Has the quality of air become that worse in the last 2-3 years?

chado · April 21, 2018

The last time I was in Chiang Mai was about 2-3 years ago.

On air polution maps Chiang Mai goes pretty close to the cities where air pollution is seemingly way worse, such as Ho Chi Mihn.

Has the quality of air and air pollution become of a bigger issue in the last 2-3 years?

bbi1 · April 21, 2018

Chiang Mai has worse air pollution than BKK?

beau thai · April 21, 2018

It seems to me that aqi has been higher for longer this yearbut maybe another reader can check if I am right and share data for you.

I leave the country now during much of March and April because it is so bad, and, apart from much handwringing in meetings, nothing changes. Rather like road deaths @ 24000 per annum. Uk 1700, Vietnam with bigger population 7000 I believe.

Other than that I love life in Chiang Mai- or I would go elsewhere!

We all make different choices, but living here and moaning about it is not mine. I know where the airport is!

nightbird · April 21, 2018

Bangkok air has been the worst I've seen it in more than a decade. I can't remember the pollution being this bad except in the late 80's/90's, before they began enforcing emissions on vehicles.

orang37 · April 21, 2018

I believe it's worse, but I find that hard to quantify because I know that I am worse, and I find that hard to quantify.

~o:37;

mike324 · April 21, 2018

In Bangkok, its been the worse this year compare to 10-20 years ago.

masterpasser · April 21, 2018

Of course its worse!

While authorities permit dozens of coaches(For Chinese tourists) to belch out their toxic exhausts while parked up in side streets of Naklua here in Pattaya , then air quality will only get worse.

Added to that is the destruction of the environment from these coaches racing through the streets of Pattaya loaded with Chinese.

The city is months away from grid lock as the growth of this industry is rampant without any control as Thai operators seek profits at the expense of the environment.

Neeranam · April 21, 2018

1 hour ago, mike324 said:

In Bangkok, its been the worse this year compare to 10-20 years ago.

Worse than Prakhanong area before the BTS, would be a nightmare.

Neeranam · April 21, 2018

5 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Chiang Mai has worse air pollution than BKK?

Only a couple of months a year I believe.

chado · April 21, 2018

The topic is about Chiang Mai.

chado · April 21, 2018

5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Only a couple of months a year I believe.

When?

beau thai · April 21, 2018

Normally Feb and March is worse but this year also April is bad so far

uffe123 · April 21, 2018

The air pollution in Thailand in most areas are 50% over the who limits and in Bangkok and Changmai 100% 0ver. Go to:https://air.plumelabs.com/en/live/bangkok and check for your self.

Really bad and increasing/only going to get worse. They add 500k Cars to the road every year.

Thai's are oblivious to this and the government is going to have a health crisis on their hands when 70% of the population winds up with emphysema or bronchitis.

Pity all the kids who have to breathe all this dirty filthy air.

The government is more concerned about submarines, Rolex watches, and bullet trains.

hugocnx · April 21, 2018

From where I live, 15 km outside CM city centre to the NE, it is hard to see Doi Suthep clearly most of the year.

Even during raining season I would say 80% blurred.

Many weeks (months?) you cannot even see the Doi

That was not so 10 years ago, so things are getting worse. Drowsiness, sandy eyes and sometimes a orange red sun in the later afternoon (16:00). Wonderful, what is up there; fine particles from fires probably.

Neeranam · April 21, 2018

2 hours ago, uffe123 said:

The air pollution in Thailand in most areas are 50% over the who limits and in Bangkok and Changmai 100% 0ver. Go to:https://air.plumelabs.com/en/live/bangkok and check for your self.

Really bad and increasing/only going to get worse. They add 500k Cars to the road every year.

Thai's are oblivious to this and the government is going to have a health crisis on their hands when 70% of the population winds up with emphysema or bronchitis.

Pity all the kids who have to breathe all this dirty filthy air.

The government is more concerned about submarines, Rolex watches, and bullet trains.

As a resident, what are you doing to bring it to the government's attention?

bapoboy · April 21, 2018

9 hours ago, beau thai said:

It seems to me that aqi has been higher for longer this yearbut maybe another reader can check if I am right and share data for you.

I leave the country now during much of March and April because it is so bad, and, apart from much handwringing in meetings, nothing changes. Rather like road deaths @ 24000 per annum. Uk 1700, Vietnam with bigger population 7000 I believe.

Other than that I love life in Chiang Mai- or I would go elsewhere!

We all make different choices, but living here and moaning about it is not mine. I know where the airport is!

When I was in Vietnam ?? 2 years ago, the tour guide told us there was 40,000 deaths on the road, but anyway it’s No way as low as 7000.

Crash999 · April 21, 2018

7 hours ago, nightbird said:

Bangkok air has been the worst I've seen it in more than a decade. I can't remember the pollution being this bad except in the late 80's/90's, before they began enforcing emissions on vehicles.

I agree. Been here since the 90s and this is the worst I’ve seen it in Bangkok.

Not sure what’s going on to cause it. There was some blame on coal plants in Rayong but they have been around for a long time.

IAMHERE · April 21, 2018

Two questions there as I read the OP.

Yes, the air quality is worse, same air pollution.

Yes, it is a bigger issue among those that can do nothing about it.

chado · April 21, 2018

4 hours ago, hugocnx said:

From where I live, 15 km outside CM city centre to the NE, it is hard to see Doi Suthep clearly most of the year.

Even during raining season I would say 80% blurred.

Many weeks (months?) you cannot even see the Doi

is that due to increasing number of the cars?

mpyre · April 22, 2018

14 hours ago, uffe123 said:

The government is more concerned about submarines, Rolex watches, and bullet trains.

As are most governments around the world.

Krataiboy · April 22, 2018

Chang Mai has seasonal problems, but an astonishing 90 percent of the worlds population are breathing in air which is dangerously polluted.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/air-pollution-estimates/en/

user4643453 · April 22, 2018

Yep it's very bad, was in CM in 2015 and again this year, very marked difference total cover of CM with pollution and even CR driving up by car, pollution reached down to Udonthani and could be seen from plane very clearly, got really sick after 3 weeks in that pollution and only get better now after been back home for 3 weeks, while my Thai friend is still coughing now, was considering retirement in Thailand but that is put back for a while now.

captainsteve · April 22, 2018

A good and influential Thai lady tried to organise a meeting in Chiang Mai to raise awareness of the problem , and was threatened and told to cancel it or else.

March and April have been much worse this year. A lot of the days it’s been above 150 for the small 2.5 size particles which are the killers. Strange it coincides with the sugar Kane crop harvesting.

Right now its 179 ??

Most Thai poorer kids have no protection and breathe this air 24/7 and one day they will suffer the consequences, but the men with the money don’t care. ☹️

It’s the one thing that I hear from many people which may cause them to sadly leave Chiang Mai