Abnormal heat in Thailand - how do you cope?

[Dario]

I live in northern Surin province and for the past weeks we've had and still have scorching heat. I'm 77, heave regularly heart problems and am diabetic since 20 years. In normal years no problem, we put on the air conditioners, but now the electricity price is sky high, so during the day, I use fans instead and take a cold shower every 60 to 90 minutes. Cold showers cool down a body fantastically, but only for a short time. After 15 minutes everything feels hot again.

 

How do others cope with this unbearable heat? Please let us know. Thank you.

 

[scubascuba3]

Helps if you're healthy. Drink loads of water, electrolyte once a day if need be. I have 3 when exercising. Fans daytime, AC intermittently at night

[Crossy]

Yup ^^^, that's pretty much us too, our main living space isn't enclosed so no A/C just fans, lots of fans. A/C in the bedroom at night to take the edge off, set to 28C the A/C just about makes it!

 

The "cold" water from the tank is almost too warm for a shower and the pool is like a bath.

 

 

[Sambo5000]

10 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Helps if you're healthy. Drink loads of water, electrolyte once a day if need be. I have 3 when exercising. Fans daytime, AC intermittently at night

Sounds about right, keep the rooms dark with good air ventilation

[Dario]

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Yup ^^^, that's pretty much us too, our main living space isn't enclosed so no A/C just fans, lots of fans. A/C in the bedroom at night to take the edge off, set to 28C the A/C just about makes it!

 

The "cold" water from the tank is almost too warm for a shower and the pool is like a bath.

 

 

Yes Crossy, I second that, 28ºC same here at night. Water tank shower still OK as for now.

[Sambo5000]

Gota smoke a nice spliff. Really helps

[Mickeymaus]

I switch the aircons on until I have a humidity of about 50 percent. Then aircons off and only fans (no, not this one...). My windows are very tight so that this humidity goes up very slowly. Then aircons again and...

[billd766]

6 minutes ago, Dario said:

Yes Crossy, I second that, 28ºC same here at night. Water tank shower still OK as for now.

My bedroom is set to 27 and I shower around 4pm. Cool to start with but then gets warmer after a minute or two.

 

I live in rural Kamphaeng Phet and turned the main room a/c on about 1pm.

 

Outside was 41.5C and inside 35.5C. 30 minutes later the inside temperature has dropped to 33.4C. 

[norbra]

Having a childhood in Melbourne Australia where summer temperatures frequently reached 105F, I am not unduly in discomfort with current heat here..

Back to Melbourne 1940 we used hessian sacking as "blinds" on open windows,the bottom of these blinds were immersed in water the evaperartion cooled any breeze passing through the wet blinds on the open windows .

We also used  this method for keeping food cool,see Koolgardie safe

[Pink Mist]

12 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Yup ^^^, that's pretty much us too, our main living space isn't enclosed so no A/C just fans, lots of fans. A/C in the bedroom at night to take the edge off, set to 28C the A/C just about makes it!

 

The "cold" water from the tank is almost too warm for a shower and the pool is like a bath.

 

 

Main In the ceiling AC units compressor is struggling with keeping the inside at 28 right now.  The sun hits the compressor unit from 12:30 pm to around 4 pm, and the trees on that side of the house do not give the unit much shade. Thinking of building a small shelter cover for it like I had to do with my water filtration system. Our pool is in the sun from 9am until 5pm, getting a swim in before 9am is a must unless you feel the need to feel like a cooking shrimp as the pool gets as warm as the jacuzzi tub does.  

 

I went out and bought those small packages of wet towels I keep in the refrigerator to use when I get over heated as well as using ice packs.  Hate to see what this months PEA bill will be as the AC unnits are running now pretty much from 10 am in the morning until when we wake up at 6 am, 20 hours.....ugh.  We also use fans to help move the air around inside, as well as the ceiling fans.

[NanLaew]

I went to Korea.

[KhunLA]

IF & when it arrives, I'll deal with it.   

Nothing abnormal about 38-42°C here in the tropics.

AC is a beautiful thing:

Edited May 7, 2023 by KhunLA

[RichardColeman]

Could maybe hire a punkawolla for 300 baht a day ? 

[KhunLA]

"we put on the air conditioners, but now the electricity price is sky high, so during the day, I use fans instead and take a cold shower every 60 to 90 minutes."

@Dario

Sacrificing your health, possibly, definitely your comfort, for a few baht savings on electric.  May want to cut down on other non essentials, or invest in a small gird tie in solar system instead.

 

Just a thought.

[Denim]

I just turn the air con on in our bedroom / office , set it to 28 then don't leave the room except to cook and eat. I would rather pay an extra 50 baht a day on electricity then be uncomfortable.

[lopburi3]

Air conditioning is the name of the game and if only in BR stay there - fans after about noontime are more like hot hair dryers and worse than nothing IMHO.  We did have a 22 years old refrigerator (replaced compressor 3 years ago) become a victim and feel paying the electric bill, even if higher, is worth it for us mortals.  Indeed it has been a long haul of heat this year.

[EVENKEEL]

AC all the way. I grew up in the 105degF weather in the US as well, you survive it you don't like it. I won't try to save some baht by using fans.

[orchis]

ac/ fan/ dehumidifier in one room and a lot of naps.
only go out in morning and evening 
I take lukewarm showers

[Gecko123]

Exercise early morning. During the day, if no air con in house, sitting outside in shade can be cooler than inside. Have to admit last couple of weeks have not been pleasant sleeping weather. Use two fans at foot of bed; two fans in office (wall mounted and below desk.) Drink water constantly.

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Gecko123

[Lacessit]

I set the aircon at 27 C. Stay in the room almost naked.

[proton]

I was in Surin once years ago, similarly very hot even at night. Had 2 fans on me and the mrs got a bowl of iced water, soaked a towel in it and kept putting that on me, no A/C. Worked pretty well.

Edited May 7, 2023 by proton

[Dario]

23 minutes ago, orchis said:

ac/ fan/ dehumidifier in one room and a lot of naps.
only go out in morning and evening 
I take lukewarm showers

May I ask: why a dehumidifier? Does it make a big difference? I only have an air purifier.

[The Fugitive]

Set living room and bedroom a/c's on cool, 16C, full speed fan and swing. Mrs won't allow me to use ceiling fans so make do with pedestals instead. She also won't allow me to do the ultimate cooling trick; Take a shower with clothes on, dry off on bed then repeat. She claims it makes our bed dirty, smelly and mouldy.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Dario said:

In normal years no problem, we put on the air conditioners, but now the electricity price is sky high, so during the day, I use fans instead [...]

 

How do others cope with this unbearable heat? Please let us know. Thank you.

It's always hot in April. Maybe this year it's one or two degrees hotter, but that's it.

 

So it seems when it is just warm then you use the AC to cool maybe from 30 degrees to 15 degrees. And if it is hot, like 35 or more, then you switch off the AC. Do you think that is smart?

 

I have the ACs running and it's cool in my apartment. I can see the scorching sun when I look out of the window and feel just fine.

 

I suggest just accept reality in Thailand. It's hot! And if you want to save electricity then save it when it's only hot and not bloody hot outside. 

[3NUMBAS]

hows humidity that can be a killer .one night i was alarmed as i could not breath and had to take a coupling of amlodipine  to get breathing again

[The Fugitive]

2 minutes ago, proton said:

Are you allowed out on your own?????

Not during Covid. She insisted upon driving me to Immigration Office. I can drive but I don't want to. She does everything for me so I don't want to complain too much. 

[OneMoreFarang]

How much money are you hoping to save?

 

My electricity bill is mostly about 5k per month. My current bill from a few days ago is 8k. That includes comfortably cool rooms days and night.

So that is 3k more. And maybe next month it's 5k more. Per month. Even if it would be 6k more that is 200B per day. Who is so stingy or desperate that 200B per day is an issue?

[proton]

7 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Not during Covid. She insisted upon driving me to Immigration Office. I can drive but I don't want to. She does everything for me so I don't want to complain too much. 

Are you talking about a mum or a wife, mine does <deleted> all, fancy a swop?

[bubblegum]

Also live in Surin, run the airco day and night !

[tuktuktuk]

We keep two rooms (occasionally three) at 22 C all day.  Late afternoon the inside temperature will climb to 27 and maybe a little higher.  At night one room 22 all night another 25 but for just a few hours.  Electric rates here are almost exactly what we pay back home in Tennessee.  About 0.16USD/kwh.  The maximum bill here (~12k THB/month) is about 50% more than home, but it's not a fair comparison.  Tennessee has plenty of 37 C days in July and August but cooler nights and good insulation.

 

I always say I'm never going to stay for April and May again, but here I am.