Phuket vs. Bangkok, new changes in the Air.

[thaistocks]

A recent dire issue is the increasing air pollution level in Bangkok. This will likely persist as there are no easy answers/solutions. What amazes me is hardly any discussion/addressing on still many old public diesel buses which some 2500 are still roaring the capital. 

Phuket property may benefit from the smog in BKK, Chiang Mai has high air pollution as well, but Phuket does not.  With high speed internet, the new Airport terminal and several excellent international schools (mostly around Kathu) more quality expats besides Thai's may chose to live in Phuket, rather then BKK.  Years ago many property "experts" acclaimed to only buy beach front property in Phuket, but in fact land in Kathu has increased in % more then most coastal land over the past 10 years, because it came up from such a low base -besides is soo centrally located.  A real plus in the increasing traffic delays/chaos noticeable recently in Phuket.

Edited January 31, 2019 by thaistocks
typo

[paddyfield7]

I'm aware that this is about Phuket vs. Bangkok pollution, but as Chiang Mai is also mentioned, even with a remark of high air pollution at present, I would like to share my views. This is my 6th cool season up here, and it has never been as good as it is now. The attached picture of San Kamphaeng Hot Springs was taken last Tuesday, i.e. on 29.01.2019, or 2 days ago. The one of Wat Prathat Chom Khitti in Sansai District was taken about 2 weeks ago under a crystal clear blue sky.....

[thaistocks]

Thanks for that. But Chiang Mai is adjacent to a big mountain and more then a few have reported the smog often/sometimes just sits there without any wind to blow it away. It has days where the smog is trapped there due to its geography being right next to a big mountain.

[MyFriend You]

Hmmmm  just like the floods a dozen years ago made Bangkokonians buy properties in Pattaya??  Not so many came and bought, but caused a spike in prices down here.   Fake News.

[timendres]

Jobs?

[Psimbo]

5 posts into a a thread about Phuket and already we have Chang Mai and Pattaya in the mix- wicked!

 

[paddyfield7]

Yes, because Chiang Mai was mentioned in the 1st post also. Sorry to have contributed, will not happen again!

[NamKangMan]

6 hours ago, Psimbo said:

5 posts into a a thread about Phuket and already we have Chang Mai and Pattaya in the mix- wicked!

 

 

Don't you mean, "5 posts into a real estate seminar?"  ????

[John7777]

I guess I must be somewhat out of the loop with regard to air pollution issues, but I'm beginning to think the issue is an important one.  History:  every time I visit Pattaya I manage to get a cold/flu and then some lingering cough.  It can go on for months.  Ad yet when I leave Pattaya and fly down to Phuket, my cough clears up in a week or so and all is well.  I've noticed that the air quality readings are better in Phuket than in Pattaya or Bangkok, so maybe that's the cause of the cough in Pattaya.  Air pollution.  

 

In any event, I'm getting ready to move back to Thailand.  I'm thinking of skipping Pattaya and Bangkok and moving to Phuket for the cleaner air.  

[fiddlehead]

The original post also mentions Kathu. 
I couldn't live in Kathu. 
Simply because they have the longest red lights. 
One of them is actually 300 seconds.  
That's 5 minutes. 

They are all longer than they need to be over there.  
Of course, here in Rawai, we have the Chalong circle to deal with and that has really sucked the past 4 years. 
Traffic is terrible on Phuket. And getting worse it seems.  
Kathu: They love their speed bumps and long red lights over there. 

[thaistocks]

Yes, Kathu does have 1 long traffic light, understandably so, at this very busy intersection/fork on to Patong. The speed bumps on 1 main road are most welcome to deter the ever speeding Vans/taxis, as speed limits mean near nothing here.  Yet, Kathu has some of the biggest roads in Phuket, ample parking, lots of nature, and not least 5-8 min. to big shopping centers/Hospitals/international schools. Not least is 25 min to Airport vs. likely an hour not to mention this on going horror at Chalong Circle.  Kathu also has some of the most plenty water supply on the island, due to the many big hills surrounding. Vs. Rawaii/Chalong which gets less rain, has less hills -and is always hotter.  Kathu is attractive for exactly the reason you mention, the bad traffic situation in Phuket...which Kathu has least of.

[thaistocks]

Besides clean air and enough electricity, clean and ample water supply will more and more be a dire issue -especially in Phuket which let's not forget is a tropical island. We all witness the energy wasting in over cooled shopping centers, open doors, thousands of hotels etc..the explosive growth along with the (rightly so) opposition of new coal power plants likely means more brown outs in years to come.  As there was one 10 days ago when the Island went dark from 2-5 AM?  Similar with clean water, where toilets are rarely water efficient, broken pipes, everybody taking showers, thousands of swimming pools etc. One has to wonder when this will be the next, topic du jour... Kathu, more then anywhere on the Island, is more blessed.

[Felt 35]

4 hours ago, thaistocks said:

Yes, Kathu does have 1 long traffic light, understandably so, at this very busy intersection/fork on to Patong. The speed bumps on 1 main road are most welcome to deter the ever speeding Vans/taxis, as speed limits mean near nothing here.  Yet, Kathu has some of the biggest roads in Phuket, ample parking, lots of nature, and not least 5-8 min. to big shopping centers/Hospitals/international schools. Not least is 25 min to Airport vs. likely an hour not to mention this on going horror at Chalong Circle.  Kathu also has some of the most plenty water supply on the island, due to the many big hills surrounding. Vs. Rawaii/Chalong which gets less rain, has less hills -and is always hotter.  Kathu is attractive for exactly the reason you mention, the bad traffic situation in Phuket...which Kathu has least of.

Kathu have Bang Wad Dam, full stop. Kathu is trafically locked in between Patong ,Chalong, Phuket Town and the Phukets wannabe copy of Singapore's Orchard Road, Bypass Rd. To me personally and expect from Bang Wad Dam I would feel as behind walls of traffic chaos.

[Joe Mcseismic]

On 2/12/2019 at 10:19 AM, thaistocks said:

Yes, Kathu does have 1 long traffic light, understandably so, at this very busy intersection/fork on to Patong. The speed bumps on 1 main road are most welcome to deter the ever speeding Vans/taxis, as speed limits mean near nothing here.  Yet, Kathu has some of the biggest roads in Phuket, ample parking, lots of nature, and not least 5-8 min. to big shopping centers/Hospitals/international schools. Not least is 25 min to Airport vs. likely an hour not to mention this on going horror at Chalong Circle.  Kathu also has some of the most plenty water supply on the island, due to the many big hills surrounding. Vs. Rawaii/Chalong which gets less rain, has less hills -and is always hotter.  Kathu is attractive for exactly the reason you mention, the bad traffic situation in Phuket...which Kathu has least of.

Yes, Kathu is a great place to go to any other place from, but, in and of itself, it's pretty boring with a not very good night-life and only a very few good restaurants. Traditionally, it was a place to live if you had a business in Patong.

I know where Fiddlehead means with regard to speed bumps. There are nine sets within 200 metes along the road that goes past the Prince of Songkhla university at the northern end of Chao Fah Muang road. Ridiculous!

[thaistocks]

2 hours ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Yes, Kathu is a great place to go to any other place from, but, in and of itself, it's pretty boring with a not very good night-life and only a very few good restaurants. Traditionally, it was a place to live if you had a business in Patong.

I know where Fiddlehead means with regard to speed bumps. There are nine sets within 200 metes along the road that goes past the Prince of Songkhla university at the northern end of Chao Fah Muang road. Ridiculous! 

Yes, true enough the 1/2 km of bumps by the Songkhla university are tiresome, but then again its a growing successful college jsut there (yes in Kathu) and understandably they don't want the many pedestrians getting hit by road rage. Also it allows for a great short cut to by pass Central.  Kathu being the center of so much, Phuket Town (better then ever!) being only 12-15 min. away, besides 6-10 min to Island's biggest shopping centers there is less of a need for seasonal galore around the corner.