Hazy days in Pattaya

PATTAYA:--People come to Pattaya to breathe in the sea air, but the air has been decidedly unbreathable lately.

 

As has been the case in Bangkok and many areas of the East and Central regions, thick haze and pollution have hung over urban areas.

 

It not only has dimmed the view, but proven dangerous for the elderly, young and those with respiratory conditions.

 

Agricultural fires, road improvements and weather conditions are to blame for the hazardous conditions.

 

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2018-12-28

Most in Pattaya are having hoppy daze.

So people go there to breath the sea air,REALLY ?

Its been bad in Jomtien too  (today's photos)

looking towards the sea

 

Some idiot burning stuff doesn't help

  

 

Looking North towards Pattaya

 

today is not as bad as it has been !!!

cold season so locals burn ( stuff) to keep warm.

The exhaust fumes from the many big buses does not help. I enjoy walking at Buddha Hill but that has become a health hazard near the driveway entrance when the buses climb the hill and disperse a cloud of exhaust fumes. The buses are polluting the Pratunmak area so much that i need to move away from the busy roads.

Terrible now,  I have a pollution sensor placed outside on my balcony and its flashing red which means danger. 133 converts to 191 AQI 

 

Air Quality Map of Bangkok and Chonburi says it all . 

https://aqicn.org/map/bangkok/

 

 

Air Quality Index 191 : 

 

151-200

Unhealthy

Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects

Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion

I would suggest wearing a mask like this today if you have to stay outdoor over a longer period. 

 

Thanks balo.

Recent times have been the most severe for me in over ten years living here.

I've been considering moving away from Thailand anyway. This doesn't help.

The better air was the main reason I chose Pattaya over Chiang Mai.

Oh well!

Where can I buy that pollution sensor device locally?

There used to be a mobile air quality monitoring truck parked along Second road  just after

"Mike Shopping Mall"  strangely it always showed "good" results 

haven't seen it for many years now maybe it broke ???

9 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Where can I buy that pollution sensor device locally?

I bought mine from Lazada , it's one of the most reliable ones out there. Same as they use in the very polluted areas in China. 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/sndway-pm-25-detector-sensor-i235439672-s361195325.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlistcategory.list.1.5ee050fdKFA07O&search=1 

 

Is this the start of the bad air season in Patts ?  Up here it usualy starts around April or so , and why oh why do Thais like smouldering rubbish , very near ( too near ) me a fire every few days is the norm , leaves , wet grass, styrofoam plates , anything to make smoke , no flames just smoke .  How is it now down there with no smoking on the beach ?

4 minutes ago, toofarnorth said:

How is it now down there with no smoking on the beach ?

Last year I remember a fresh breeze and no smog around Christmas , this year seem to be completely different. Smoking on the beach got nothing to do with it. 

 

 

2 hours ago, 1337markus said:

cold season so locals burn ( stuff) to keep warm.

It isn't particularly cold, maybe middle of the night down to 24 DegC. Pretty hot during the day. Suspect some farmers burning in the fields, a lot of ash falling on my place.

We just had a nice little rain shower here in Pattaya , perfect timing and suddenly the air is much better. Still over 80 but a big improvement. Sadly it will only last for a few hours.  

Me & the Mrs were out at the top end of the lake this afternoon, looking across the water you could see the haze, not good.

 

may condo is directly opposite koh larn... i often cant see the island, but yesterday, i couldnt even see the water at cosy beach, less than 300 metres away.

the air smells clear{im a non smoker} so would notice if smelly/dirty...

12 hours ago, balo said:

We just had a nice little rain shower here in Pattaya , perfect timing and suddenly the air is much better. Still over 80 but a big improvement. Sadly it will only last for a few hours.  

Yes that shower was a bit of a surprise last night, and it looks clearer this morning. But the traffic is out there, starting the long haul to the villages to celebrate New Year, all long-distance buses to the northern Chiangs are full, with many extra scheduled. It will soon haze over again.

With the police enjoying an overtime bonanza over the holiday period + collecting lots of 'fines' from naughty drivers, there's no one to control the polluters.

16 minutes ago, mikebell said:

With the police enjoying an overtime bonanza over the holiday period + collecting lots of 'fines' from naughty drivers, there's no one to control the polluters.

The naughty drivers are a big part of the problem. Vehicles belching out black fumes, I wouldn't be surprised if at least 50% of the vehicles in Thailand wouldn't pass emission controls in the West.

 

Meanwhile, back to Pattaya. The Darkside tends not to suffer the same problems as Central Pattaya, However yesterday was very hazy up here. The night before, there had been a lot of fireworks let off and the hygrometer on my patio had shot up from 70% to near 100%.

 

Back in the UK, I lived on the coast. The day after bonfire night, was often very hazy, particularly if it was combined with a sea fret. Could be the same phenomenon at work here.

same same in Hua Hin. sometimes it clears out but then the wind changes direction and it looks really horrible.

 

the sky is a flat dull gray. right now not too horrible.

 

besides the burning there are million of cars idling so their owners can keep the air cond on while they are sitting in front of the 7/11 at a PTT gas station.

 

Sorry to say this is a losing battle as billions of people in this part of the world buy scooters, cars and pick up trucks. and trucks and buses sit and idle for hours just so one person has AC.

 

 

I can always tell when its bad my computer desk faces Buddha Mountain about 1 mile away, and can see it most days through the window.

Yesterday I could not see it at all, today I can see it though it is still a little indistinct 

I have fight Pattaya City Hall long time because Thai people burning their garbish every day and night in front and behind my apartment they said they would come but ofcores nothing happens still Thai people burning everywhere 

All the increased traffic has to be making it worse. I have a cough, I'm unsure whether its a legit cough or caused by pollution

What a difference a wind made

This same topic gets dredged up every year. Northeast winds December to January brings smoke from dry season field burning in Northeast.  Southwest winds rest of year bring air from sea, where there is no burning.  Not exactly complicated.

This same topic gets dredged up every year. Northeast winds December to January brings smoke from dry season field burning in Northeast.  Southwest winds rest of year bring air from sea, where there is no burning.  Not exactly complicated.

Not sure anyone was saying it was complicated.

Anyway, better air quality the last few days and yes the wind helps a lot

Much clearer today and a lovely 25 degrees C [emoji106]

I'm sitting at the navy lookout on Buddha hill right now & looking north across the bay I can hardly make out the high rise at the far end its so hazy

I measured AQI 200 today from my balcony , worst day ever.