Where does Bangkok figure on the Asian pollution index?

[webfact]

Pollution is one of the main causes of global warming and it is a concern for everyone around the world.
 

Those of us who live and work in an Asian city often must suffer, which is of course not good for our health.
If you are unable to escape to the coast or the countryside, what cities have the lowest pollution figures in the region?

We used Numbeo’s website who is the world’s largest online data source to find out. 

Numbeo.com was launched in April 2009 and all the research and available data are not influenced by any governmental organization.

Numbeo’s Pollution Index is an estimation of the overall pollution in the city. 

 

The biggest weight is given to air pollution, then to water pollution/accessibility, the two main pollution factors. Small weight is given to other pollution types.

Pollution Exp Scale is using an exponential scale to show extremely high numbers for very polluted cities, and exceptionally low numbers for unpolluted cities. Therefore, to calculate formula it uses the exponential function to calculate the index.

Here is the list of 19 SE Asian cities.
 

POLLUTION INDEX    

1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam   92.18    

2 Yangon, Myanmar 91.76

3 Manila, Philippines 89.92

4 Hanoi, Vietnam 89.60

5 Pattaya, Thailand 88.21

6 Jakarta, Indonesia 84.72

7 Cebu, Philippines 84.33

8 Quezon City, Philippines 82.89

9 Phnom Penh, Cambodia 80.50

10 Chiang Mai, Thailand 76.97

11 Bangkok, Thailand 76.78

12 Bali, Indonesia 75.96

13 Baguio, Philippines 72.14

14 Makati, Philippines 69.03

15 Bandung, Indonesia 67.11

16 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 66.68

17 Davao, Philippines 55.92

18 Surabaya, Indonesia 54.58

19 Singapore, Singapore 33.13

 

Bangkok rates 11th on the list and surprisingly they are lower than Pattaya!!!

Earlier in the year, the daily air pollution figures were showing the Pattaya was often at danger levels, so maybe it is understandable.

If you still need to work or live in a city, then Singapore has the lowest pollution record on the current Numbeo pollution index.

The city to avoid has to be Hotan in Xinjiang, China, which became Asia's and the world's most polluted city in 2020.

Who has best air quality in the world?

 

The air quality in Finland is the best in the world, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). 

 

Altogether the WHO compiled fine particulate measurement data from its database of more than 4 000 cities in 108 countries.

 

So, head for Helsinki near the Arctic if you want clean air!

 

 

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[The Hammer2021]

Water or air?

[vandeventer]

Where is all the good news, there must some out there? We really need a break from gloom and doom.

[maddermax]

I don't see Hong Kong or Guangdong on the list. I believe they would top the list.

[brewsterbudgen]

Are there any places in Thailand that are not affected by seasonal air pollution? 

[thailand49]

I lived here in Pattaya for near 20 years tough to see it listed at 5th,   above Bangkok or CM? 

 

[jaywalker]

14 minutes ago, maddermax said:

I don't see Hong Kong or Guangdong on the list. I believe they would top the list.

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Here is the list of 19 SE Asian cities.
 

POLLUTION INDEX    

1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam   92.18    

2 Yangon, Myanmar 91.76

3 Manila, Philippines 89.92

4 Hanoi, Vietnam 89.60

5 Pattaya, Thailand 88.21

6 Jakarta, Indonesia 84.72

7 Cebu, Philippines 84.33

8 Quezon City, Philippines 82.89

9 Phnom Penh, Cambodia 80.50

10 Chiang Mai, Thailand 76.97

11 Bangkok, Thailand 76.78

 

[Rampant Rabbit]

2 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Where is all the good news, there must some out there? We really need a break from gloom and doom.

 

Thailand number one....... .good  news

Doom n Gloom at record  high, Thailand declares itslef  "doom capital of the world"

[Xonax]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The city to avoid has to be Hotan in Xinjiang, China, which became Asia's and the world's most polluted city in 2020.

So why isn't there any chinese cities on the list??

[LittleBear57]

4 minutes ago, Xonax said:

So why isn't there any chinese cities on the list??

It's a list of S.E Asian cities. Not China or India.

[bristolgeoff]

I thought cnx would be higher as the burning season is not good for clean air. People wear a mask  during that time as well

[Thaijack2014]

I feel so sorry for those people who live in the big cities... or do I??? Who makes this pollution in the first place? The birds? The dogs? No, the inhabitants of those cities. Ok, let's say you can't help it that some factories dump their waste where they can and also that the government has to be stricter. But look at the garbage in a city like Bangkok, look at the many (private) cars. EVERYBODY is to blame and not "the others".

If everybody could do something about their own polluting habits: smoking, using a private car, not walking, buying plastic bottles (waste) and so on... then maybe the pollution could be less severe.

And should we always depend on what initiatives the governments have? No, I think we need to act in the first place and then what is left, ask the government to help.

[jaywalker]

57 minutes ago, Xonax said:

So why isn't there any chinese cities on the list??

Because China is in North East Asia and this is about South East Asia???

[Northstar1]

I certainly noticed the pollution in Asia.

it took several holidays to figure it out.

getting nasal congestion/ infection, everyone coughing etc etc .

then coming home to Canada and stepping off the plane, looking at the clear blue skies, breathing fresh air after several months of pollution.

so happy to live in a place where I can breathe safely!

pollution index today is 2!

thailand 200 -300 

paradise?

you decide!????????‍♂️

[Stocky]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Numbeo’s Pollution Index is an estimation of the overall pollution in the city. 

It's subjective rather than based on measured data, just Joe Farang thinks it's dirty.

[vandeventer]

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Are there any places in Thailand that are not affected by seasonal air pollution? 

There are a few places but their all under water.

https://phuketdivecenter.com/courses/?gclid=CjwKCAjwu5yYBhAjEiwAKXk_eI6A-gyCQ-BMIUNIh7T_tUkdQbP5NMEyDi5w46FapB0WOxUH01pbWBoCd0QQAvD_BwE

[arithai12]

25 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

I certainly noticed the pollution in Asia.

it took several holidays to figure it out.

getting nasal congestion/ infection, everyone coughing etc etc .

then coming home to Canada and stepping off the plane, looking at the clear blue skies, breathing fresh air after several months of pollution.

so happy to live in a place where I can breathe safely!

pollution index today is 2!

thailand 200 -300 

paradise?

you decide!????????‍♂️

To each their paradise.

btw, can you please remind us why so many elderly canadians move to California and Arizona in the winter, is the air even more clean there?

[arithai12]

What the article doesn't say is that damage to the lungs is correlated with the long-term exposure to pollution, not just with extreme but occasional values.

Chiang Mai (and others in the area) has absolutely awful values for a couple of months, but the rest of the year is quite ok. In the rainy season, PM2.5 is around 10 or less. It is 15 today at my place, without rain since 2 days. I have measured 0 at times.

A place like Bangkok might have the same yearly average as Chiang Mai, but it could be worse for long-term effects on sensitive people.

This said, CM in Feb-Apr is indeed a gas chamber and masks are advised - though it was distinctly better this last season.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Guys.. don't use Numbeo for anything, and especially not things that have actual hard data.  You're risking becoming a laughing stock.

 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Where is all the good news, there must some out there? We really need a break from gloom and doom.

Prawit will continue to bring happiness to the people.????

[puck2]

42 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

What the article doesn't say is that damage to the lungs is correlated with the long-term exposure to pollution, not just with extreme but occasional values.

Chiang Mai (and others in the area) has absolutely awful values for a couple of months, but the rest of the year is quite ok. In the rainy season, PM2.5 is around 10 or less. It is 15 today at my place, without rain since 2 days. I have measured 0 at times.

A place like Bangkok might have the same yearly average as Chiang Mai, but it could be worse for long-term effects on sensitive people.

This said, CM in Feb-Apr is indeed a gas chamber and masks are advised - though it was distinctly better this last season.

The same here in our Mae Hong Son Province.

But it only depends on the rain. Nearly polution-free months from February until today because of the very wet saison. The people couldn't burn their fields and open fire in the forests.  The years before have been awful (as usual) during the months you mentioned above. One reason we have not been "forced" to leave our home for the better air in Hua Hin.

[10baht]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Here is the list of 19 SE Asian cities.
 

POLLUTION INDEX  

I guess Chinese cities are over 100 - i.e. off the scale? So they do not list them. China is the world's greatest contributor to global warming and pollution in the world not just Asia.  

[10baht]

4 hours ago, arithai12 said:

Chiang Mai (and others in the area) has absolutely awful values for a couple of months,

And it's all coming from China who is now pulling out of talks to cut down on greenhouse gases. The say it's because nasty Nancy visited Taiwan. Total ????. They just wanted an excuse as they never ( not in our life time) intended to cut anything to help the world if it mean slowing them down. WAKE UP people of Thailand. Get in the way and your next.

[sambum]

"So, head for Helsinki near the Arctic if you want clean air!"

 

But forget the flip flops and tee shirts! 

[josephbloggs]

5 hours ago, 10baht said:

And it's all coming from China who is now pulling out of talks to cut down on greenhouse gases. The say it's because nasty Nancy visited Taiwan. Total ????. They just wanted an excuse as they never ( not in our life time) intended to cut anything to help the world if it mean slowing them down. WAKE UP people of Thailand. Get in the way and your next.

As opposed to the good old USA who withdrew from the Paris Agreement on climate change under Trump.  And the US is second in the world for total CO2 emissions, double that of India in 3rd, and almost four times that of Russia in 4th.  

Per capita the US releases more than two times the amount of CO2 than China.

But yeah, China....

[drkenchao]

actually there are other air quality apps which canbe download and show real time the current pollution level, so there is no need to argue which city doing better or how inaccurate the index is. Avoiding pollution is something easier said than done as people or country by nature is selfish. We are livjng in an ygly world. It is simply simple and naive to think that if people doing more, be more self restrauned, pollution will go away

 

[drkenchao]

hopefully in order to attract more wealthy people coming to retire or invest, air quality, drinking water quality, and the problem of big flood or public drainage can be further improved

[pegman]

On 8/25/2022 at 10:49 PM, arithai12 said:

To each their paradise.

btw, can you please remind us why so many elderly canadians move to California and Arizona in the winter, is the air even more clean there?

 If you had ever experienced a winter from where I am from in Canada you wouldn't be asking that 

[pegman]

On 8/26/2022 at 3:23 AM, 10baht said:

I guess Chinese cities are over 100 - i.e. off the scale? So they do not list them. China is the world's greatest contributor to global warming and pollution in the world not just Asia.  

Chinese cities aren't on the list of Eastern Europe or western African cities either so why would they be on a south east Asia list? Are you by chance an American? 

[sabaijai]

On 8/26/2022 at 8:28 AM, maddermax said:

I don't see Hong Kong or Guangdong on the list. I believe they would top the list.

"Here is the list of 19 SE Asian cities."

 

Hong Kong is is in East Asia.