Bangkok Pollution is deadly & out of control. Where is it coming from?

TonyClifton · March 12, 2018

I woke up this morning to find the visibility less than 1.5 miles and the highest reading for US AQI of 176 which is just unhealthy. I'm out over 10,000b in Air purifier costs and I have been running my AC nonstop since a month ago. I'm bracing for this electric bill, which I expect to be the highest I've seen. I'm running two additional electrical units (purifiers) 24/7.

It's affecting my life and my health. I don't go swimming until the AQI becomes somewhat acceptable and today it looks as if that probably won't happen at all, not even at night.

I'm taking this seriously. The pollution does not to me appear to be from the cars. The AQI was high Sunday when the roads were deserted.

What is the main source of this poison air?

TonyClifton · March 12, 2018

I forgot to mention, that in addition to the Hepa Filters (2) I also bought some 3M Filtrete. I covered the HEPA filters with a sheet of Filtrete. I did this about 1 week ago.

The edge on the left and right is the natural color of Filtrete. That gray in the middle is what I didn't breathe into my lungs.

1 week of poison is on that formally white sheet of Filtrete.

ExpatOilWorker · March 12, 2018

It is the pesky farmers, that produce the food your eat, fault. You want to eat or breathe?

edwardandtubs · March 12, 2018

Air purifiers are just fans combined with a HEPA filter. They don't cost much to run at all in terms of electricity.

Edited March 12, 2018 by edwardandtubs

TonyClifton · March 12, 2018

13 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

Air purifiers are just fans combined with a HEPA filter. They don't cost much to run at all in terms of electricity.

Wow, I didn't know that. Hmmm ... did I also mention my AC was running 24/7 for the last month? Wait, those are fans with compressors and big devices outside. Nah, I'm sure they won't cost much either. I can't believe I gave it a thought.

I'm guessing that gray stuff on the filter is probably nothing to sneeze at.

I'm guessing.

edwardandtubs · March 12, 2018

20 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

Wow, I didn't know that. Hmmm ... did I also mention my AC was running 24/7 for the last month? Wait, those are fans with compressors and big devices outside. Nah, I'm sure they won't cost much either. I can't believe I gave it a thought.

I'm guessing that gray stuff on the filter is probably nothing to sneeze at.

I'm guessing.

Now you're just being childish. Air conditioners are expensive to run, air purifiers are cheap to run. The two things are not related.

If you're sitting at home 24/7, why are you even living in Thailand?

Edited March 12, 2018 by edwardandtubs

TonyClifton · March 12, 2018

Just now, edwardandtubs said:

Now you're just being childish. Air conditioners are expensive to run, air purifiers are cheap to run. The two things are not related.

You're quite right.

My concern isn't the cost. I would like to not get cancer or some other respiratory disease. I would like not to die. I would like to also not have to worry about my family's health.

TonyClifton · March 12, 2018

44 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

It is the pesky farmers, that produce the food your eat, fault. You want to eat or breathe?

I know you may find this answer particularly bothersome, but I would like to do both.

edwardandtubs · March 12, 2018

7 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

You're quite right.

My concern isn't the cost. I would like to not get cancer or some other respiratory disease. I would like not to die. I would like to also not have to worry about my family's health.

No offence but it sounds like your problem might be more psychiatric than anything. Everyone dies. We live in a polluted city and you can minimise the health consequences by running air purifiers and wearing a pollution mask. If it's causing you that much anguish though, why stay here?

Edited March 12, 2018 by edwardandtubs

TonyClifton · March 12, 2018

Just now, edwardandtubs said:

No offence but it sounds like your problem might be more psychiatric than anything. We live in a polluted city and you can minimise the health consequences by running air purifiers and wearing a pollution mask. If it's causing you that much anguish though, why stay here?

I see it's all in my head. If that is the case, what is all the week old gray stuff on the Filtrete? Are you seeing it too? If you are, are you in need of psychiatric help? Perhaps we go together and get a group price.

KhunBENQ · March 12, 2018

I suggest you all move to a healthier place than Bangkok.

Yes I know for some it might not be that easy.

TonyClifton · March 12, 2018

Just now, KhunBENQ said:

I suggest you all move to a healthier place than Bangkok.

Yes I know for some it might not be that easy.

Where?

Hua Hin?

Where can I find healthier air?

KhunBENQ · March 12, 2018

Unfortunately the measurement stations are very scattered.

No values for Hua Hin, Chumphon or the like (the desired "Thailand riviera").

So only I could tell you that the Phuket station shows 34 at the moment.

I don't suggest the deep Muslim south for the good air.

Other ways to die there.

Edited March 12, 2018 by KhunBENQ

ExpatOilWorker · March 12, 2018

3 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

I suggest you all move to a healthier place than Bangkok.

Yes I know for some it might not be that easy.

I use to live in Patagonia, plenty of fresh air but boring!

I will take Bangkok and a few day of mild pollution any day.

NB: I also used to live in China, so the current situation is mild pollution.

KhunBENQ · March 12, 2018

5 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

NB: I also used to live in China, so the current situation is mild pollution.

One has to say it.

Worst value I just saw is 338.

I look back to my last country (Germany) shaking my head about their hysteria at PM values of 50 to 70 in city centers.

Edited March 12, 2018 by KhunBENQ

edwardandtubs · March 12, 2018

42 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

I see it's all in my head. If that is the case, what is all the week old gray stuff on the Filtrete? Are you seeing it too? If you are, are you in need of psychiatric help? Perhaps we go together and get a group price.

You're deliberately twisting other people's words to fit your own preconceptions. I didn't say pollution was all in your head. I also run air purifiers and wear a pollution mask. I'm saying your hysterical reaction to it shows that you are psychiatrically unbalanced. Also, the fact that you choose to live in one of the world's most polluted cities in spite of the obvious anguish that pollution causes you shows you're incapable of making rational decisions about your own life.

JimShorts · March 12, 2018

Air quality has been really bad the last few months. It was ok (not great, but at least you could go outside) the last two week, but something happened Sunday night and today (Monday) it is really bad again.

Today's extreme air pollution increase is not from cars, as it is affecting all of Thailand (and Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos).

Bangkok has 10M automobiles, many of which are old, the automobile pollution here is bad everyday, but the rain, hot weather and wind help reduce it. In Dec-Feb the cold weather and low winds allow the pollution to increase.

In March-May, crop burning really gets going. According to Greenpeace, more then 50% of the air pollution in Thailand comes from burning (crops and garbage, mostly crops). I am guessing this is what we are now seeing.

It is really unfortunate.

I too am running air purifiers and A/C 24/7 for a few months now and my electricity bill has increased significantly. What is really bad about this, is the more electricity people use to deal with the pollution, the more pollution is created.

India, SE Asia, China all have the issue with crop burning, garbage burning and using animal poop for fuel. All major contributors to the extremely poor air quality in this part of the world, along with the insane populations in this part of the world. Factories are also major pollution contributors and account for a lot of air pollution (Not to mention all the other pollution they create).

What can be done? Well in the short term, stay inside, run air purifiers, wear a mask, etc. (the shining anyone?)

What can be done? Donate time or money to organizations trying to solve the problem. Honestly even posting online is helpful and spreads awareness. Many people have no idea how bad the air they breath is and the extremely negative health impacts it creates. Many people say something along the limes of "we are all gonna die anyways", which is obviously bullshit and a terrible mind state.

What can be done? Write to media outlets, politicians, etc. (IDK if this helps much)

What can be done? Move out of Asia. Move to a remote area of the US, Canada, New Zealand, North Pole, etc. But this doesn't help fix the problem.

There are some really cool projects under development to solve the air pollution problems, one for example run by some guys in India who have come up with a way to crop burn that not only reduces emissions by 80% or so, it also creates a charcoal by product that can be used to purify dirty water. Another is a cheap filter for car exhausts that reduce emissions.

But honestly, unless the governments in this part of the world decide to 9or can afford to) really implement and enforce heavy regulations on automobiles, burning and factories, I do not see how the air pollution problem is going to get any better, only worse as populations increase. Part of the problem is this part of the world has a very high number of very poor people, who happen to be the major contributors. Unless they are subsidized, implementing and enforcing heavy regulations would be crippling.

The interesting this is crop burning and poop fuel have been used for 100s or 1000s of years. The recent insane population growth world wide is really a major factor, as billions of more people are contributing to the air pollution (and other forms of pollution). Globalization also has dramatically increased pollution. We need a bigger planet (or another planet), and/or less people, and/or more efficient and sustainable ways of existing.

This post is probably a little heavy :)

Edited March 12, 2018 by JimShorts

brewsterbudgen · March 12, 2018

There's really no point in worrying about it unless you're prepared to do something like move! Most metropolises in Asia are equally as bad, and cities like London, L.A. etc are not much better.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

TonyClifton · March 12, 2018

3 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

There's really no point in worrying about it unless you're prepared to do something like move! Most metropolises in Asia are equally as bad, and cities like London, L.A. etc are not much better.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I have to disagree completely.