A few weeks back I made a comment about this coming Songkran that people probably wouldn't be able to see Doi Suthep from the west side of the moat.
Today driving in from Lamphun, wife and I crossed the fly-over bridge by Airport Central and - no Doi Suthep, no mountains, just brown haze.  Not even an indistinct outline of a mountain.  Nada.  Hai bpai. 

"Welcome to Chiang Mai tourists!"  Cough cough cough.  "Play water, have fun!" cough cough hack wheeze.

Back in Lamphun now where the AQI is significantly better, but still horrible. At least I can see the mountains down here. Wife said CM is back at the top of the World's Worst Air.  Congratulations Chiang Mai.  It's good to be Number One! 

I left years ago, it never improves. The people who run the country don't have to live there so they don't care.

11 hours ago, rexpotter said:

I left years ago, it never improves. The people who run the country don't have to live there so they don't care.

 

a good decision to move!

 

but not only the people who run the country don't care, also most people in the north don't care ...

they have to pay a hefty price (serious health issue) in the future ...

 

every province in the north has a government, has ample has village headman ... no one cares either,

to blame only Bangkok is too easy ...

 

as for covid, extremely strict rules have been enforced, why can they not do it with the burning problem as well ...

 

nothing will change, if your health is valued for you, move away from the north if you can ...

I avoid going above Hua Hin 4-5 months of the year.  Even here/PKK, an hour below Hua Hin, I limit my time outside for a couple months a year, and AQI is rarely above 100, although PM2.5 can be 5-20X the WHO's guidelines of healthy.

 

AQI is 55 now, but PM2.5 is 17 (3.4X unhealthy)

Hua Hin is 84 AQI & PM.2.5 is 27.9 (5.6X unhealthy), and only 100 kms away, mind boggling.

 

My brother & wife were suppose to come to TH in a couple weeks, and I told them to don't bother.  CM part of their itinerary.  Canceled, and now thinking about reschedule in Oct/Nov.

 

Stay South

I was planning to escape Songkhran with a week in Chiang Mai but cancelled now. Getting wet here is healthier.

20 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I avoid going above Hua Hin 4-5 months of the year.  Even here/PKK, an hour below Hua Hin, I limit my time outside for a couple months a year, and AQI is rarely above 100, although PM2.5 can be 5-20X the WHO's guidelines of healthy.

 

AQI is 55 now, but PM2.5 is 17 (3.4X unhealthy)

Hua Hin is 84 AQI & PM.2.5 is 27.9 (5.6X unhealthy), and only 100 kms away, mind boggling.

 

...

 

 

i can verify your data from hua hin.

 

since a few days (one-month holiday) we are staying in hua hin. within the rented apartment,

we use our own air purifier. outside, we wear N95 masks depending on the pm2.5µg/m3 levels!

 

happy songkhran to everyone ...

14 minutes ago, Henryford said:

I was planning to escape Songkhran with a week in Chiang Mai but cancelled now. Getting wet here is healthier.

Chiang Mai is Songkhran central. What were you planning to escape?

 

Not too bad down here on the islands.

 

Quote

 

What is the current air quality in Ko Samui?

Air pollution level	Air quality index	Main pollutant
Moderate	58 US AQI	PM2.5

Pollutants		Concentration
PM2.5		15.5µg/m³

 

21 minutes ago, Thailand said:

 

 

As much as I agree, CM air is bad, the vid is exaggerating, when it gets to the 'stats' part, and I stopped paying attention after I started typing.

 

States AQI over 300 often, instead of stating rarely.  Over 200 yes, over 300, no.   And imply vehicle exhaust add a bit to it.  As much as I despise diesel and ICEV exhaust, comparing BKK AQI to CM, and it points out, vehicle exhaust is far from the main issue, though if downtown along the sidewalk of bus & trucks routes, you'll be sucking in diesel fumes.  Suburbia Krung Thep and you won't notice that as much, unless behind a trucks and diesel ICEVs on a scooter.

 

Premise is true, but no need to exaggerate, as it's bad enough.

7 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Not too bad down here on the islands.

 

It's the PM2.5 numbers that are the issue, when the AQI is deemed good or moderate;

Khun La you are wrong, in my part of CM the AQI was over 300 on Thursday for many hours and hardly ever goes below 200 for many weeks. There is nothing to be gained by minimising the issue.

4 minutes ago, brommers said:

Khun La you are wrong, in my part of CM the AQI was over 300 on Thursday for many hours and hardly ever goes below 200 for many weeks. There is nothing to be gained by minimising the issue.

 

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

States AQI over 300 often, instead of stating rarely.  Over 200 yes, over 300, no. 

as stated, agree with the 200+ too often, but 300+, that's a stretch.

 

Sorry for you if it is true ... and time to move 

Time to move anyway, if consistently over 100

3 hours ago, brommers said:

Khun La you are wrong, in my part of CM the AQI was over 300 on Thursday for many hours and hardly ever goes below 200 for many weeks. There is nothing to be gained by minimising the issue.

Exactly, and it does not matter if a level of 300 has been reached rarely or often.

It's the fact that it has been reached that is the unnatural disaster!

Brigadoon

On 4/7/2024 at 6:57 AM, motdaeng said:

 

a good decision to move!

 

but not only the people who run the country don't care, also most people in the north don't care ...

they have to pay a hefty price (serious health issue) in the future ...

 

every province in the north has a government, has ample has village headman ... no one cares either,

to blame only Bangkok is too easy ...

 

as for covid, extremely strict rules have been enforced, why can they not do it with the burning problem as well ...

 

nothing will change, if your health is valued for you, move away from the north if you can ...

Years ago we left only for 2 months every year, but nowadays we are in the South from midth of February to end of June. We even bought a house there considering to move permanent. It's a shame that CM, a beautiful place to live, is not interested to change the condition to live there. The people should go to the streets demonstrating for their right of clean air to breathe.🙏

16 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Years ago we left only for 2 months every year, but nowadays we are in the South from midth of February to end of June. We even bought a house there considering to move permanent. It's a shame that CM, a beautiful place to live, is not interested to change the condition to live there. The people should go to the streets demonstrating for their right of clean air to breathe.🙏

They might but the government recommends that everyone stays inside because of the pollution!

4 minutes ago, Thailand said:

They might but the government recommends that everyone stays inside because of the pollution!

Well, then they should supply everybody with an aircon for free. And pay for electricity. 

But hey, I'm not believing in Santa🤣

On 4/7/2024 at 7:42 AM, Henryford said:

I was planning to escape Songkhran with a week in Chiang Mai but cancelled now. Getting wet here is healthier.

Correct decision. Last year at this time we were in the USA, the year before in Koh Samui. This year, down payment on house took any chance of fleeing. Only consolation is the new house has 4 air conditioners filtering the 2.5 particles.

16 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Correct decision. Last year at this time we were in the USA, the year before in Koh Samui. This year, down payment on house took any chance of fleeing. Only consolation is the new house has 4 air conditioners filtering the 2.5 particles.

I never really appreciated how clean the air is in USA, especially since they use to talk about the USA's pollution on the news   Talk about fear mongering with no substance.

 

Moving to TH can be very hazardous to your health ... or ... beneficial 

 

 

Choose your location wisely, and can actually keep around 100+/- a couple months during smog season, although PM2.5 is usually too high, but ... vs .... pure HELL

 

 

 

 

49 minutes ago, Thailand said:

They might but the government recommends that everyone stays inside because of the pollution!

I moved too, but as you say, not the same vibe down here. I am north of Pattaya now, air is clean. Shame, great place there for a few months a year back when. First came in 1999, and the river road just north of the old huge hotel there, (Porn Ping?) was mud. Tiny town. Rented a Honda Dream drove up into the hills north of there and met some hill tribe folks who helped enjoy some of the local herbs. And lay down and smoked something, but I don't think it was tobacco.

What happened to all the posters who live in CM that say the pollution is not that bad and doesn't affect them?  Are they all gone or embarrassed to admit they still live there?

36 minutes ago, jimgilly said:

What happened to all the posters who live in CM that say the pollution is not that bad and doesn't affect them?  Are they all gone or embarrassed to admit they still live there?

Jim, That's my favorite comment,

"It's not that bad today'.

Its a toxic hell hole. Oh, we're ok we have 6 air purifiers and keep our aircon filters clean, wear masks, don't go outside between 8am and 7pm, and try not to breath too hard. But we love it here.

On 4/7/2024 at 11:55 AM, KhunLA said:

 

as stated, agree with the 200+ too often, but 300+, that's a stretch.

 

Sorry for you if it is true ... and time to move 

Time to move anyway, if consistently over 100

It's over 300 many times, but this is only for X hours per day, which makes the long-term stats average still below or around 200 over the entire day. There is even moments of 400-500.

8 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

It's over 300 many times, but this is only for X hours per day, which makes the long-term stats average still below or around 200 over the entire day. There is even moments of 400-500.

Notice today you got a few 3 & 400s showing 😲

That's mind boggling, beside totally F'd up

Worrying about lung cancer？

Eat:

Soybean paste(called MISO; medically proven anti-cancer agent). But no  more than 8g/day(high in salt contents).

Plenty of tomatoes, carrots, bell pepper,s and pumpkins(with high carotenoids; strong anti-oxidant). It keeps your body in alkaline. 

 

6 minutes ago, borderhopper2005 said:

Worrying about lung cancer？

Eat:

Soybean paste(called MISO; medically proven anti-cancer agent). But no  more than 8g/day(high in salt contents).

Plenty of tomatoes, carrots, bell pepper,s and pumpkins(with high carotenoids; strong anti-oxidant). It keeps your body in alkaline. 

Not necessarily concerned about just cancer, but it's the PM2.5 &10 that are deposited on your lung tissue, lower & upper.

 

Possibly causing a bunch of problems, when expose long term:

heart disease

asthma

low birth weight

COPD

 

A strong immune system can't fight everything.   Or anything, without the proper tools, like sufficient oxygen.

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Notice today you got a few 3 & 400s showing 😲

That's mind boggling, beside totally F'd up

we just passed pkk again on our way back from bang saphan .   three years ago i had the chance to move south from cm but didn't .     love the nice months in the north but ............ its crazy this aqi

when i look at AQI  for your town it gives a number but says there are no monitoring stations ?? 

 

i am getting damn old so if i move i better do it soon.    mind if i send you a pm for a few questions regarding pkk ?

21 minutes ago, rumak said:

  mind if i send you a pm for a few questions regarding pkk ?

No prob ... as Bang Saphans, you have to self entertain here.  Not like a weekend break, where you enjoy the peace & quiet, sounds of the surf and lazy day relaxing.   It's everyday, and that wears on some people.

 

Closest real town to PKK, as you know, with anything, is Hua Hin, 100 kms north, which I'm really not a fan of.  From Bang Saphan Noi, Chumphon (90 kms) would be a better option, which I do like very much, even has a swimmable beach, when cooperating.

 

If Ban Krut had a Makro, we would have move there.   If daughter not in Bangkok, maybe even Chumphon, but prefer PKK, as less than 4 hours from her.