Air Quality Getting Worse

[chiang mai]

As Priceless writes in post #85 above, "Have fun reading!" But it is worth reading. That's right! I hope you'll go back and read it (Post #85) again! This kind of considered study gets about as good as you can get for its type. If you do slog through it, pause and consider carefully the contributing variables that are still missing and practically impossible to consider since their impact is either unavailable, unmeasurable, or just to dam_n complicated. I am not criticising the study. I am just pointing out the difficulties in this kind of research. Sometimes, anecdotal experience and common sense are as valuable --- sometimes more valuable.

This is where our opinions diverge completely. I consider undocumented and unsubstantiated anecdotal evidence to be of no value whatsoever! There are far too many possible causes of error (physical, psychological, commercial and so on) for me to bother at all about anecdotes.

/ Priceless

I think Priceless that you perhaps need to consider whether you are trying to be a data analyst and chartist in a purist sense or whether you want to be someone who is trying to understand the broader issue of air pollution in Chiang Mai and all that entails. Every profession I can think of uses the subjective view at some stage in its work, even Doctors view patient ailments and say, that's what I think it is and that's what I'll treat. In order to move forward on the air pollution issue in CM it is necessary to consider anecdotal evidence, especially when that evidence comes from such a large group of people that includes members of the local medical profession. To do otherwise is to suggest that support of existing data is more important than understanding the larger problem.

[Priceless]

I think Priceless that you perhaps need to consider whether you are trying to be a data analyst and chartist in a purist sense or whether you want to be someone who is trying to understand the broader issue of air pollution in Chiang Mai and all that entails. Every profession I can think of uses the subjective view at some stage in its work, even Doctors view patient ailments and say, that's what I think it is and that's what I'll treat. In order to move forward on the air pollution issue in CM it is necessary to consider anecdotal evidence, especially when that evidence comes from such a large group of people that includes members of the local medical profession. To do otherwise is to suggest that support of existing data is more important than understanding the larger problem.

I think you should try to read what I said: 'Undocumented and unsubstantiated anecdotal evidence', not anything that can not be objectively and exactly measured.

Try to read the original post for example. The poster had a subjective impression and posted to have it confirmed or rejected. In this case it was easy to show that his impression was wrong (or at least irrelevant, he may have observed pollution higher up than ground level, which would not influence people or be measured on the ground).

For an example of "undocumented and unsubstantiated...", please read precinct11's post (#61 of this thread).

For more examples, do a search on the Chiang Mai forum and you will find lots of them.

Finally, I consider myself not trying to be, but actually being a 'data analyst and chartist' (though in no way an expert). This is also the role I've taken upon myself in connection with the ongoing forum discussions on the subject of pollution. A major reason for this was the abundance of anecdotal evidence, that frequently was quite easily disproven.

To refer to your doctor's example: If a patient claims that his leg is broken, but palpation and X-rays show this to not be the case, the doctor will probably disregard the patient's 'undocumented and unsubstantiated anecdotal evidence' and look for other explanations to the patient's real or perceived pain.

/ Priceless

[Ulysses G.]

Downtown Chiang Mai is GREAT right now. I just wish that cool season did not fly by so quickly!

[Priceless]

Everyone is breathing much easier in Hua Hin. Thanks for your concern chaps. I havent got any data for this phenomena but I put it down to a lovely sea breeze, fewer vehicles , no field burning and hua hin not being surrounded by mountains.

Nevermind and cheer up, Im sure the air in CHiang mai will improve soon. Oh dear maybe not. But at least the two measuring stations will provide exact figures for you to mull over.

No more graphs please they prove didley squat. Its about how human beings FEEL.

May I suggest a quick google. A few relevant keywords:

- Perception

- Illusion

- Delusion

- Psychosomatic

/ Priceless

[Mapguy]

Everyone is breathing much easier in Hua Hin. Thanks for your concern chaps. I havent got any data for this phenomena but I put it down to a lovely sea breeze, fewer vehicles , no field burning and hua hin not being surrounded by mountains.

Nevermind and cheer up, Im sure the air in CHiang mai will improve soon. Oh dear maybe not. But at least the two measuring stations will provide exact figures for you to mull over.

No more graphs please they prove didley squat. Its about how human beings FEEL.

May I suggest a quick google. A few relevant keywords:

- Perception

- Illusion

- Delusion

- Psychosomatic

/ Priceless

Perception? Ouch!

Illusion? Bop!!

Delusion? ZING!!

Psychosomatic? ZAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPP!!

Priceless, you might know your descriptive statistics, for what that craft is worth, but I suggest you need some lessons in common civility!!

Anyway, I hate to report the purely subjective observations of a trip to Doi Inthanon made very, very recently, as on 21-22 December.

1. On the trip down the road from Chiang Mai, especially (as observed from the road relatively near Chiang Mai) "a lot" of rice straw is being burnt already. (Seems early in the season. Sorry, Pointless, no quantified satellite data over time! Don't you hate it when there are no time series to plot!!!) Sorry, old boy, seems to correlate with the last several days with simple observation of haze over Chiang Mai! Have you noticed the winds seem to be generally light and generally out of the south? Have you graphed that? [Note: Doi Inthanon is south of Chiang Mai.] But then, we could rely upon the "rock hard" data from your two relatively reliable Chiang Mai monitoring stations from which you spin your graphs on the location conditions, can't we? Get real, guy!! Look out the window! I don't think you are psychosomatic! Just silly, sometimes.

2. On Doi Inthanon (the highest elevation in Thailand at roughly 7500'), the conditions now visibly are quite similar to those in Chiang Mai: quite hazy!! And we are not talking about humidity, folks; the lovely soft clouds of soft mist nestled below the tops of the mountains. You can see quite a way, actually, early evening or early morning.......sort of. Colors were not true, and you really couldn't make out anything other than a horizon of haze hanging there and the dim outline of a pollution dome. Look above: light blue. Look out directly over the landscape: grey. I won't make any elaborate claims, but if I had had the appropriate "spectrographic" (is that the term?) equipment, I'd say there's a problem. Anyway, one involving sulfur and nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and other crap in the air.

I'm not done yet, but in the interests of brevity, I will leave out here the remarkable similarities I have seen to conditions in Appalachian America where the pollution due to prevailing winds from the west (in that case) is very, very similarly striking.

I feel very sad.

UG, hate to tell you this, but you can't clearly see the natural beauty of the place, now, in December, the height of the tourism season! Rice farmers seem to be burning early out here! Isn't the view one of the BIG tourism points? A blonde, some wine and cheese and a view?! Well, actually, there aren't a lot of blondes around, are there?! But, you get the gist!

Pointless, get outdoors some !!! LOOK; don't just count!!! You call people "psychosomatic?!" Come on, guy; get real!!!! You have a nit up your butt! Leave SPSS at home, or whatever statistical computing program packages you happen to use. It is definitely useful to keep perspectives balanced, but your own number crunching has only limited usefulness since your own caveats are obviously misread by some people who are just impressed with anything that can be misrepresented in a graph as "truth." Be careful what you draw!

Note, please, that I do not use one of Pointless' favorite and unfortunately casual terms: "lying." He certainly does not need additional lessons in descriptive statistics, but he might consider some lessons in mannerly discourse.

Nonetheless, Priceless, don't be a turkey or a goose. Enjoy one or the other for Christmas! Have some sparkling wine, crack a Christmas cracker, wear a silly hat and enjoy!

For casual readers (if you have stuck it out this far!!!), pollution in Chiang Mai is basically a seasonal problem (late February through early April), as Priceless and I agree. [We do agree on a lot!]. Problem is, the season beyond that (as even now!) might be really (Why leave home!) visually even if not in terms of public health when one would expect a view of the wonderful area. It isn't there now, folks. Sorry!

Well, resident TV regulars, get off your butts! Some of you need to see the light of day outside a bar. That is obvious. Start moaning and groaning! Or just pass by this post and have another beer!

For tourists who like bars and rent-a-girls, try Pattaya or Bangkok. The scene is a lot faster! Local bar flies! Get out of the those dank and smoky dens of iniquity! Have some fun in daylight (well, in late afternoons, maybe)!

The impact of public opinion does mean something. Just for fun, get out of the sack before 15:00 and picket the five-star hotels in town who deny pollution exists in this clime! Easy! Just a few guys will do! Shave first and wear a shirt. It looks better on camera. Or, hard on sleeping hours or on your feet? Just hire a couple of the hotel employees who are laid off because of the absolutely miserable occupancy rates of local hotels. It isn't just "troubles" in Bangkok or global economic conditions, folks, causing the drop in tourism here!

Thailand is safe, especially around here (if you stay out of nasty bars, of which there really aren't many). If I were a traveler, I would want fair weather and a timely arrival and departure. After all, one has to earn a living, travel is expensive, and there is limited time (unless one is a used-tea bag backpacker who would probably steal a used book from our local superb used book emporium than pay for it.)

Anyway, this is a nice place. It is my home. I just hope to make it better. That's all.

P.S. Apologies and any lapses in train of thought. It is quite late!

[chiang mai]

Everyone is breathing much easier in Hua Hin. Thanks for your concern chaps. I havent got any data for this phenomena but I put it down to a lovely sea breeze, fewer vehicles , no field burning and hua hin not being surrounded by mountains.

Nevermind and cheer up, Im sure the air in CHiang mai will improve soon. Oh dear maybe not. But at least the two measuring stations will provide exact figures for you to mull over.

No more graphs please they prove didley squat. Its about how human beings FEEL.

May I suggest a quick google. A few relevant keywords:

- Perception

- Illusion

- Delusion

- Psychosomatic

/ Priceless

Perception? Ouch!

Illusion? Bop!!

Delusion? ZING!!

Psychosomatic? ZAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPP!!

Priceless, you might know your descriptive statistics, for what that craft is worth, but I suggest you need some lessons in common civility!!

Anyway, I hate to report the purely subjective observations of a trip to Doi Inthanon made very, very recently, as on 21-22 December.

1. On the trip down the road from Chiang Mai, especially (as observed from the road relatively near Chiang Mai) "a lot" of rice straw is being burnt already. (Seems early in the season. Sorry, Pointless, no quantified satellite data over time! Don't you hate it when there are no time series to plot!!!) Sorry, old boy, seems to correlate with the last several days with simple observation of haze over Chiang Mai! Have you noticed the winds seem to be generally light and generally out of the south? Have you graphed that? [Note: Doi Inthanon is south of Chiang Mai.] But then, we could rely upon the "rock hard" data from your two relatively reliable Chiang Mai monitoring stations from which you spin your graphs on the location conditions, can't we? Get real, guy!! Look out the window! I don't think you are psychosomatic! Just silly, sometimes.

2. On Doi Inthanon (the highest elevation in Thailand at roughly 7500'), the conditions now visibly are quite similar to those in Chiang Mai: quite hazy!! And we are not talking about humidity, folks; the lovely soft clouds of soft mist nestled below the tops of the mountains. You can see quite a way, actually, early evening or early morning.......sort of. Colors were not true, and you really couldn't make out anything other than a horizon of haze hanging there and the dim outline of a pollution dome. Look above: light blue. Look out directly over the landscape: grey. I won't make any elaborate claims, but if I had had the appropriate "spectrographic" (is that the term?) equipment, I'd say there's a problem. Anyway, one involving sulfur and nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and other crap in the air.

I'm not done yet, but in the interests of brevity, I will leave out here the remarkable similarities I have seen to conditions in Appalachian America where the pollution due to prevailing winds from the west (in that case) is very, very similarly striking.

I feel very sad.

UG, hate to tell you this, but you can't clearly see the natural beauty of the place, now, in December, the height of the tourism season! Rice farmers seem to be burning early out here! Isn't the view one of the BIG tourism points? A blonde, some wine and cheese and a view?! Well, actually, there aren't a lot of blondes around, are there?! But, you get the gist!

Pointless, get outdoors some !!! LOOK; don't just count!!! You call people "psychosomatic?!" Come on, guy; get real!!!! You have a nit up your butt! Leave SPSS at home, or whatever statistical computing program packages you happen to use. It is definitely useful to keep perspectives balanced, but your own number crunching has only limited usefulness since your own caveats are obviously misread by some people who are just impressed with anything that can be misrepresented in a graph as "truth." Be careful what you draw!

Note, please, that I do not use one of Pointless' favorite and unfortunately casual terms: "lying." He certainly does not need additional lessons in descriptive statistics, but he might consider some lessons in mannerly discourse.

Nonetheless, Priceless, don't be a turkey or a goose. Enjoy one or the other for Christmas! Have some sparkling wine, crack a Christmas cracker, wear a silly hat and enjoy!

For casual readers (if you have stuck it out this far!!!), pollution in Chiang Mai is basically a seasonal problem (late February through early April), as Priceless and I agree. [We do agree on a lot!]. Problem is, the season beyond that (as even now!) might be really (Why leave home!) visually even if not in terms of public health when one would expect a view of the wonderful area. It isn't there now, folks. Sorry!

Well, resident TV regulars, get off your butts! Some of you need to see the light of day outside a bar. That is obvious. Start moaning and groaning! Or just pass by this post and have another beer!

For tourists who like bars and rent-a-girls, try Pattaya or Bangkok. The scene is a lot faster! Local bar flies! Get out of the those dank and smoky dens of iniquity! Have some fun in daylight (well, in late afternoons, maybe)!

The impact of public opinion does mean something. Just for fun, get out of the sack before 15:00 and picket the five-star hotels in town who deny pollution exists in this clime! Easy! Just a few guys will do! Shave first and wear a shirt. It looks better on camera. Or, hard on sleeping hours or on your feet? Just hire a couple of the hotel employees who are laid off because of the absolutely miserable occupancy rates of local hotels. It isn't just "troubles" in Bangkok or global economic conditions, folks, causing the drop in tourism here!

Thailand is safe, especially around here (if you stay out of nasty bars, of which there really aren't many). If I were a traveler, I would want fair weather and a timely arrival and departure. After all, one has to earn a living, travel is expensive, and there is limited time (unless one is a used-tea bag backpacker who would probably steal a used book from our local superb used book emporium than pay for it.)

Anyway, this is a nice place. It is my home. I just hope to make it better. That's all.

P.S. Apologies and any lapses in train of thought. It is quite late!

Excellent post, sorry but I've given up here. I'm afraid there are those here that simply can't see the wood for the trees, burning or otherwise! What is it that was said, never let a few facts get in the way of a well developed opinion!

[Ulysses G.]

I have just listening to an old timer lecturing me for 1/2 an hour on how "there is hardly anyone burning anything this year" and how much worse it used to be. I guess that he is part of the big conspiracy theory.

I also met my first real, non-internet case of someone who is really bothered by the air here. Of course, he told me immediately that he has had a severe case of asthma for most of his life and that other places in Thailand are even worse for his lungs. Another "nut" no doubt.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the weather as much as I can. It is GREAT here now, and will be hot again soon enough.

Edited December 23, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[Ulysses G.]

JJ's restaurant on Thapae Road. He's in there every morning wearing an Aussie bush hat and sharing wisdom on Chiang Mai.

If you think that the air now is "horrific", you might be better off buying one of those air chambers that Michael Jackson has and locking everyone in there 24/7.

Edited December 23, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[Priceless]

Everyone is breathing much easier in Hua Hin. Thanks for your concern chaps. I havent got any data for this phenomena but I put it down to a lovely sea breeze, fewer vehicles , no field burning and hua hin not being surrounded by mountains.

Nevermind and cheer up, Im sure the air in CHiang mai will improve soon. Oh dear maybe not. But at least the two measuring stations will provide exact figures for you to mull over.

No more graphs please they prove didley squat. Its about how human beings FEEL.

May I suggest a quick google. A few relevant keywords:

- Perception

- Illusion

- Delusion

- Psychosomatic

/ Priceless

Perception? Ouch!

Illusion? Bop!!

Delusion? ZING!!

Psychosomatic? ZAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPP!!

Priceless, you might know your descriptive statistics, for what that craft is worth, but I suggest you need some lessons in common civility!!

[...]

I'll leave out the rest of Mapguy's rant for just two observations:

1/ I did in no way mean to be uncivil in my earlier post. If you had bothered to do the suggested googling, you would have found literally thousands of posts showing why I would never trust any organoleptic assessments (i.e. using your senses), be they others' or my own, over available, reliable, objective measurements. There are simply too many factors that may influence an individuals subjective experience of something.

2/ This year (and, Mapguy, I do know that there are still a few days to go) has so far been the 'best' in terms of PM<10 air pollution since the beginning of this decade. This year's average so far is 38.8 µg/m3, to be compared with the 2000-2008 average of 46.9, and the previous best year (2006) with 40.5. The last three 'complete' months (September, October and November) have all had the lowest pollution levels of the corresponding months in 2000-2008, and it looks like December will go the same way.

Let's just enjoy the (seasonally) wonderful air quality that we've had lately and for almost all of this year, and hope that the New Year, and years to come, will bring even further improvements.

/ Priceless

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I have a question.

I don't dispute the data, but I do note that the air is visibly less clear; not talking about the morning fog which I love, but for example in the late afternoon when the sun is going down you know that there is 'something' in between the sun and your eyes, making it possible to even look into the sun in the first place, and observing it to be a nice shade of red. (In the rainy season you simply cannot look into the sun at any time; it's very bright)

On to my question: Could it be that this 'something' in the air is something other thatn teh PM<10 particles? Perhaps lots of particules that are 11 um and therefore don't qualify? Or something else entirely?

( Note that I don't have any complaints about the air quality in relation to health, and this is my favorite time of the year. )

[Priceless]

I have a question.

I don't dispute the data, but I do note that the air is visibly less clear; not talking about the morning fog which I love, but for example in the late afternoon when the sun is going down you know that there is 'something' in between the sun and your eyes, making it possible to even look into the sun in the first place, and observing it to be a nice shade of red. (In the rainy season you simply cannot look into the sun at any time; it's very bright)

On to my question: Could it be that this 'something' in the air is something other thatn teh PM<10 particles? Perhaps lots of particules that are 11 um and therefore don't qualify? Or something else entirely?

( Note that I don't have any complaints about the air quality in relation to health, and this is my favorite time of the year. )

I can't really answer with any degree of certainty, but here goes:

1/ The air quality at the moment is very good for the time of year, but the pollution level is still about twice what it was in September. One would expect this to show up, just as you describe. We are, after all, in the dry season.

2/ It may be that there is a higher proportion of larger particles (PM<5 to PM<10, say) in the total PM<10 than during the rainy season, which would probably give more visible effects. If this is the case it would be quite a good thing, since the particles tend to be more dangerous the smaller they are. (In many industrialized countries, separate measurements of PM<2.5 have started in recent years.)

/ Priceless

[Ulysses G.]

Maybe they were slightly higher at that particular time?

All I know is that when I have said how comfortable I am with the air in Chiang Mai, certain folks kept coming up with statistics that were supposed to show that I was wrong. Now that someone who actually understands statistics (Priceless) proves that the air quality here is not all that bad, the same folks start claiming that statistics don't prove anything - that it is about how people feel. Well I feel fine!

[Ulysses G.]

I must admit that I spend almost all of my time in the main tourist areas of Chiang Mai - Thapae Gate and the Night Bazaar - and I never smell any burning at all.

It is too bad that your house is in a bad area, but it sounds like a great excuse to go live at the beach!

[Ulysses G.]

How about all the posters like Ajarn, Priceless and others who don't live downtown, but think the air is great right now?

[realthaideal]

I live outside of town and the air overall is good for this time of year. Sometimes when I'm in a particularly thick bank of smoke from the burning along the river or out on the ring roads, I do end up with burning eyes, or black crud in them by the time I get home. Sad but true. No breathing problems and the air seems to be clearing out with breezes recently. I say it is what it is and I choose to be here and so be it.

And also... too much fretting and hemming n hawing will give you cancer and rot your guts just as sure as any pollution will.

[Ulysses G.]

It doesn't really bother those of us with human noses - even big ones!

[Ijustwannateach]

I've cleaned up the spam and spam-related posts (which were quite amusing, actually) and rid you of the spammer. Please enjoy your return to the regularly scheduled thread.

[Bill97]

Could we please have the house photo back. I would like another look at the statue in the front yard.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Could we please have the house photo back. I would like another look at the statue in the front yard.

Bill

Even though that guy James or whoever was a strange thread crasher, I have to say his house is top notch. Here is the advertisement

it's a tangent but is that a decent deal with all the wood, stone and art work? It has me drooling and contemplating becoming an owner in Thailand.

[Mapguy]

In the last few days, the weather in Chiang Mai has been absolutely gorgeous. Pollution, particularly particulate matter, has often been very low. The purpose of this message is to inform of one effort to keep it that way. I have edited the invitation that I received for clarity:

Long time Environment campaigner Ajarn Duangchan, senior researcher of CMU Social Research Institute, has suggested we write letters to the media and also go to the weekly press conference, given every Tuesday at 10:00 am at the Sala Glang (Provincial Office) on the Mae Rim Rd by the Governor of Chiang Mai. The purpose of these representations would be to let the provincial officials and press know of our determination to see an improvement in environmental standards in Chiang Mai.

Help is sought in formulating questions to be asked and your attendance at the Chiang Mai Governor's Press Conference on 13th.

A small meeting is planned for 12:30 on Monday 5th January to discuss strategy. The meeting will be held from 4:30 pm Monday 5th January at the Chiang Mai University CAMT faculty, ground floor eastern end. This 4 storey building is opposite the Economics Faculty in the valley South of the Main Library. If you wish to participate please phone 0849859668.

Please advise if you are coming and if you will be late.

Also can you attend the Chiang Mai Governor's Press Conference on 13th?? If so, please phone 0849859668.

Best Wishes for a peaceful new year with clean air in 2009.

[Bananaman]

According to the PCD website, the PM10 count was 370 yesterday. What's going on? Is that an error or what?

[Priceless]

According to the PCD website, the PM10 count was 370 yesterday. What's going on? Is that an error or what?

I think you can safely assume that it is. Otherwise somebody kept a bunch of old tyres burning next to the measuring station BTW, yesterday's numbers were not posted until today. Office party on Sunday evening/night

/ Priceless

[Mapguy]

According to the PCD website, the PM10 count was 370 yesterday. What's going on? Is that an error or what?

Such a reading is truly bizarre!

What is acceptable is still being debated; that is, the standards. However, as a guide, here is some information that should be useful re current thinking. More later.

Particulate_Matter_Pollution___Weather_Underground.pdf

[Priceless]

According to the PCD website, the PM10 count was 370 yesterday. What's going on? Is that an error or what?

Such a reading is truly bizarre!

What is acceptable is still being debated; that is, the standards. However, as a guide, here is some information that should be useful re current thinking. More later.

Mapguy, you really should check your facts before posting. The value for 12 January was a typo and was corrected from 370 to 37.0 after about two days.

/ Priceless

Edited January 19, 2009 by Priceless

[ThePyawkt]

Well guys, One of the reasons I brought it up is I fly ultralights here on a regular basis and if you saw the general smog over the city from the sky, it is something like living covered in a blanket of the stuff. It was not like that even a few years ago, it was visibily less for a lot more of the time. I can also feel it in my chest at a lot of the time which I did not do before . There is certainly an element of haze to it, but thats just the veneer

There was a news clipping last week (or the week before?,,,,, in the Bangkok post or the Nation that the pollution in Chiang Mai is much worse at night time then during the day,,, and the level of pollution was higher then normal....

IMHO..after five years of living here its been worse each year,,,,,,,,,,,, the burning of garbage along the canal rd going out towards Hang Dong is non stop 24/7 ...

That's where I live - it's terrible! Absolutely noxious as I try to get to work and back on my bike each day.

I am new to CM, and am really surprised that that is not properly regulated in an area such as this. I hear tourists shocked and complaining about it too - not good after the travel disasters in Nov. and Dec. With the uncontrolled, increasing pollution all over the kingdom, and the bad rap from the airport shutdown, I think they are really cutting their own economic throats, IMHO.

[Priceless]

Well guys, One of the reasons I brought it up is I fly ultralights here on a regular basis and if you saw the general smog over the city from the sky, it is something like living covered in a blanket of the stuff. It was not like that even a few years ago, it was visibily less for a lot more of the time. I can also feel it in my chest at a lot of the time which I did not do before . There is certainly an element of haze to it, but thats just the veneer

There was a news clipping last week (or the week before?,,,,, in the Bangkok post or the Nation that the pollution in Chiang Mai is much worse at night time then during the day,,, and the level of pollution was higher then normal....

IMHO..after five years of living here its been worse each year,,,,,,,,,,,, the burning of garbage along the canal rd going out towards Hang Dong is non stop 24/7 ...

That's where I live - it's terrible! Absolutely noxious as I try to get to work and back on my bike each day.

I am new to CM, and am really surprised that that is not properly regulated in an area such as this. I hear tourists shocked and complaining about it too - not good after the travel disasters in Nov. and Dec. With the uncontrolled, increasing pollution all over the kingdom, and the bad rap from the airport shutdown, I think they are really cutting their own economic throats, IMHO.

Well, there's one born every minute, I guess

As has been shown numerous times on this forum, Chiang Mai has, calculated as a yearly average, among the best air qualities in Thailand. What it unfortunately also has is a very pronounced seasonal variation, with normally a high peak in particulate matter pollution during March. To see the difference between Chiang Mai and some other 'popular farang areas', consider the following graph:

However, Chiang Mai appears to be steadily improving as can be seen from this graph:

Furthermore, air quality in Chiang Mai the last five months has been the best ever, each month from September through December setting a new record low for particulate matter pollution. Though one should be careful about making forecasts, January seems to be going the same way.

If you really think that it is "Absolutely noxious as I try to get to work and back on my bike each day", I'm afraid that you'll have to either grin and bear it, or leave Thailand (and the rest of the Tropics). It doesn't get much better than this, you see. In all probability, March will unfortunately be much worse than the last five months (I don't have sufficient data to be able to say anything about August last year).

The only major cities where you can be reasonably sure of better air quality than what you are getting in Chiang Mai right now, are mainly coastal cities in temperate zones. Vancouver Canada, Perth Australia and Oslo Norway spring to mind.

/ Priceless

BTW it seems that Thai air quality is generally improving. I follow eight locations around Thailand and six show decreasing average pollution levels. The only two with increases are Surat Thani (from extremely low levels) and the Din Daeng area of Bangkok, which is catastrophic!

[vagabond48]

For those that keep touting how, good the air quality is or low the air pollution is in CM, and would like to live a longer life, see this CNN health link.

I would think anything we can do to help further improve our air quality is a plus to help extend the lives of residents of CM and other parts of Thailand.

[Ulysses G.]

I would think anything we can do to help further improve our air quality is a plus to help extend the lives of residents of CM and other parts of Thailand.

I agree, but we also don't want to give Chiang Mai a bad reputation that it does not deserve because some folks with prior respiratory health problems are unusually sensitive to the air.

Edited January 22, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[chiang mai]

I would think anything we can do to help further improve our air quality is a plus to help extend the lives of residents of CM and other parts of Thailand.

I agree, but we also don't want to give Chiang Mai a bad reputation that it does not deserve because some folks with prior respiratory health problems are unusually sensitive to the air.

It's not sensitivity to air that's the problem, it's sensitivity to all the crap that's floating around in it! Indeed, anyone in CM that has a respiratory problem, absolutely must have got it somewhere else before moving to CM!

[Priceless]

For those that keep touting how, good the air quality is or low the air pollution is in CM, and would like to live a longer life, see this CNN health link.

I would think anything we can do to help further improve our air quality is a plus to help extend the lives of residents of CM and other parts of Thailand.

I couldn't agree more with the need for further improving the air quality, in Chiang Mai as well as in the rest of the world. I have hopefully never made a statement that could be interpreted as claiming that the air quality in CM is 'good enough', so that efforts to improve it could be abandoned.

What I have repeatedly claimed however, is that the CM air is among the best in Thailand. I have also, more recently, claimed that it appears to have improved to quite a remarkable degree over the last decade. (See my post from Monday for more details on this.)

I have also pointed out that I have not been able to find any credible reports supporting the not infrequent claims that Chiang Mai has the highest incidence of respiratory illness in Thailand. I have repeatedly asked for such reports, but no one has been able to come up with any. (I am not really surprised by this, as I strongly doubt there are any reliable health statistics available, on a total population basis, for Chiang Mai.) Since the air quality is proven to, for most of the year, be better than in most other parts of Thailand, I would also find it very difficult to believe that pollution would be the cause of such a high incidence, if it exists.

I will consequently continue to see the alleged respiratory illness frequency as an "urban myth", until such time as I get access to supporting evidence to the contrary. (This does not imply that I don't believe in individuals' experiences, just in the frequency within the whole population.)

/ Priceless