Smog in Pattaya

[bbi1]

I've noticed in the past few days a cloudly smog in the skys during the day and night. It looks like in BKK the pollution is super bad, a 180 score: https://aqicn.org/city/bangkok/ while in Chonburi it's a "Moderate" at 91: https://aqicn.org/city/chon-buri/

 

Anyone know what's causing this smog here in Pattaya? Is it coming from BKK or do we have some other issues here happening around here that's causing it?

[mogandave]

I think it’s from air pollution

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

If it's what I think it looks like, it's pretty typical of the Pattaya skyline the last few years. Pattaya, the beach resort city that doesn't look like a beach resort city. 

[gk10002000]

Have noticed it for years.  While the dry weather in high season is arguably nicer, the rainy season definitely showed cleaner air as the rain washed things out

[Justgrazing]

Yes it was quite noticeable on Beach road under the glare of the street lighting this evening .. And earlier this afternoon in Jom' it was quite hazy .. Traffic pollution from the dozens of smoke belching Bart buses don't help the situation ..

[Nyezhov]

51 minutes ago, mogandave said:

I think it’s from air pollution

you sure?

[YogaVeg]

1 hour ago, mogandave said:

I think it’s from air pollution

Air pollution is from air pollution? Ya think? ????

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Burning upcountry, it would seem... from the NASA fire maps, today and back several weeks on Dec. 1 by comparison:

 

 

 

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#z:3;c:119.8,15.2;d:2018-12-20..2018-12-20;l:topo,countries,firms_viirs,firms_modis_a,firms_modis_t;qc:-,-,FF0000,FF0000,FF0000,-

 

 

[morrobay]

6 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Have noticed it for years.  While the dry weather in high season is arguably nicer, the rainy season definitely showed cleaner air as the rain washed things out

Besides the local generated air pollution that is getting worse and counting, in dry season the prevailing winds are Northerly from polluted land masses. Where as in rainy season the Southerly,SW winds are from cleaner air. Visibility in area is only a 3 - 4 km. This air is out to get you. 

[TaaSaparot]

[johng]

It was terrible in Jomtien yesterday ( should have got some photos )

today visibility is much better..

 

Anyway I still blame those dastardly smokers  standing outside more than a meter away from any and all no smoking signs for this terrible air quality deterioration !  ????  couldn't possibly be vehicle exhaust,rubbish burning,coal fired power plants or construction dust...no no no it those smokers I tell ya.

[newnative]

    Could be worse.  Visited Xi'an and two other large cities in China the beginning of December and the whole 5 days the smog was terrible.  So bad you could stare directly at the sun--a small yellow ball.   The first day we initially thought it was the moon.  

     If you're wondering why the Chinese come to Thailand, for some it may be to briefly escape day after day of cold, damp, smoggy dim days. Every day was like the picture I am posting. We enjoyed our visit--the Terracotta Warriors were amazing--but were happy to get back to sunny, warm Thailand.

[Simon1287]

Yesterday was pretty bad I agree. Rather like a smokey cloud enveloping the entire area. Today not so bad but still there.

 

It is likely to happen from about October to April. The rest of the year you rarely see much of it.

 

It is down to something called "temperature inversion" I believe.

 

I have lived in South Pattaya, fairly high floor, for many years and have a view to Pratumnak hill, the sea, and up to Sukhumvit and beyond.

 

It was 3 or 4 years ago I think it was that from late October to somewhen in April that there were, literally, only five or so days when the air wasn't pretty awful.

 

Then, around mid April, just like someone flicking a switch, one day I woke up and it was not there. It had vanished. 

 

Some years it isn't too awful, some years it is I but it always comes to one extent or another. It gets so bad you can even see it at night in vehicle headlights and street lights, like fog.

 

I keep telling myself I will go live somewhere else for the worst 6 months of the year but I never seem to.

 

I have purchased two air purifiers though, usually going 24/7 when the air is bad, and have put 3M filtrete on the air conditioner intake.

 

If you do live here I very strongly advise the air purifier/filtrete idea. It makes a noticeable difference.

 

Though, if you have any sense, (unlike me) you will go live somewhere else for 6 months.

 

Simon

 

 

[johng]

It was possibly slightly worse than the above photo yesterday around Jomtien area.

[Simon1287]

Even today, which is visually FAR clearer, the readings are not exactly wonderful. 

 

Very pleased I am not in Bangkok.

 

It was bad here yesterday though. Like a blanket of smoke over the entire area. 

 

Simon.

[bbi1]

55 minutes ago, Simon1287 said:

I have purchased two air purifiers though, usually going 24/7 when the air is bad, and have put 3M filtrete on the air conditioner intake.

 

If you do live here I very strongly advise the air purifier/filtrete idea. It makes a noticeable difference.

 

 

Any recommendations on where to buy these? Do you install these yourself or need to hire an aircon technician to install them?

[Simon1287]

Some of the big electrical stores around town sell them. I bought my two in Home Pro at Big C Extra. Pattaya Klang. 

 

I bought one last year and one earlier this year. I bought a pair of replacement filters there only last week. 

 

Initially, I was thinking of buying a top of the range bells and whistles one until I did some online research and decided against it.

 

I think what clinched it was reading about a chap in China or somewhere equally polluted who was testing different very pricey ones in his home for ages, with the help of an air quality meter.

 

He finally decided that by buying a couple of far cheaper models to replace one big expensive one the air was just as clean at a fraction of the cost. 

 

Here is a page full of Home Pro ones. https://www.homepro.co.th/search?q=air+purifier

 

Mine are the 4888 baht Hatari ones. https://www.homepro.co.th/product/1020791

 

Replacement filters for the Hatari always seem available at Home Pro at Big C Extra. Pattaya Klang. 900 Baht give or take 50 Baht I think. Replace very 6 months or maybe a year if not used too much. They have a light to tell you when the time is right. I have a feeling that light comes on at 4000 hours use but not 100% sure on that. I replace at 6 months anyway. 

 

Buy one, take it home and use it. Simple as that. Just take the plastic cover off the filter and away you go. Totally portable items so you can move them from room to room if you wish.

 

All they are is a fan and a replaceable filter in a pretty plastic case with a few lights. They have a remote control also.

 

The Hatari is claimed to do a room 32 square meters so I put them both in one 38 square metre room which should be even better. I have more then one room but only ever seem to use one anyway.

 

The 3M Filtrete is also available at Home Pro, Big C Extra. Just cut to size and tape to the air con air intake filters. The muck the stuff picks up is scary. I will send an image in another post.

 

Simon

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Simon1287]

This image shows the Filtrete 3M after I got lazy and did not replace it for a couple of months.

 

Note the white colour of the new stuff ready to go on, draped over it.

 

No one ever smokes any tobacco products in here or any kind of other smoking material. No pets. 

 

I see nothing whatever causing it except for what is in the air coming in from outside. ????

 

Bearing in mind the two air purifiers were running most of the time also I wonder how it would have looked if they weren't.

 

All of the time that 3M was in use was in Oct/Nov so between April and early October it may not be quite so bad.

 

I am thankful it was not my lungs filtering all that anwyay.

 

Simon

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

That's pretty dark and covered in gunk. I'd imagine, before they got to that point, you would have had a noticeable decline in the cooling capacity of your ACs, since they'd have been hard pressed to be pulling in enough air thru those gunk covered Filtrete sheets.

 

Even in a non-smoking, no pets environment, here in Thailand, I don't think Filtrete sheets on an air con units filters are meant to be used that long.

 

[mogandave]

I don’t think the particulate matter is particularly harmful.

In any event, our bodies filter out the particles.

[Simon1287]

As I said, I got lazy. i.e forgot all about it. No noticeable effect on the cooling whatever or I would have noticed. Electric bill no higher than normal so obviously not using anymore power. Normally I change it this time of year around the 3 weeks mark.

 

Following your point though, if it wasn't so blocked would it have filtered even more rubbish. So is it really is even worse than it appears. i.e if I had changed the stuff 3 times in that 2 months most likely 50% or even twice as much muck would the been collected in total. I cannot remember what it was like last time I changed it at around 3 weeks but it was certainly very mucky.

 

I have made a note now on my computer calendar so I do not forget again ????

 

Simon

[Simon1287]

The Filtrete filters out the big stuff. The air purifiers do smaller stuff but I have no idea how small in reality. Not a lot else we can do though apart from what I have done I think except move to a cleaner place! 

 

Simon

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 hours ago, Simon1287 said:

The Filtrete filters out the big stuff. The air purifiers do smaller stuff but I have no idea how small in reality. Not a lot else we can do though apart from what I have done I think except move to a cleaner place! 

 

Simon

 

Actually, from my own testing with my PM2.5 sensors at home, placing Filtrete sheets over one's manufacturer air con filters at home does a decent job of lowering indoor PM2.5 levels -- even in the absence of a HEPA air purifier.  So a fresh Filtrete sheet on the indoor aircon does more than just filter/capture the "big stuff."

 

But because the Filtrete sheets don't have the same overall surface area as a typical pleated HEPA filter, they're going to get used up and clogged up far more frequently than a HEPA filter air purifier. So changing the Filtrete sheets on a regular basis -- depending on the local pollution levels where you live -- is an important factor.

 

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 hours ago, mogandave said:

I don’t think the particulate matter is particularly harmful.

In any event, our bodies filter out the particles.

 

The really small particles, known as PM2.5, are small enough to bypass all the body's natural filters and defenses, can go thru the tissue in your lungs and get directly into your bloodstream.

 

It's far better to be kind to your body and have the pollution filtered out of one's air BEFORE it reaches your nose, lungs, etc.

 

FWIW, air pollution in Thailand has been shown to cause significant levels of premature deaths, respiratory diseases, lost days at work, etc etc.

[mogandave]

If you want a cheap, extremely effective particulate “filter” that will last for years and just requires rinsing out, just buy one of the freestanding evaporator coolers.

Nothing catches particulate matter like a wet filter.

[Simon1287]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Actually, from my own testing with my PM2.5 sensors at home, placing Filtrete sheets over one's manufacturer air con filters at home does a decent job of lowering indoor PM2.5 levels -- even in the absence of a HEPA air purifier.  So a fresh Filtrete sheet on the indoor aircon does more than just filter/capture the "big stuff."

 

But because the Filtrete sheets don't have the same overall surface area as a typical pleated HEPA filter, they're going to get used up and clogged up far more frequently than a HEPA filter air purifier. So changing the Filtrete sheets on a regular basis -- depending on the local pollution levels where you live -- is an important factor.

 

 

 

 

Interesting. Thank you.

 

Normally I am pretty good about replacing the Filtrete regularly and will be even more so after your comment. I had no idea they were so good at reducing the PM2.5 levels.

 

Can I ask where you bought the air sensors and how much they cost?

 

Simon

[Simon1287]

In case any of you do go to buy some Filtrete I have attached an image of the packaging it comes in just in case you walk right by it.

 

I changed mine on Dec 4th. It is already looking pretty sad. Note the white colour of some new Filtrete next to it.

 

Non smoker. no pets. Amazing the crap in the air in South Pattaya.

 

Simon

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 hours ago, Simon1287 said:

Can I ask where you bought the air sensors and how much they cost?

 

Re the home PM2.5 sensors, the model I've used and purchased -- thus far with good success -- is the following:

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Air-Quality-Monitor-Mini-Laser-PM2-5-Monitor-Wall-mounted-Inovafitness-PM2-5-Detector-Gas-monitor/32826759103.html

 

It's a nice, and responsive, little unit that runs via USB cord power, and has an internal rechargeable battery that allows it to be used away from power (meaning you could take/use it outside). But it won't stay on continuously in battery mode, whereas it will stay on continuously when plugged in. So I just keep mine plugged in in the living room and bedroom at home.

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 12/21/2018 at 6:09 PM, Simon1287 said:

The 3M Filtrete is also available at Home Pro, Big C Extra. Just cut to size and tape to the air con air intake filters. The muck the stuff picks up is scary. I will send an image in another post.

 

 

To others interested in the 3M Filtrete sheets, 3M also has a company store on the Lazada website where they're often available in stock for home delivery, and sometimes they have pretty good discounts/sales. I usually buy mine there, or, via the local HomePro near me in BKK. The larger size rolls of the Filtrete material usually have better prices overall vs. the smaller sized packet packaging.

 

Since I have HEPA air purifiers at home, I found I didn't need or use the Filtrete sheets at all over the past few months where smog levels weren't that bad. But now as we head into the bad smog season for Thailand in the months ahead, I'll probably add them to my indoor aircon filters for the next few months just to make things easier for my air purifiers and help keep my indoor air even cleaner.

 

But as I've mentioned elsewhere, with the Filtrete sheets, especially if you're using them INSTEAD of a HEPA purifier, you really do need to check them every week or so and replace them when their color changes from white to dark gray. Otherwise, you'll be blocking good air flow access into your air con unit(s).

 

[johng]

Its quite bad again this morning.