farming households. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 rice-farming households. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire validated through expert review (IOC) and pilot testing to assess socio-demographic characteristics and drought-related perception, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). Pearson correlation and binary logistic regression were applied to examine relationships and factors associated with higher drought adaptation practices. Qualitative data from open-ended questionnaire responses regarding government support and drought management recommendations were analyzed thematically to provide contextual insights into farmers’ experiences and adaptation challenges. Farmers demonstrated high drought perception (M = 4.86 ± 1.05/5) but only moderate knowledge (16.75 ± 3.36/25), attitudes (2.77 ± 1.33/5), and practices (22.57 ± 6.04/35). Knowledge was positively associated with adaptation practices (r = 0.224, p < 0.01), whereas perception showed no significant direct association, indicating a gap between awareness and adaptive action. Regression analysis showed that higher drought-related knowledge (aOR = 4.60, p = 0.003) and prior water scarcity experience (aOR = 4.45, p = 0.002) were significantly associated with higher drought adaptation practices. In contrast, older age, male gender, and off-farm employment were significant constraints. Qualitative findings highlighted persistent concerns regarding the adequacy, timeliness, and equity of government support, suggesting that institutional barriers limited farmers’ ability to translate awareness into adaptive action. These findings indicate that both behavioral and structural factors shape drought adaptation practices. While drought-related knowledge represents an important component of adaptive capacity, effective adaptation also depends on institutional support and resource accessibility. Strengthening agricultural extension services and improving the responsiveness and equity of government support may enhance the adaptive capacity and resilience of smallholder rice farmers in drought-prone regions.

This research aims to study air pollution dispersion in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. The relationship between air pollutants, meteorology and population health were considered. The levels of air pollutants were used to establish a spatial and temporal analysis by Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation from Geographic Information Systems (GIS), involved with occurrences of disease cases in the study area. The average monthly air pollution data were collected from Thailand’s Pollution Control Department and data on respiratory disease were collected from Chiang Rai Provincial Public Health Office during 2011 to 2014. The results indicated that monthly average PM10 concentrations started to rise from December to April. PM10 concentrations peaked during the hot season of every year, when open burning is prac-ticed. During this period, PM10 levels exceeded Thailand’s national ambient air quality standardsof 120 μg m-3. Accumulative influenza and pneumonia cases in Chiang Rai Province were very high in Chiang Rai city centre. The spatial temperature distribution map showed higher incidence of cases of influenza and pneumonia throughout the lower temperature area of Chiang Rai city centre. Influenza was affected by PM10, rainfall, relative humidity, and temperature, according to the following correlation ratios: 0.8217, 0.8842, 0.9375 and 0.8775, respectively. The incidence of pneumonia was affected by rainfall, relative humidity and temperature following the correlation ratios 0.7746, 0.7621 and 0.9684, respectively. Whereas PM10 was low associated with pneumonia as a significant ratio was 0.6079. Pneumonia incidence decreased when rainfall and temperature decreased, and increased when relative humidity increased.