How is the air quality outside of smoke season?

[smallchungus]

Is the pollution manageable for most of the year?  Smoke season is usually only like 2.5-3 months or so, right?

[Don Chance]

Not in the north.

[smallchungus]

5 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

Not in the north.

Not sure what you mean

[SoilSpoil]

Maybe you should tell us what part of Thailand you are talking about. The different aprts of the country have their own 'smog season'. The south has less smog issues than the rest of the country in general. The north is heavily polluted from end November until May.   

Edited October 12, 2023 by SoilSpoil

[Chris Daley]

I have never noticed smoke in my eight years of being here.  The city smells bad but I am not bumping into things and using a canary.

[smallchungus]

15 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Maybe you should tell us what part of Thailand you are talking about. The different aprts of the country have their own 'smog season'. The south has less smog issues than the rest of the country in general. The north is heavily polluted from end November until May.   

I’m talking about Chiang Mai.  The city.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's the summary air quality readings of key indicator PM2.5 for CM for thus far in 2023:

 

Purple is hazardous, red is unhealthy for all

Orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups.

 

 

And for 2022 and 2023:

 

 

The pollution levels, and periods of impact, vary some year to year depending on the weather, general economic/agricultural conditions, local burning activities, levels of (un) enforcement by local authorities, etc. etc.

 

As you can see from above, the pollution levels during the early part of 2023 were considerably worse than the same period a year prior.

 

https://aqicn.org/station/thailand-khua-mung-รร.บ้านปากเหมือง-ต.ขัวมุง-อ.สารภี-จ.เชียงใหม่

 

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[arithai12]

35 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Maybe you should tell us what part of Thailand you are talking about. The different aprts of the country have their own 'smog season'. The south has less smog issues than the rest of the country in general. The north is heavily polluted from end November until May.   

He posted in CM forum.

Your last statement is strange: either you don't live here,  or you have a rather strict definition of "heavily polluted".

The last statement by the OP is correct. Outside that 2.5-3 months window, the air is quite acceptable or sometimes even very clean, like during the rainy season. Today no rain, AQI 30 (total).

Edited October 12, 2023 by arithai12

[smallchungus]

6 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Here's the summary air quality readings of key indicator PM2.5 for CM for thus far in 2023:

 

Purple is hazardous, red is unhealthy for all

Orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups.

 

 

And for 2022 and 2023:

 

 

The pollution levels, and periods of impact, vary some year to year depending on the weather, general economic/agricultural conditions, local burning activities, levels of (un) enforcement by local authorities, etc. etc.

 

https://aqicn.org/station/thailand-khua-mung-รร.บ้านปากเหมือง-ต.ขัวมุง-อ.สารภี-จ.เชียงใหม่

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much.  This is exactly what I was looking for

[SoilSpoil]

11 hours ago, arithai12 said:

He posted in CM forum.

Your last statement is strange: either you don't live here,  or you have a rather strict definition of "heavily polluted".

The last statement by the OP is correct. Outside that 2.5-3 months window, the air is quite acceptable or sometimes even very clean, like during the rainy season. Today no rain, AQI 30 (total).

The air was not acceptable last November- January and heavily polluted from Feb till May.

[SingAPorn]

Read in a post that Hua Hin yesterday was under a cloud of pollution caused by the usual farmers burning their cane fields or other scumbags burning garbage and dead leaves

[ripstanley]

I am in Chaing Mai now. . The is no smoke haze here.  I live about 2 hours north east of here. Where I live the smoke disapeared in May once the rain started.

[BritManToo]

13 hours ago, smallchungus said:

Is the pollution manageable for most of the year?  Smoke season is usually only like 2.5-3 months or so, right?

No pollution once the first rains starts in April.

Pollution starts end of Dec or during Jan.

[smallchungus]

Where in Thailand can I live that has good air or at least acceptable year around? I was going to visit Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani but it sounds like pollution is an issue everywhere I’m interested in

[smallchungus]

Is air quality worse in dry season across all of Thailand or is Chiang Mai particularly worse during dry season as well (not including burning season)

[FolkGuitar]

56 minutes ago, smallchungus said:

Where in Thailand can I live that has good air or at least acceptable year around? I was going to visit Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani but it sounds like pollution is an issue everywhere I’m interested in

There are a few remote areas in the world today that aren't affected by seasonal air pollution, but I doubt there are any cities that remain clear all year around. This year, many US and Canadian cities had much worse air pollution than northern Thailand!

 

We've lived here 23 years, and have never been bothered by the air pollution. We have never felt the need to leave during Burning Season, although we do turn on two (1,000 baht each) air purifiers in our house, and for perhaps 2-3 weeks in the middle of the season will put on N95 masks when we go outside. We do not stop playing, we do not stop traveling, nor do we stop or change ANY of our normal daily routine because of the air quality. We just deal with it as we would any other climate condition. Blizzard... we put on snow tires and drive a little slower. Rain... we use an umbrella and don't wear good shoes. Air Pollution... we use air purifiers at home and masks outside. No problem.  ????

[Dcheech]

18 minutes ago, smallchungus said:

Is air quality worse in dry season across all of Thailand or is Chiang Mai particularly worse during dry season as well (not including burning season)

Air quality is not good across mainland SEAsia (and the subcontinent btw) in the hot season. No rains, little wind, burning of agricultural & forest land in preparation for the rains return, makes for heat, haze and smoke. Yes, Chiang Mai because of its location and topography does get it a bit worse than other places. The peninsula and islands have a different climate pattern, and it helps being close to the sea in clearing out some of the haze. Still I have been in Hua Hin when it was dry burnt on the hillsides and hazy atmosphere. It's always something.

[Unify]

4 hours ago, smallchungus said:

Where in Thailand can I live that has good air or at least acceptable year around? I was going to visit Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani but it sounds like pollution is an issue everywhere I’m interested in

In Phuket there are often a few bad weeks out of the year, but most of the rest of the year isn't bad. The same is true of much of the area well south of Bangkok.

 

For those saying the smoke doesn't bother them, some of the problems the pollution causes have nothing to do with whether your eyes sting or you cough. Air pollution carries an increase of stroke, for instance. You probably wouldn't be 'bothered' until it was too late. 

[itsallmine68]

Go on the net to check air quality

 

 

[Irish star]

It’s 104 unhealthy in Pattaya right now at Varuna  Yacht club in Pratumak , Ridiculous after all the rain 

[Irish star]

11 minutes ago, itsallmine68 said:

Go on the net to check air quality

 

 

Download IQAirvisual  Air Quelity app 

[Irish star]

4 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

There are a few remote areas in the world today that aren't affected by seasonal air pollution, but I doubt there are any cities that remain clear all year around. This year, many US and Canadian cities had much worse air pollution than northern Thailand!

 

We've lived here 23 years, and have never been bothered by the air pollution. We have never felt the need to leave during Burning Season, although we do turn on two (1,000 baht each) air purifiers in our house, and for perhaps 2-3 weeks in the middle of the season will put on N95 masks when we go outside. We do not stop playing, we do not stop traveling, nor do we stop or change ANY of our normal daily routine because of the air quality. We just deal with it as we would any other climate condition. Blizzard... we put on snow tires and drive a little slower. Rain... we use an umbrella and don't wear good shoes. Air Pollution... we use air purifiers at home and masks outside. No problem.  ????

No Problem my gawd 

[Irish star]

4 hours ago, smallchungus said:

Is air quality worse in dry season across all of Thailand or is Chiang Mai particularly worse during dry season as well (not including burning season)

All over especially Isaan and z PattYa was terrible last year worst year I can remember 

[Irish star]

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

No pollution once the first rains starts in April.

Pollution starts end of Dec or during Jan.

It’s 104 in Patts at the Sea right now 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, smallchungus said:

Where in Thailand can I live that has good air or at least acceptable year around? I was going to visit Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani but it sounds like pollution is an issue everywhere I’m interested in

From a farang friendly area perspective, I'd say the Phuket and Hua Hin / Cha-Am areas, right on the ocean, have probably about as little (lower levels of) seasonal air pollution as you're going to find in Thailand.

 

Yes, there may be some more obscure areas that might be less impacted by the seasonal burning. But note I prefaced my comment with the intro, "from a farang friendly area perspective."

 

CM and UT (along with BKK) definitely wouldn't fit the request you make above... Phuket and HH at least are going to come closer, and Phuket actually looks better for 2023 than HH.

 

A lot of the seasonal burning originates in the north, both inside Thailand and in adjoining countries, and then is blown inland and southward by the prevailing winds. Southward of BKK is going to tend to be better.

 

But you don't want to go too far south in Thailand, otherwise you'll run into the seasonal burning that widely occurs in Indonesia and then is likewise disbursed by the winds.

 

Phuket:

https://aqicn.org/station/thailand/phuket/municipal-health-center-1

 

Hua Hin:

https://aqicn.org/station/@121969

 

For some reason, early 2023 in Hua Hin was a whole lot worse than the comparable period in 2022:

 

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[SoilSpoil]

6 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

There are a few remote areas in the world today that aren't affected by seasonal air pollution, but I doubt there are any cities that remain clear all year around. This year, many US and Canadian cities had much worse air pollution than northern Thailand!

 

We've lived here 23 years, and have never been bothered by the air pollution. We have never felt the need to leave during Burning Season, although we do turn on two (1,000 baht each) air purifiers in our house, and for perhaps 2-3 weeks in the middle of the season will put on N95 masks when we go outside. We do not stop playing, we do not stop traveling, nor do we stop or change ANY of our normal daily routine because of the air quality. We just deal with it as we would any other climate condition. Blizzard... we put on snow tires and drive a little slower. Rain... we use an umbrella and don't wear good shoes. Air Pollution... we use air purifiers at home and masks outside. No problem.  ????

Any other climate condition? Smog isnt a flijate condition, you know? About 30,000 people die each year because of the burning, many more end up in hospital, but you have never been bothered by it. Are you a chain smoker?

[FolkGuitar]

4 hours ago, Irish star said:

No Problem my gawd 

Please excuse me. I should have said; 'we' don't have a problem.

[FolkGuitar]

2 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

Any other climate condition? Smog isnt a flijate condition, you know? About 30,000 people die each year because of the burning, many more end up in hospital, but you have never been bothered by it. Are you a chain smoker?

I was a heavy smoker for 40+ years, but quit 25 years ago. And you're correct, I misspoke. The smog does interfere with some of the photos I'd like to take. That bothers me.

 

 

[tkramer]

On 10/12/2023 at 7:24 PM, smallchungus said:

duplicate

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by tkramer

[tkramer]

On 10/12/2023 at 7:43 PM, smallchungus said:

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by tkramer
duplicate