Keeping Cool In The Hot Season

[Dustoff]

Whether it is due to your slowness or not, I wouldn't venture to guess, but you have it wrong. Nothing that I wrote on your retirement visa thread had anything to do with prejudice of any kind, anti-American or otherwise. My earlier comment here? Well, maybe a little, but it was meant more in fun than anything else, and I hasten to assure you, and this may take some of the wind out of your sails, that any anti-American prejudice I might sometimes express is really just a tiny subset of my larger anti-human prejudice.

Hmm, no wind in my sails as I am currently in the equatorial doldrums but ready to hit the adventure trail once again..

Given this most recent post of your's, I may be a bit more anti-American than your cackling self, Rassy but perhaps equally anti-human.

We are currently VERY involved in considerations of a move back to Maui (where the temps are not hot/cold all day, sung to the tune of Oklahoma) or Moab where the temps are more variable but relief is mere miles away in almost any direction. Seasonable, of course, as we are not about to give up our home and family in Thailand...

[caf]

Still don't use aircon at night.. last night was reasonably pleasant actually.

Today's high is 39.. In my living room downstairs without aircon it's.... 31. (Keeping the windows closed downstairs) Add the ceiling fan and it's really quite okay. Or I can turn on the aircon on a high setting like 28 to dry the air and bring the temperatures down a tad more. I'm on one of those triangle-cushions / thai mattresses on a cool tile floor and you wouldn't know there's a hot season going on.

Upstairs is another story; there it warms up a lot but I keep the windows open so in the late afternoon / evening the winds should clear out the heat there.

This is basically a Thai strategy: downstairs / under the house during the day, then rely on breezes to cool the upstairs at night.

I have a Thai architect friend. Aircons in each bedroom which are rarely used. None in other rooms as they are not needed. I find it, as they do, very comfortable. He designed and built the house. Ceilings, aspect of windows, etc

Many farangs, particularly if overweight, would not be able to live like that if they have not acclimitised. But that's up to them. No criticism implied.

[Ulysses G.]

I also find that when i get lazy about exercising, i have less energy too.

I have the same experience, but contrary to what we are told, I don't feel a lot better physically when I lose weight. I feel pretty much the same.

I do feel better that I don't have a million people laughing at me and calling me names, but mostly, I could care less what that kind of person thinks anyway.

Edited April 25, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[eek]

I also find that when i get lazy about exercising, i have less energy too.

I have the same experience, but contrary to what we are told, I don't feel a lot better physically when I lose weight. I feel pretty much the same.

I do feel better that I don't have a million people laughing at me and calling me names, but mostly, I could care less what that kind of peoson thinks anyway.

Because sadly many people are too superficial. Never let them them lower your self-esteem. =]

[Ulysses G.]

I find most people who have to rub such things in other's faces to be either amazingly thick or putrid human beings that don't really matter anyway.

[Dustoff]

Sorry if I am wrong. I could have sworn that you told me that you are American.

He's good but he ain't THAT good!

My tolerance for heat and cold seem to diminish with age. I don't know about weight as I have always been the same height/weight (6'2"/185 lbs) since high school (okay, I am 10 lbs over now) but exercise, or lack thereof, seems to matter more.

If I am skiing down the slopes and actually DOING something more that just sitting at my computer as I do now, I barely take notice.

If I am having wild, uninhibited sex in 32C heat, our slick perspiration is part of the enjoyment, isn't it?

Or is it just me...?

Edited April 25, 2009 by Dustoff

[Rasseru]

Sorry if I am wrong. I could have sworn that you told me that you are American.

I'm not trying to be as complicated as it seems I am being. Let me try to be, as some have said, perfectly clear. Legally, I am a citizen of the United States of America. Beyond that technicality, I have and feel no meaningful personal connection to the place. Thus, the people of the place are not, to me, my 'countrymen'. Clear now?

[Rasseru]

If I am having wild, uninhibited sex in 32C heat, our slick perspiration is part of the enjoyment, isn't it?

Or is it just me...?

That depends. Are you having that wild, uninhibited sex with another person, or by yourself? If the former, then it's just you. Otherwise, it still may be just you, but to know the answer, we'd have to have the thoughts of the other person as well.

[Tywais]

Went out this afternoon to wash the car, wash the front porch and wash the dog. Was dripping wet and not from washing everything. Stepped into the office in my house where the AC was on and it felt great. BTW, the AC was on to keep my computer comfortable, it wasn't for me.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Tyways, can I call you next time I want some rain, then you go out and wash your car?

What a difference a day makes.... Wonderful!!

[fiddlehead]

Air con (as we know it) has only been around for what? 50 years?

Before that, what did people do?

They designed their homes so that heat goes up and out through vents in the top.

Guess what? It worked.

But we got lazier and lazier and now, just go buy a 'unit' and you can get a remote and lay in your lazy-a$$ chair and have your remote for the TV and your remote for the temp and call it progress.

I have neither (tv or air-con) but stay comfortable and not brainwashed into believing that i need a bigger "unit"

Lazier and fatter. (not to mention which way is healthier)

[Ulysses G.]

I would love to have an old fashioned Thai house that was made to be cool in the heat, but they hardly make them anymore and they have cut down all the trees that protected them from the sun. It is very difficult to find buildings that are cool with out aircon these days.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I agree with the latter (hard to find buildings that keep cool) but I'm not sure that I buy the line that old Thai houses naturally kept cool. There's loads of them around, you know the typical wooden job on poles. Pretty much the only thing that's changed is that the poles are more likely to be concrete these days, but the basic design is the same.

Those houses are hot as F$*ck!

In fact, a concrete & (Q-con) brick house with a modern roof that's well positioned has a much bigger thermal mass and will keep cooler than most old style wooden houses. I know mine does.

Without a doubt though I think it pays off tremendously if you just keep (passive) cooling in mind before starting to build a house. (Or even before selecting/buying the plot to build it on)

Edited April 26, 2009 by WinnieTheKhwai

[gpdjohn]

I would love to have an old fashioned Thai house that was made to be cool in the heat, but they hardly make them anymore and they have cut down all the trees that protected them from the sun. It is very difficult to find buildings that are cool with out aircon these days.

I found a brandy new one. Old stlye with modern stuff ( passive cooling, etc)

30 million baht. ( I won't name the builder )

Geeze.

[Ulysses G.]

Back in 1989. Patong Beach was a wonderful place - one of the most beautiful beaches that I have ever seen. It wasn't one of those deserted beaches with nothing to do - there was plenty of action - but it was not over-built like it is today.

I used to love to stay at the Expat Hotel as the rooms were very comfortable all year round, even with no aircon and there were lots of pleasant farang and Thai staff and all of the Thailand expats were invited to use the swimming pool for no charge.

I wonder if the Expat still has rooms with no air-con or if they installed it even though it was totally un-needed. Anyone know?

[Igor]

Foolishness.

I grew up in the Arizona desert. No A/C. Dad used to go outside and spray water on the house so evening evaporation would cool the place down enough for us to sleep.

I worked in the Angolan highlands for a few years. In the mornings, there would be ice on the edges of the river. In the afternoons it would hit 50C or more. The generators wouldn't support fans let alone A/C.

Summers in Afghanistan? 45-50C and the air filled with fine, powdery dust so that, by the end of the day, your own sweat made you feel like a mudman. We had electricity maybe one or two hours a day.

Now, Chiang Mai throws a pitiful 35 or even 40 degree day at me?

Damned right I use the A/C. All day, all night. Could I live without it? Heck, yes. I've proven that. But why should I? I have forgone enough carbon production in my life that NO one can make me feel guilty for spending my final years in a bit of comfort in a place I love.

[gpdjohn]

Foolishness.

I grew up in the Arizona desert.

Yep, me too. In Yuma.

Damned right I use the A/C. All day, all night. Could I live without it? Heck, yes. I've proven that. But why should I?

Exactly.

[flying]

We are currently VERY involved in considerations of a move back to Maui

Oh the temps are great its the food prices/cost of living that make you sweat

[chiangmaioldhand]

 I have forgone enough carbon production in my life that NO one can make me feel guilty for spending my final years in a bit of comfort in a place I love.

You can stop worrying about the  'Global Warming' and Carbon footprints nonsense.

There's a new theory out in the battle for sponsored research money...

the lack of sunspots and solar flares!!! Apparently the sun has gone all quiet on us.

We will soon be back to  a ' New Ice-Age' theory which I think was last popular in the sixties.

If the world does cool down it will be good news for us here in Chiang Mai, just as most people in Northern Europe were looking forward to the prospect of Global Warming. They were even dreaming of the possibity of England having a Summer. 

On a similar note - since we didn't all die of SARS or Bird Flu they are  trying a new one out .... Swine Fever!!!

The End Of The World Is Nigh, again.

[Naam]

Whack on the A/C at full blast and float away on a breeze of serenity and blissfullness.

Genius!

I really am confused at some people how complain about the heat yet are so stingy about the a/c. Yet they waste so much money on booze, designer clothes and the lottery. Set the a/c on to 25-26C and the cost is only about 10-20 baht per day.

yeah right! a regular 12-13,000 btu a/c draws about 1.2kWh. one kWh costs about 3.85 Baht (cost varies a bit). 24hours x 1.2 x 3.85 Baht is 15-20 Baht per day?

[Dustoff]

Whack on the A/C at full blast and float away on a breeze of serenity and blissfullness.

Genius!

I really am confused at some people how complain about the heat yet are so stingy about the a/c. Yet they waste so much money on booze, designer clothes and the lottery. Set the a/c on to 25-26C and the cost is only about 10-20 baht per day.

yeah right! a regular 12-13,000 btu a/c draws about 1.2kWh. one kWh costs about 3.85 Baht (cost varies a bit). 24hours x 1.2 x 3.85 Baht is 15-20 Baht per day?

Sometimes raw arithmetic and assuming maximum usage just doesn't work in the real world.

I just went thru our electric charges for the last couple of years or so and mdechgan's estimate is pretty close.

Admittedly, our 3-br home is not exactly huge and we run the aircon only about 3.5 months out of the year for roughly 12hrs/day but for this peak hot season our average increase in electric charges is 43 Baht/day. My stepson also has an aircon in his room so that is for two air conditioners running 12hrs/day maintaining a comfortable 26-28 C..

And, as I said before, when the temp drops to or below this level, the aircons either shut down or the main units outside turn off and only a low fan operates in the indoor units. I believe this is true for every air conditioner that has automatic temperature regulation.

Combined with our close attention to functional passive cooling, I find using air conditioning very economical indeed.

[Igor]

You can stop worrying about the 'Global Warming' and Carbon footprints nonsense....Apparently the sun has gone all quiet on us.

We will soon be back to a ' New Ice-Age'

Well. CMOldHand. It so happens I agree with you. Someone had brought up the carbon footprint foolishness earlier and, as far as this matter, I have found it just do any good to argue the point. It just stirs up the global warming nut cases Our climate "change" varies very nicely with the solar winds. Being at solar minimum right now

means we can expect the next few years to be colder and maybe we will enter another ice age. I don't expect to be here when it happens so I can sneer, I told ya so! So, until we all die of something, I just keep it to myself, mostly. I figure when the winter gets so cold the polar bears start to die of hypothermia, Al Gore will start advocating we get rid of our Priuses and start driving more SUVs.

Speaking of Al Gore: Did you see in the news where they are claiming chubby folks contribute more to climate change than thinners? Talk about an Inconvenient Truth, Al.

[Naam]

Whack on the A/C at full blast and float away on a breeze of serenity and blissfullness.

Genius!

I really am confused at some people how complain about the heat yet are so stingy about the a/c. Yet they waste so much money on booze, designer clothes and the lottery. Set the a/c on to 25-26C and the cost is only about 10-20 baht per day.

yeah right! a regular 12-13,000 btu a/c draws about 1.2kWh. one kWh costs about 3.85 Baht (cost varies a bit). 24hours x 1.2 x 3.85 Baht is 15-20 Baht per day?

Sometimes raw arithmetic and assuming maximum usage just doesn't work in the real world.

I just went thru our electric charges for the last couple of years or so and mdechgan's estimate is pretty close.

Admittedly, our 3-br home is not exactly huge and we run the aircon only about 3.5 months out of the year for roughly 12hrs/day but for this peak hot season our average increase in electric charges is 43 Baht/day. My stepson also has an aircon in his room so that is for two air conditioners running 12hrs/day maintaining a comfortable 26-28 C..

And, as I said before, when the temp drops to or below this level, the aircons either shut down or the main units outside turn off and only a low fan operates in the indoor units. I believe this is true for every air conditioner that has automatic temperature regulation.

Combined with our close attention to functional passive cooling, I find using air conditioning very economical indeed.

any discussion is academic and totally useless without mentioning the area and time period to be cooled as well as the heat load not only from outside but from inside too.

[mdechgan]

Whack on the A/C at full blast and float away on a breeze of serenity and blissfullness.

Genius!

I really am confused at some people how complain about the heat yet are so stingy about the a/c. Yet they waste so much money on booze, designer clothes and the lottery. Set the a/c on to 25-26C and the cost is only about 10-20 baht per day.

yeah right! a regular 12-13,000 btu a/c draws about 1.2kWh. one kWh costs about 3.85 Baht (cost varies a bit). 24hours x 1.2 x 3.85 Baht is 15-20 Baht per day?

Your calculations only apply if you expect the a/c's compressor to not shut off at all or set the temperature to like 16C.

But that's not the point of my post. My point is being in a cool air conditioned bedroom for 1 day costs the same as a can of beer.

Edited April 27, 2009 by mdechgan

[FTB]

UG,

The Expat hotel had fan rooms when I last stayed there two years ago. Nice pleasant place and even used to be inexpensive.

Key to cool living is the ability to capture breezes throughout your dwelling. Windows/doors open on all sides of your dwelling are vital. Also get away from surrounding buildings that block the breezes. I chose a condo on the 5th floor at the base of Sutthep near CMU. Ability to harness the drafts and breezes well enough that last year I only had to turn on the AC about 7 times in one year. I don't even have a fan in the unit. Only end up needing the aircon when shagging.

Now that I'm moving to a house I'll probably whinge and moan and become a glutonous user of AC, sigh.

[Rasseru]

. . . Only end up needing the aircon when shagging. . . .

If I might offer a word of caution, that does not always work as intended:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wear/8021185.stm

[tigerbeer]

a can of shandy would have been nice to have. unfortunately no shandy in thailand.

[Dustoff]

Back in 1989. Patong Beach was a wonderful place - one of the most beautiful beaches that I have ever seen. It wasn't one of those deserted beaches with nothing to do - there was plenty of action - but it was not over-built like it is today.

I used to love to stay at the Expat Hotel as the rooms were very comfortable all year round, even with no aircon and there were lots of pleasant farang and Thai staff and all of the Thailand expats were invited to use the swimming pool for no charge.

I wonder if the Expat still has rooms with no air-con or if they installed it even though it was totally un-needed. Anyone know?

Google does it all:

http://www.expathotel.com/

I have been there many times - not to stay but to party with the local Hash House Harrier guys, many of whom are close friends. The place is still quiet and very friendly but the Harrier parties can be a bit boistrous. The bus to their runs leaves from the Expat Hotel every Saturday morning and delivers many of them back in the afternoon.

BTW, I do believe they are in a different location now, but still not far removed from the beach.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Dustoff

[Ulysses G.]

Thanks, I wondered what had happened to the place.

[chiangmaioldhand]

a can of shandy would have been nice to have. unfortunately no shandy in thailand.

They're easy enough to make up by yourself - beer and lemonade.

An English  pub in the Night Bazaar has it on the menu!!