OPINION:

Chiang Mai - The world's 'most polluted' city

 

Chiang Mai, Thailand: -- The name once conjured images of lush mountains, vibrant temples, and a laid-back atmosphere. Now, it's synonymous with another word: pollution. Every year, a toxic cloud descends upon the city, transforming it into a gasping, coughing mess.

 

Air quality levels regularly nosedive into the "hazardous" zone, forcing tourists to flee and locals to live in fear of what they're breathing in. So, what's to blame for this environmental nightmare?

 

#1 Culprit: Burning Fields – A Tradition That's Choking the Life Out of Chiang Mai

 

Blame those beautiful mountains Chiang Mai is famous for. They act like a giant bowl, trapping smoke in a deadly embrace. The source of that smoke? Outdated 'slash-and-burn' agricultural practices. Farmers torch their fields – not just rice paddies, but vast stretches of corn fields too – to clear them for the next crop. It's the fastest, cheapest way... and it fills the air with a poisonous cocktail of PM2.5, carbon monoxide, and other nasty pollutants.

 

Weather Disaster: The Perfect Storm for Smog

 

Chiang Mai's dry season, stretching from roughly February to April, is the pollution apocalypse. No rain washes out the haze. Worse yet, the air stagnates, leaving the smoke to hang over the city like a thick, acrid blanket for weeks on end. Imagine the feeling of breathing in gritty sandpaper day after day, unable to escape the toxic fumes.

 

Tourists Flee, Hospitals Overflow: The Nightmare You Didn't Pay For

 

Paradise lost? You bet. Chiang Mai's once-thriving tourism industry is taking a serious hit. Visitors arrive expecting stunning views and end up choking on smog, cutting their trips short or bypassing the city altogether. But it's not just disappointed tourists; Chiang Mai's hospitals are overwhelmed.

 

Asthma attacks surge, heart conditions are aggravated, and the long-term consequences of breathing this filth for years could include devastating diseases like cancer. What price do you put on your health?

 

Locals are Furious: "Our Lungs Aren't Worth Less Than Your Cheap Corn!"

 

Don't think Chiang Mai's residents are taking this lying down. Angry protests, heart-wrenching petitions, and relentless social media campaigns are demanding change. But progress feels agonizingly slow.

 

Farmers, many of them poor and lacking resources, feel they have no other choice but to burn. Meanwhile, powerful agricultural businesses thrive on the status quo, reaping profits while an entire city gasps for clean air.

 

Shocking Stats: How Bad is Chiang Mai's Air Pollution REALLY?

 

The numbers are a punch in the gut. During peak pollution season, Chiang Mai's PM2.5 levels routinely soar past 200 micrograms per cubic meter – sometimes even hitting 300. Let that sink in: The World Health Organization considers anything above 25 to be unsafe. Chiang Mai's air isn't just a little bad; it's a full-blown public health emergency.

 

Caught on Camera: The Burning Fields the Tourism Board Wishes You'd Ignore

 

Chiang Mai's pollution problem isn't a secret, but it's actively downplayed. Travel brochures still show pristine mountainsides, but satellite images and gutsy drone footage tell a different story. Vast areas, particularly around the neighboring Mae Chaem district, are reduced to blackened scars during the burning season. The smoke from these fires is a major contributor to the haze that suffocates Chiang Mai.

 

Your Vacation Nightmare: "We Couldn't Even See the Temples..."

 

"The smell of burning was everywhere." … "My child developed a terrible cough." … "Had to wear a mask the entire time, what a waste." Travel forums and review sites are awash with these first-hand accounts of Chiang Mai's pollution horror. The dream trip turns into a health hazard, a stark reminder that the air you breathe matters more than any sightseeing itinerary.

 

-- ASEAN NOW 2024-04-06

 

This opinion piece was put together by Gemini Advanced AI and is not necessary the views of ASEAN NOW.

You can store this and post it again next year,and the next etc.

George good post. We just had a week 100km south west of CM - even there, the air looks fuggy and the views across the valley to other mountains is hazy. Evening time we sit on the roof of 'home' in the foothills and have a beer. Only a few stars can be seen but just a few years ago, it seemed like you could see thousands.

 

Not too much evidence of crop waste being burnt but in 10km walks around the foothills, the low grass has burnt or is burning and much smoke results. I did see a team of 8 on 4 mbikes coming up the track and they put out a low grass fire - I guess. It was not burning the next day.

 

Returning yesterday on H106 from Lee to Thoen, there were many 'low grass' fires but the mountains were so steep, you can't put them out. And Thoen was smoky.

 

To limit this damage, hard to know how to tackle it.

 

Not applicable to this area, but easy to control, it should be a criminal offence for a sugar mill to accept burnt cane. To be enforced.

 

For other crops, there must be solutions too. Cheers.

 

 

 

 

Does anyone see any actual crops burning? I haven't seen one in months. All I see are forest fires which they are still lighting up to today.  I think the emphasis on crops is over stated and the bigger concern are hill tribes and other mountain people (Thai Yai/Burmese) who are up there foraging in the forests.

14 minutes ago, TorquayFan said:

Not too much evidence of crop waste being burnt but in 10km walks around the foothills, the low grass has burnt or is burning and much smoke results. I did see a team of 8 on 4 mbikes coming up the track and they put out a low grass fire - I guess. It was not burning the next day.

 

Returning yesterday on H106 from Lee to Thoen, there were many 'low grass' fires but the mountains were so steep, you can't put them out. And Thoen was smoky.

 

To limit this damage, hard to know how to tackle it.

 

Exactly, no crops burning, people light the grass in the mountains and road sides intentionally every year and they won't stop until the rains start. There is a culture of burning with these people. Here's a video of this lousy woman I have the displeasure to live next to. They have zero disregard for anything outside their little bubble and if they could make a few baht burning the forest they will absolutely do it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right now:

 

So now we are getting AI posts directly from AseanNow and even disclaiming that it doesn't represent the views of the poster? It's marked as an opinion piece but whose opinion is it?

 

Between all the strongly increased trolling, nonsense posters and low quality news content I don't see this stuff helping the site to be honest. At least it's marked as being AI generated.

 

BTW the whole post is using increased font size 😕

Thanks NR - an interesting insight.

 

I wondered how these fires start ? Yes some nutters but . . . .

 

In the Ban Pang area I report from, i see fires way upon the mountains where no one go to or access. Some start naturally and are inaccessible.

 

Let's not forget the ICE fumes contributing, and the current blistering temperatures.

 

Just that Thailand should do what they can. ATB

39 minutes ago, TorquayFan said:

Returning yesterday on H106 from Lee to Thoen

 

That's interesting. Thank you.

9 minutes ago, TorquayFan said:

I wondered how these fires start ? Yes some nutters but . . . .

 

In the Ban Pang area I report from, i see fires way upon the mountains where no one go to or access. Some start naturally and are inaccessible.

 

See my previous post. Hill tribe and Thai Yai/Burmese people hunt and forage by burning the mountains. They live on the outskirts of society and have little regard for people outside their tribe. They start the fires from the road often and then once a path is open they can access the deep forest where animals live.

31 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Exactly, no crops burning, people light the grass in the mountains and road sides intentionally every year and they won't stop until the rains start. There is a culture of burning with these people. Here's a video of this lousy woman I have the displeasure to live next to. They have zero disregard for anything outside their little bubble and if they could make a few baht burning the forest they will absolutely do it.

 

 

IMG_1072.MOV 20.59 MB · 5 downloads  

 

 

 

 

 

only 2 piles of leaves ? a guy on my soi did about 9 a few weeks ago. as i walked by he looked at me said dirty burn better.  

But the expats continue to tell us what a great place it is to live!

3 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

only 2 piles of leaves ? a guy on my soi did about 9 a few weeks ago. as i walked by he looked at me said dirty burn better.  

oh that was just one day. That stupid woman sweeps up leaves on the street in front of her house (shack) and burns them as they fall. It's just a culture of burning with them. In her mind she's doing a good thing keeping the streets clean. These are hopelessly backwards people but no one dare stop them. 

1 minute ago, NorthernRyland said:

oh that was just one day. That stupid woman sweeps up leaves on the street in front of her house (shack) and burns them as they fall. It's just a culture of burning with them. In her mind she's doing a good thing keeping the streets clean. These are hopelessly backwards people but no one dare stop them. 

 

 i love when they sweep right to the property edge and even if there was a huge garbage pile inches away..... nah it'll be fine. 

4 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

But the expats continue to tell us what a great place it is to live!

The Chiang Mai YouTube videos are pure cringe. They found some cute little cafe's and present them as if the city is some nature lovers paradise or something.

19 minutes ago, eisfeld said:

So now we are getting AI posts directly from AseanNow and even disclaiming that it doesn't represent the views of the poster? It's marked as an opinion piece but whose opinion is it?

 

Between all the strongly increased trolling, nonsense posters and low quality news content I don't see this stuff helping the site to be honest. At least it's marked as being AI generated.

 

BTW the whole post is using increased font size 😕

It’s a view sent to me from a Thai member in Chiang Mai, and I sometimes use AI to rewrite/translate posts that has spelling and grammar errors as English is not my first language. I believe we should be honest when we publish AI assisted posts.

An alternative would be using Google Translate, but Gemini does it so much better than Google Translate. Off topic.

 

Just now, stoner said:

 

 i love when they sweep right to the property edge and even if there was a huge garbage pile inches away..... nah it'll be fine. 

 I took this picture the other day to show to my wife as a good idea for her company to build. Thai people just don't care about public property. They made this nice place to put your trash and morons throw garbage outside it anyways. Every other bin around this reservoir is the same thing. Bins with trash strewn all over the place. These are university educated kids too. LOL.

 

It's not just Chiang Mai, the whole of SE Asia is ablaze, and the Indian sub-continent. 

 

Here's the burning for the last 7 days.

 

49 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

But the expats continue to tell us what a great place it is to live!

Correct;

It is a great place to live!

Don't let the toxicologists get you down!

Despite that, I hear there's a lot of tourists around, even with the bad smoke, and restaurants and hotels have barely seen any 'low season' in the last six months.

3 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

Does anyone see any actual crops burning? I haven't seen one in months. All I see are forest fires which they are still lighting up to today.  I think the emphasis on crops is over stated and the bigger concern are hill tribes and other mountain people (Thai Yai/Burmese) who are up there foraging in the forests.

I cycle mainly further north & the burning is always at night. Early mornings we come thru & see the work done yet still smoldering.

3 hours ago, Northstar1 said:

But the expats continue to tell us what a great place it is to live!

Sadly I think those that claim "oh its nothing I have a filter & mask" Just have no option so they put a heavy coat of lipstick on this pig. Sadly once lung cancer among other health problems is realized they will truly have no options.

 

The recent death of the young doctor Dr Krittai Tanasombatkul in Chiang Mai of lung cancer although having never smoked is sadly telling.

2 hours ago, mania said:

The recent death of the young doctor Dr Krittai Tanasombatkul in Chiang Mai of lung cancer although having never smoked is sadly telling.

Is called bad luck, i know one of 20s who lived all life clean air too. 
 

anyway yeah pollution sucks, but what is your point.

2 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Is called bad luck, i know one of 20s who lived all life clean air too. 
 

anyway yeah pollution sucks, but what is your point.

 

The point is that the pollution in Chiang Mai is likely to reduce a persons life expectancy, and increase the risk of cancer. I love Chiang Mai, it is a great place, but you can't stay there year after year and expect to remain healthy. 

9 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

 I took this picture the other day to show to my wife as a good idea for her company to build. Thai people just don't care about public property. They made this nice place to put your trash and morons throw garbage outside it anyways. Every other bin around this reservoir is the same thing. Bins with trash strewn all over the place. These are university educated kids too. LOL.

 

 

Maybe they can borrow the sign near me...

It is not just the burning, but the overall smog producing transportation system, manufacturing, etc.

It will never change because the cost is too great and technology way behind the west.

Promoting people to buy EVs is a joke will not help anything but the car companies. 

The whole article is nothing more than fantasy - the overwhelming majority of fires are forest fires, not farmers burning crops. 

 

https://fire.gistda.or.th/dashboard.html

18 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

It is not just the burning, but the overall smog producing transportation system, manufacturing, etc.

It will never change because the cost is too great and technology way behind the west.

Promoting people to buy EVs is a joke will not help anything but the car companies. 

Its true, much more from the manufacturing and crap diesel engines with dirty injectors than people will admit..

Posted a few days ago AI take on Chiang Mai pollution.

 

 

SSDD