Thai supermarkets and chemists ran out of face masks today as locals rushed to protect themselves from the deadly smog blanketing the capital Bangkok.

Footage taken in various chemists and supermarkets shows the shelves empty as sales soared of masks that filter out the toxic particles currently engulfing the city.

A debilitating blanket of toxic smog made up of deadly micro-particles of dust that become lodged in the lungs has engulfed the city since last weekend and is expected to continue for the next month.

Officials have begun spraying water into the air as a response to the pollution and planes also flew over eastern regions dumping water from the sky. 

The pollution cloud - a deadly cloud of fine dust particles and other air pollutants - has been carpeting since January 12 and it is eight times higher than the safe limit. It is caused by high numbers of cars on the road, an explosion in construction projects and the city's hundreds of thousands of street food sellers barbecuing food outdoors.

Health experts have warned that the pollution is a ''silent killer'' and that at current levels was extremely harmful to anyone stepping outside. They said the cost of treating people could run into ''millions of dollars''.

Thai supermarkets and chemists ran out of face masks today as locals rushed to protect themselves from the deadly smog blanketing the capital Bangkok.

Footage taken in various chemists and supermarkets shows the shelves empty as sales soared of masks that filter out the toxic particles currently engulfing the city in cloud of pollution.

A debilitating blanket of toxic smog made up of deadly micro-particles of dust that become lodged in the lungs has engulfed the city since last weekend - and is expected to continue for the next month.

Officials have begun spraying water into the air as a response to the pollution and planes also flew over eastern regions dumping water from the sky. 

The pollution cloud - a deadly cloud of fine dust particles and other air pollutants -
has been carpeting since Saturday January 12. It is EIGHT TIMES higher than the safe limit.

It is caused by high numbers of cars on the road, an explosion in construction projects and the city's hundreds of thousands of street food sellers barbecuing food outdoors.

Health experts have warned that the pollution is a ''silent killer'' and that at current levels was extremely harmful to anyone stepping outside. They said the cost of treating people could run into ''millions of dollars''.