Relocating to Chiang Mai, worried about burning season

[DonniePeverley]

This has to be a deal breaker for many. If i relocate my family, with school, you can't just change cities during a school term and get out of there during burning season.

 

Can someone tell me how bad this actually is? Those with experience on the ground. 

 

Thoughts?

[Dante99]

17 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

Can someone tell me how bad this actually is?

Some think it is bad others think not.  What is your standard for measuring badness?

[BritManToo]

Hardly noticed it this year.

[thesetat]

If you do not care to put wet towels on your windows and doors and stay inside. You will be quite happy. 

If you. have such concerns then why are you even considering moving there? You know already how bad it can get simply because a lot of it ends up covering the rest of Thailand. 

 

As for changing schools mid-term. There is nothing to stop you from doing that. So, i do not see why this is an issue unless the student is in a University. 

[peterrabbit]

Its well overblown by the press, unless you have a medical condition its not a major problem. 

I have experied far worse in Chonburi because its industrial smog which is far worst.

Its no different than say monsoon rain, you stay indoors for a few days while its bad.

Any decent private school has plans and equipment in place to handle it.

Just be prepared by buying some good air purifiers in advance, (while they have stock). 

This make is considered the best:-

https://www.lazada.co.th/shop/xiaomi-official-store-th

[DonniePeverley]

The worlds most polluted city does strike fear into you though.

 

Do school not give this period any time off? Instead of during the summer?

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

The worlds most polluted city does strike fear into you though.

 

 

 

[davb]

This year I was miserable in Bangkok from the air pollution, but my wife was mostly ok.

I think it depends on if you have any existing breathing problems like asthma or a history of bronchitis.

Of course, there's the argument that the polluted air causes long-term problems. I'm not sure how to evaluate that.

[Lacessit]

I have an air quality monitor. When it gets above 100, I crank up the air purifiers.

 

In Chiang Rai, the period of poor air quality seems to be less because we are getting unseasonal rain.

[DonniePeverley]

11 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

 

 

I should stress it tops the list for a month or two. 

[Nick Carter icp]

10 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

I should stress it tops the list for a month or two. 

 

  Its usually just a day or two 

[DonniePeverley]

9 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  Its usually just a day or two 

 

Why the defensive responses? 

 

I kept an eye on it last year as i was thinking of renting there, and it was up there as one of the most polluted cities for a few months. 

[Nick Carter icp]

29 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

Why the defensive responses? 

 

I kept an eye on it last year as i was thinking of renting there, and it was up there as one of the most polluted cities for a few months. 

 

   Last year was very mild , it was just a few days  when it was even noticeable 

[SAFETY FIRST]

23 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

Thoughts

Don't eat the fish, Burma has contaminated the rivers 

[1FinickyOne]

For me, it is very rarely even noticeable... I have been with other friends on a clear day, mountains all in sight and they are crying about how bad the air quality is?? So, I will guess the answer is that it will be disturbing to the point of how sensitive you are personally... 

[1FinickyOne]

4 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

I should stress it tops the list for a month or two. 

If you feel a need to stress that, it sounds obvious that you will not want to stay here. I might point out that when it is bad here, it is often bad in many places in Thailand.,,, 

[simon43]

I do have weak lungs, so I found living in CM unbearable - the smoky air resulted in acute bronchitis, but that's just me...

 

What I would be concerned about is the effect on the young lungs of your children. Do you really want to expose them to a high level of air pollution?  I can't think of anything positive about that.....

[RayOday]

I tracked a few locations daily throughout the 2025 "burning season": Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok, Hua Hin, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla/Hat Yai. The summary is that Thailand air quality sucks for +2.5 months per year. Hua Hin is marginally better than CM yet still horrible. Songkhla/Hat Yai and a few locations in Nakhon Si Thammarat are acceptable yet not healthy (Yellow on the IQair AQI rankings). Nan is off the charts and worse than Chiang Mai. I drove to Nan after the smog hit CM and visibility was poor.I immediately left and headed to BKK for a week and it was as bad as CM. Then I left for HH and the air quality was poor for almost 2.5 weeks and became acceptable yet not good. I am uncertain what can be done with respect to Myanmar and Laos but the Thai government is failing it's populace once again as fires in Thailand continue to deter tourists and compromise the health of it's citizens.

Extract from the OECD

Thailand's environmental and health performance according to OECD metrics shows a mixed picture, with significant challenges in air quality and some improvements in other areas.

-Air Quality and Pollution
Thailand faces serious air pollution challenges, particularly in Bangkok and northern regions. PM2.5 concentrations frequently exceed WHO guidelines, with annual averages often 2-3 times higher than recommended levels. The country ranks among the more polluted nations in OECD assessments, with air quality being a major public health concern.

-Health Outcomes Related to Environment
Environmental factors contribute substantially to Thailand's disease burden. Air pollution is linked to increased rates of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and premature deaths. The OECD estimates that environmental risk factors account for a significant portion of the country's health expenditure.

-Policy Response
Thailand has implemented various environmental policies, including emission standards for vehicles and industrial facilities, though enforcement remains inconsistent. The country has made commitments under international agreements but faces challenges in balancing economic development with environmental protection.

-Comparative Performance
Compared to OECD averages, Thailand generally performs below standards for air quality and environmental health indicators, though it has shown improvement in some waste management and water access metrics over time. 

 

The recent video of Prawit falling down the steps is a metaphor for this bumbling government failing it's people.

 

 

[black tabby12345]

I have been in Chiang Mai old city area for nearly 2 decades.

Still have no respiratory sickness.

If you worry about it, advisable to take at least one cup of soybean paste soup.

Soybean paste is known to lower lung cancer risk.

 

 

[Presnock]

On 5/22/2025 at 5:42 AM, DonniePeverley said:

This has to be a deal breaker for many. If i relocate my family, with school, you can't just change cities during a school term and get out of there during burning season.

 

Can someone tell me how bad this actually is? Those with experience on the ground. 

 

Thoughts?

I moved to Chiang Mai 12 years ago and we love it and plan to stay forever.  Though right now daughter in University in Bangkok - the pollution in Bangkok may not be quite as high during forest fire days in CM but I have my own 2.5micron meter and check every day and Bangkok too has a lot of polluted days.  Anyway, we bought a new house in CM 11 years ago, and will return there next month or so as our daughter has been accept as an exchange student between universities (Seoul) and will be going to korea for her junior year in August.  We installed air purifiers in all the rooms of our house (same here in Bangkok) and wear a mask when we venture outside.  We have had no health problems, I walked 6-10 kms daily in CM in our neighborhood.  We talk about maybe going elsewhere on vacation during the burning season if it gets too bad but understand about schools too.  Our daughter went to CM intenational school and all their rooms had air purifiers  so they are aware too of the pollution problem.  While we wear masks there when the pollution is bad, many people, especially foreigners, seldom seem to wear them as well as some locals living there.   Whatever you decide to do I hope you have great luck as like I said, we still love the CM area.

[Presnock]

11 minutes ago, RayOday said:

I tracked a few locations daily throughout the 2025 "burning season": Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok, Hua Hin, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla/Hat Yai. The summary is that Thailand air quality sucks for +2.5 months per year. Hua Hin is marginally better than CM yet still horrible. Songkhla/Hat Yai and a few locations in Nakhon Si Thammarat are acceptable yet not healthy (Yellow on the IQair AQI rankings). Nan is off the charts and worse than Chiang Mai. I drove to Nan after the smog hit CM and visibility was poor.I immediately left and headed to BKK for a week and it was as bad as CM. Then I left for HH and the air quality was poor for almost 2.5 weeks and became acceptable yet not good. I am uncertain what can be done with respect to Myanmar and Laos but the Thai government is failing it's populace once again as fires in Thailand continue to deter tourists and compromise the health of it's citizens.

Extract from the OECD

Thailand's environmental and health performance according to OECD metrics shows a mixed picture, with significant challenges in air quality and some improvements in other areas.

-Air Quality and Pollution
Thailand faces serious air pollution challenges, particularly in Bangkok and northern regions. PM2.5 concentrations frequently exceed WHO guidelines, with annual averages often 2-3 times higher than recommended levels. The country ranks among the more polluted nations in OECD assessments, with air quality being a major public health concern.

-Health Outcomes Related to Environment
Environmental factors contribute substantially to Thailand's disease burden. Air pollution is linked to increased rates of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and premature deaths. The OECD estimates that environmental risk factors account for a significant portion of the country's health expenditure.

-Policy Response
Thailand has implemented various environmental policies, including emission standards for vehicles and industrial facilities, though enforcement remains inconsistent. The country has made commitments under international agreements but faces challenges in balancing economic development with environmental protection.

-Comparative Performance
Compared to OECD averages, Thailand generally performs below standards for air quality and environmental health indicators, though it has shown improvement in some waste management and water access metrics over time. 

 

The recent video of Prawit falling down the steps is a metaphor for this bumbling government failing it's people.

 

 

The overall biggest problem with the pollution problem is that it covers all of south Asia including China, Laos, VN, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, Indonesia,  and unless they can get all the countries to stop burning of waste, forest fires to clear area for farming of crops that need burning too, then the pollution problem will continue for Thailand, no matter what they do unless the other countries stop too!  If one looks at the NASA satellite imaging of S. Asia it is mostly RED with open fires!