Burning season - how to make my old house liveable?

[simon43]

I live in Luang Prabang, in north Laos.  I like living in Luang Prabang!  But I have a problem.  I have a lung condition that is exacerbated by the smoke during the burning season.  For the past 2 months I have had bronchitis, coughing, litres of phlegm etc etc.  It is doing my health no good 😞 and I am spending a fair amount of money on anti-histamine tablets, phlegm thinner tablets and strange brown cough syrup from China (they all help....)

 

I have 2 choices:

- Move to a location where the air quality is better.  To this end, I have been asking questions in the Krabi forum because my ex has a modern house in Ao Nang which I could rent from her.  I lived in Ao Nang many years ago and my lung health was good!

 

or

- Try to keep the smoky air out of my house in Luang Prabang, and wear a decent N95 facemask when outside.

 

My house is old and has more holes in the walls than a colander!  What would I need to do to achieve clean air in the large, open-plan downstairs area?

I guess:

- tape up or cover all ventilation grills in the walls

- add insulating strips etc to all doors/windows to ensure a good fit when closed

- add a suitable filter to the sole air-con unit (I don't use air-von usually, but after closing all air-gaps I assume that I must provide some means for the outside air to actually enter the room via an air filter, or I will suffocate from carbon dioxide poisoning!!

- Buy a decent room air purifier.

 

What would you recommend?  Stay and try to improve my Lao house or move to a location with clean, sea air all year round?  As much as I love living in Laos (and previously in Myanmar), my lung health is telling me that I need to do something about this situation.

 

 

 

 

[bob smith]

44 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I live in Luang Prabang, in north Laos.  I like living in Luang Prabang!  But I have a problem.  I have a lung condition that is exacerbated by the smoke during the burning season.  For the past 2 months I have had bronchitis, coughing, litres of phlegm etc etc.  It is doing my health no good 😞 and I am spending a fair amount of money on anti-histamine tablets, phlegm thinner tablets and strange brown cough syrup from China (they all help....)

 

I have 2 choices:

- Move to a location where the air quality is better.  To this end, I have been asking questions in the Krabi forum because my ex has a modern house in Ao Nang which I could rent from her.  I lived in Ao Nang many years ago and my lung health was good!

 

or

- Try to keep the smoky air out of my house in Luang Prabang, and wear a decent N95 facemask when outside.

 

My house is old and has more holes in the walls than a colander!  What would I need to do to achieve clean air in the large, open-plan downstairs area?

I guess:

- tape up or cover all ventilation grills in the walls

- add insulating strips etc to all doors/windows to ensure a good fit when closed

- add a suitable filter to the sole air-con unit (I don't use air-von usually, but after closing all air-gaps I assume that I must provide some means for the outside air to actually enter the room via an air filter, or I will suffocate from carbon dioxide poisoning!!

- Buy a decent room air purifier.

 

What would you recommend?  Stay and try to improve my Lao house or move to a location with clean, sea air all year round?  As much as I love living in Laos (and previously in Myanmar), my lung health is telling me that I need to do something about this situation.

 

 

 

 

forget Luang Prabang, mate.

 

get yourself to Ao Nang sharpish.

 

I've got a few floozy's down there that I call up whenever I need a booty call.

Great girls!

 

bob.

[OneMoreFarang]

43 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I have 2 choices:

[...] my ex has a modern house in Ao Nang which I could rent from her.

 

Actually, you have many many more choices. Your ex is not the only person who rents out houses. 

 

 

[simon43]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Actually, you have many many more choices. Your ex is not the only person who rents out houses. 

 

 

Yes indeed!  About 18 months ago I rented a nice house in a coconut grove on Koh Phangan.  I think I paid 7,000 baht/month with no deposit etc.  I only left when I had to return to the UK for hospital tests.

 

[rocketboy2]

Op , you need to find an option 3

1) Stay away from an ex wife. ( trouble for sure at some point)

2) Stay away from Smokey Lao.

3) Rent house,  minimum of 100k away from ex wife.

 

 

[simon43]

23 minutes ago, rocketboy2 said:

Op , you need to find an option 3

1) Stay away from an ex wife. ( trouble for sure at some point)

2) Stay away from Smokey Lao.

3) Rent house,  minimum of 100k away from ex wife.

 

 

Luckily for me, ex #3 is absolutely fine 🙂 (She is not the 'mad' ex #2...).  We divorced perhaps 10 years ago but stay in regular touch.  She is intelligent and hard-working and also rarely visits Ao Nang (the air is too humid for her delicate skin).

 

I am also considering retiring to The Philippines because:

- My UK state pension will not be frozen

- I can find a rural location with healthy sea air etc

- No 'baggage' from ex-wives

 

Whatever I decide to do, I need to visit the location to check out all factors.

[rocketboy2]

1 minute ago, simon43 said:

Luckily for me, ex #3 is absolutely fine 🙂 (She is not the 'mad' ex #2...).  We divorced perhaps 10 years ago but stay in regular touch.  She is intelligent and hard-working and also rarely visits Ao Nang (the air is too humid for her delicate skin).

 

I am also considering retiring to The Philippines because:

- My UK state pension will not be frozen

- I can find a rural location with healthy sea air etc

- No 'baggage' from ex-wives

 

Whatever I decide to do, I need to visit the location to check out all factors.

 

Ok, Yes the Philippines, not a bad idea. ( pension and all that )

and like you say, no ex wives around. 

Can you still do your hobby there ( radio Ham )

if so, why not do that. 

[simon43]

6 minutes ago, rocketboy2 said:

 

Ok, Yes the Philippines, not a bad idea. ( pension and all that )

and like you say, no ex wives around. 

Can you still do your hobby there ( radio Ham )

if so, why not do that. 

Yes, there are many radio hams in The Phillipines, so no problem there.  I have joined a Facebook group for expats living in The Phillippines and am getting good advice about retiring there.

[rocketboy2]

1 minute ago, simon43 said:

Yes, there are many radio hams in The Phillipines, so no problem there.  I have joined a Facebook group for expats living in The Phillippines and am getting good advice about retiring there.

 

There you go, sorted.

Now  all you need,  is the location over there. 

 

[Tropicalevo]

4 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Yes, there are many radio hams in The Phillipines, so no problem there.  I have joined a Facebook group for expats living in The Phillippines and am getting good advice about retiring there.

Just stay away from locations that have volcanos, earthquakes and tsunamis.

[simon43]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Just stay away from locations that have volcanos, earthquakes and tsunamis.

You forgot the cyclones... 🙂

[nobodysfriend]

17 hours ago, simon43 said:

What would you recommend?  Stay and try to improve my Lao house or move to a location with clean, sea air all year round? 

 

I live on Koh Kho Khao island , 130 km north of Phuket .

Not really an island , only 800m from the mainland , it has pure clean air , ( no industry or plantations near ) ,

but still is very quiet and land is still cheap .

Healthy living if you prefer Nature to people ...

 

 

 

[newbee2022]

18 hours ago, simon43 said:

I live in Luang Prabang, in north Laos.  I like living in Luang Prabang!  But I have a problem.  I have a lung condition that is exacerbated by the smoke during the burning season.  For the past 2 months I have had bronchitis, coughing, litres of phlegm etc etc.  It is doing my health no good 😞 and I am spending a fair amount of money on anti-histamine tablets, phlegm thinner tablets and strange brown cough syrup from China (they all help....)

 

I have 2 choices:

- Move to a location where the air quality is better.  To this end, I have been asking questions in the Krabi forum because my ex has a modern house in Ao Nang which I could rent from her.  I lived in Ao Nang many years ago and my lung health was good!

 

or

- Try to keep the smoky air out of my house in Luang Prabang, and wear a decent N95 facemask when outside.

 

My house is old and has more holes in the walls than a colander!  What would I need to do to achieve clean air in the large, open-plan downstairs area?

I guess:

- tape up or cover all ventilation grills in the walls

- add insulating strips etc to all doors/windows to ensure a good fit when closed

- add a suitable filter to the sole air-con unit (I don't use air-von usually, but after closing all air-gaps I assume that I must provide some means for the outside air to actually enter the room via an air filter, or I will suffocate from carbon dioxide poisoning!!

- Buy a decent room air purifier.

 

What would you recommend?  Stay and try to improve my Lao house or move to a location with clean, sea air all year round?  As much as I love living in Laos (and previously in Myanmar), my lung health is telling me that I need to do something about this situation.

 

 

 

 

I would take the first choice.

I'm not sure even, what health issues you described. Obviously no asthma but could be COPD. Antihistamines wouldn't help.

In this case Krabi is your choice to live longer.

I myself move every year for 5 months from Chiangmai to the South because of this health problem.🙏

[CecilM]

Many people migrate to avoid the smoke. If you can afford it, go. 

[CharlesHolzhauer]

4 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

I live on Koh Kho Khao island , 130 km north of Phuket .

Not really an island , only 800m from the mainland , it has pure clean air , (no industry or plantations near) ,

but still is very quiet and land is still cheap .

Healthy living if you prefer Nature to people ...

Interesting. My wife and I are looking for a 'getaway,' and we were considering Koh Chang and Koh Kood, but both were not to our liking. In our opinion, the next best place is Koh Rong (Survivor Island), which is in Cambodia and not easily accessible by road. Could you please elaborate on the approximate cost of renting a small house or the cost of land prices, preferably on or close to the beach? Additionally, I would like information on the availability and reliability of utilities, Internet as well as the 'quality' of the fish market and/or supermarket.

[Lacessit]

Drink plenty of water. Plug up all the holes. Buy decent air purifiers that incorporate air quality monitors. Have them running 24/7.

 

Seal yourself in, and wear a N95 mask when outdoors.

[nobodysfriend]

4 minutes ago, CharlesHolzhauer said:

Interesting. My wife and I are looking for a 'getaway,' and we were considering Koh Chang and Koh Kood, but both were not to our liking. In our opinion, the next best place is Koh Rong (Survivor Island), which is in Cambodia and not easily accessible by road. Could you please elaborate on the approximate cost of renting a small house or the cost of land prices, preferably on or close to the beach? Additionally, I would like information on the availability and reliability of utilities, Internet as well as the 'quality' of the fish market and/or supermarket.

 

Hi ,

Just google Koh Kho Khao ... plenty of info ...

Single houses for rent are rare here , but maybe ...

Land prices vary greatly on location , near the beach it will be about 2 or 3 mio per rai now  inland much cheaper ... Come and check it out ... 1 other german on the island already ...

[Rampant Rabbit]

you  know that satellite you were going to have up there?

[CharlesHolzhauer]

55 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

1 other german on the island already

 

34 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

there goes the neighborhood!

Unless you're narrow-minded, it's best not to judge people solely based on their names. Names don't reveal anything about a person's heritage, race, or country of birth. You did have an educational upbringing, didn't you?

[natway09]

If ur ex is not going to be a problem go.

To seal your old house would be expensive & who wants to live in a tropical climate with the house locked up.

Like being a prisoner in your own home

[BadBouy]

On 5/8/2024 at 6:18 PM, simon43 said:

Luckily for me, ex #3 is absolutely fine 🙂 (She is not the 'mad' ex #2...).  We divorced perhaps 10 years ago but stay in regular touch.  She is intelligent and hard-working and also rarely visits Ao Nang (the air is too humid for her delicate skin).

 

I am also considering retiring to The Philippines because:

- My UK state pension will not be frozen

- I can find a rural location with healthy sea air etc

- No 'baggage' from ex-wives

 

Whatever I decide to do, I need to visit the location to check out all factors.

I saw a video on Samar in the PI, looked absolutely beautiful. It was the kind of place you would have to be creative to fill your time. A simple life.