More Heat And Drought - Our Grim Outlook For Summer

[george]

More heat and drought - our grim outlook for summer

BANGKOK: -- People in many areas of the country are already roasting under a heat wave of up to 38 degrees Celsius and arid conditions, with the coming summer expected to last to mid-May - and it could be even hotter and drier than last year.

Northern and northeastern provinces will swelter under temperatures of up to 42 degrees in April - including Uttaradit, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Ratchasima, Somchai Baimoung, the director of the Weather Forecast Bureau, said yesterday.

The peak, recorded by the Meteorological Department last year, was 42.4 degrees in April in Mae Hong Son's Muang district.

However, each time the mercury soars to 40 degrees or higher it will not stay there for more than four days, he said.

Smith Dharmasaroja, former chairman of the National Disaster Warning Centre, expressed concern that this summer could be even more of a scorcher than last year, and drier too.

Reports from December 18 to February 2 showed that drought had stricken 13 provinces.

"Although the La Nina phenomenon is expected to trigger more downpours than last summer, rainfall will not be enough for people to use during this hot season," he said.

Agriculture will be affected so people, especially in the Northeast, should find ways to store rainwater for both farm and household use, he said.

Tropical storms with gales of up to 40 to 50 kilometres per hour were predicted.

"Such storms may become a real threat to high buildings, houses and billboards that are not safely constructed," he said.

A storm surge may hit the Gulf of Thailand in May, he added.

Summer diseases, including diarrhoea and rabies, are another thing people should beware of besides dehydration and shock.

Phanomphan Siriwattananukul, director of the Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases, has warned people, particularly labourers and farmers who work outdoors, that they are at risk of sunstroke.

People working outdoors are recommended to drink oral rehydration solutions to protect themselves against drying out.

Others working indoors should drink lots of water and wear clothes made from cotton to absorb heat from the body and listen to soft music.

-- The Nation 2009-02-23

[plachon]

These people are priceless. Telling labourers and farmers what to drink, wear and the type of music they should listen too when working outdoors. It would be a nanny state if it actually provided the things it recommends, but as it is, it's the worst form of preaching and patronising. Can you imagine going up to a labourer on a building site swaddled in ample clothes covering every inch of her/his body and a balaclava against the sun, saying, "Sawadee khrap. I'm from BOED and I hope you've taken the precaution of drinking copious amounts of Gatorade before coming to work? And do I detect some manmade fibre in your trousers and shirt. You really ought to wear only cotton you know. That goes for your underwear too nong. And don't forget to play soft music on that radio you and your chums are listening to. These morlam sing tunes are far too harsh and crude on a hot day like today. May I recommend you play some Yanni or Gregorian chant in future. I must be getting back to my air conditioned office now for an iced tea and afternoon nap. Good day."

[MZurf]

People working outdoors are recommended to drink oral rehydration solutions to protect themselves against drying out.

Others working indoors should drink lots of water and wear clothes made from cotton to absorb heat from the body and listen to soft music.

-- The Nation 2009-02-23

Could a TV member with a medical degree (if such a person exists) please explain to me how listening to soft music will help you through the hot season???

[noahvail]

Could a TV member with a medical degree (if such a person exists) please explain to me how listening to soft music will help you through the hot season???

I'm not a doctor (though I do play one on Tv [remember those commercials?]). The concept is that soft music relaxes the mind and body, lowering the base amount of stress on the musculature, reducing the heartbeat rate, and reducing blood pressure. The reduction in work of the blood system and musculature result in a lowered core temperature of the body, reducing the need for the body to work to lower its temperature.

Oddly enough, it's the same concept that's used to increase the uptake and retention of information while studying. While I can't quote the research off the top of my head, the studies supporting these theories do exist.

[kalbo123]

Strange how they know what the weather will be like till half May,

Since many weather predicters have already a problem if they have to predict the weather for next week.

[slapout]

I support the soft music, but now lets put this into practice thru out Thailand, set the air con up 2 degree in malls and revert to soft music and they might get my business. I guess if soft music does all the good mentioned we can blame the loud music for many of the social and medical problems we see and hear about. Okay that last may be called Thai logic by some of the members, but its just a personal theory.

[Mali1964]

Must say this last week here in Roi Et as been unbearable at times, still it beats Blity with the snow wind & rain

[bkkjames]

blimey, i thought it is summer now.

can anyone recall the last time we had any precip in Bangkok? according to my calculation and finger, it's been over 3 months.

What does rabies have to do with the weather? One would think that if anything, rabies would go down.

Too hot to go outside and be bitten by a dog? Dogs too lazy in the heat to go looking for people to bite.

[TPI]

Phrae is going to be over 40 degrees C for the next 10 days....I dunno but, in Ozy when it gets over 40 it's bloody hot ...here, it's just "fine"..I love the winter here!

[sharecropper]

Could a TV member with a medical degree (if such a person exists) please explain to me how listening to soft music will help you through the hot season???

I'm not a doctor (though I do play one on Tv [remember those commercials?]). The concept is that soft music relaxes the mind and body, lowering the base amount of stress on the musculature, reducing the heartbeat rate, and reducing blood pressure. The reduction in work of the blood system and musculature result in a lowered core temperature of the body, reducing the need for the body to work to lower its temperature.

Oddly enough, it's the same concept that's used to increase the uptake and retention of information while studying. While I can't quote the research off the top of my head, the studies supporting these theories do exist.

Presumably you didn't listen to enough soft music.

[Thunder26]

Strange how they know what the weather will be like till half May,

Since many weather predicters have already a problem if they have to predict the weather for next week.

You nailed it man They can't predict if it is going to rain or not in Bangkok for the next 24 hours. They just always talk about probability I know by myself if it's going to rain or not when I get up in the morning, no need to listen to their gibberish

[Ricardo]

Agriculture will be affected so people, especially in the Northeast, should find ways to store rainwater for both farm and household use, he said.

-- The Nation 2009-02-23

Isn't it a little late-in-the-day, to start building extra dams or water-tanks ? Where will the rain come from, to fill them, now that the hot-and-dry season is here ?

And I also love the suggestion that tropical storms may involve winds of 40-50 km per hour, which can blow things over. Where do these guys get their extra-ordinary insights & training ? !

[dumball]

Don't the Thai weather forecasters know that there is only one , iron-clad forecast for which they cannot get slammed ?

"Here is our 24 hour weather forecast for Bangkok and surrounding areas , it will either rain or get dark , no snow expected for the duration of the summer " .

[M555]

More heat and drought - our grim outlook for summer

BANGKOK: -- People in many areas of the country are already roasting under a heat wave of up to 38 degrees Celsius and arid conditions, with the coming summer expected to last to mid-May - and it could be even hotter and drier than last year.

Northern and northeastern provinces will swelter under temperatures of up to 42 degrees in April - including Uttaradit, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Ratchasima, Somchai Baimoung, the director of the Weather Forecast Bureau, said yesterday.

The peak, recorded by the Meteorological Department last year, was 42.4 degrees in April in Mae Hong Son's Muang district.

However, each time the mercury soars to 40 degrees or higher it will not stay there for more than four days, he said.

Smith Dharmasaroja, former chairman of the National Disaster Warning Centre, expressed concern that this summer could be even more of a scorcher than last year, and drier too.

Reports from December 18 to February 2 showed that drought had stricken 13 provinces.

"Although the La Nina phenomenon is expected to trigger more downpours than last summer, rainfall will not be enough for people to use during this hot season," he said.

Agriculture will be affected so people, especially in the Northeast, should find ways to store rainwater for both farm and household use, he said.

Tropical storms with gales of up to 40 to 50 kilometres per hour were predicted.

"Such storms may become a real threat to high buildings, houses and billboards that are not safely constructed," he said.

A storm surge may hit the Gulf of Thailand in May, he added.

Summer diseases, including diarrhoea and rabies, are another thing people should beware of besides dehydration and shock.

Phanomphan Siriwattananukul, director of the Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases, has warned people, particularly labourers and farmers who work outdoors, that they are at risk of sunstroke.

People working outdoors are recommended to drink oral rehydration solutions to protect themselves against drying out.

Others working indoors should drink lots of water and wear clothes made from cotton to absorb heat from the body and listen to soft music.

-- The Nation 2009-02-23

This is nothing but a plan to sell A/C to rich farangs it will snow in Bangkok by May 1 as Jesus shall make his appearance to save the world.

[ballpoint]

Well it rained here in Buri Ram today. Not for long, but quite a decent volume. There's been the rumble of thunder in the distance for a few days now, so I guess it's been raining elsewhere too.

[mdechgan]

So is it going to be really hot or really rainy this April-May?

[teletiger]

I use BBC weather, 5 day forecast on my home-page. Set for Korat. Never far off the mark at all. Light rain for today.We'll see

Regards.

[Gary A]

Drier than last year ?? I certainly hope so. Last year at the start of the dry season, they were cutting rice by hand standing in knee deep water. Rice paddy dikes, roads and bridges were washed out. The dikes washing out didn't really matter because there was no place for the water to drain. What will be will be.

Edited February 25, 2009 by Gary A

[henryalleman]

More heat and drought - our grim outlook for summer

BANGKOK: -- People in many areas of the country are already roasting under a heat wave of up to 38 degrees Celsius and arid conditions, with the coming summer expected to last to mid-May - and it could be even hotter and drier than last year.

Northern and northeastern provinces will swelter under temperatures of up to 42 degrees in April - including Uttaradit, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Ratchasima, Somchai Baimoung, the director of the Weather Forecast Bureau, said yesterday.

The peak, recorded by the Meteorological Department last year, was 42.4 degrees in April in Mae Hong Son's Muang district.

However, each time the mercury soars to 40 degrees or higher it will not stay there for more than four days, he said.

Smith Dharmasaroja, former chairman of the National Disaster Warning Centre, expressed concern that this summer could be even more of a scorcher than last year, and drier too.

Reports from December 18 to February 2 showed that drought had stricken 13 provinces.

"Although the La Nina phenomenon is expected to trigger more downpours than last summer, rainfall will not be enough for people to use during this hot season," he said.

Agriculture will be affected so people, especially in the Northeast, should find ways to store rainwater for both farm and household use, he said.

Tropical storms with gales of up to 40 to 50 kilometres per hour were predicted.

"Such storms may become a real threat to high buildings, houses and billboards that are not safely constructed," he said.

A storm surge may hit the Gulf of Thailand in May, he added.

Summer diseases, including diarrhoea and rabies, are another thing people should beware of besides dehydration and shock.

Phanomphan Siriwattananukul, director of the Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases, has warned people, particularly labourers and farmers who work outdoors, that they are at risk of sunstroke.

People working outdoors are recommended to drink oral rehydration solutions to protect themselves against drying out.

Others working indoors should drink lots of water and wear clothes made from cotton to absorb heat from the body and listen to soft music.

-- The Nation 2009-02-23

Tropical storms with gales of up to 40 to 50 kilometres per hour were predicted.

"Such storms may become a real threat to high buildings, houses and billboards that are not safely constructed," he said.

Typical Thai thinking calling a wind of 40 to 50k a tropical storm.