Coping With Heat And Pollution

[thaiaan]

Do any Bangkokers resort to wearing masks or frozen-gel collars or fan-cooled hats or any of the other dorky looking devices to deal with the heat and pollution?

[udon]

Do any Bangkokers resort to wearing masks or frozen-gel collars or fan-cooled hats or any of the other dorky looking devices to deal with the heat and pollution?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I used a tiny battery op fan for the 1st few months until it broke.

Cost 2 squid in England....... blades folded and easy to pocket.

My new TGF called it the "helicopter" and thought it was a hoot.

Wearing masks or frozen-gel collars or fan-cooled hats, could draw unwarranted attention to yourself and a fair bit of ridicule behind your back.

Try a traditional folding fan that you can carry in your back pocket.

[penzman]

I've never bothered although I have perfected a method called "urban snorkling" (flippers not necessary) which consists of breathing in, IF possible, and holding your breath to the next reasonably breathable air pocket

Topic moved to health forum.

[samran]

Do any Bangkokers resort to wearing masks or frozen-gel collars or fan-cooled hats or any of the other dorky looking devices to deal with the heat and pollution?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Never walk anywhere, a taxi or a motor cycle taxi to the end of the street only.

If walking, walk exteremely slowly to avoid sweating.

Prickly heat powder works wonders as an anti-persparent. St Johns I think is the brand??

[Thaiboxer]

Make sure you drink plenty of liquids...particularly water which is cheap and sold just about everywhere. A hat would be a good deal and so would a good pair of sunglasses (not those cheap ones at the roadside markets). If it's really bright outside, the sun can make the heat seem a lot worse than on overcast days. If you're really sensitive to the heat, best to stay inside from about 9am till 5pm...easier said than done though!

[alanw]

A little off the topic, but maybe helpful.

When I first travelled to tropical Asia I was advised to:

- Shower with cold water, or water just barely warm enough to kill the chill

- Use mild shower creams instead of bar soap

Why?

- For some farang hot showers quickly produce perspiration which is exasibated by the ambient hot and muggy climate

- Many bar soaps contain large amounts of lard or similar. It seems that some amount of the lard remains on most bodies, even after rinsing. When this is combined with perspiration the result, for some, is a little smelly.

(Further to this, many years ago, In Australia, I was having some skin problems, I visited a highly respected dermatologist in Sydney, she was highly critical of bar soaps and she recommended a quality shower cream, which largely corrected my skin problems)

[Abandon]

I don't find the pollution so bad. The thing is, Bangkok has a very low percentage of road per Sqr kilometer. The roads they have are usually 3 or 4 lanes wide. Add to that the slow traffic that allows more cars per meter to pack in and you get nasty hot spots of pollution i.e. the roads. I'd gag a bit walking along side a motorway in England too - Bangkok roads are far more packed than a motorway.

But once you get off the big roads I don't find the air or pollution too bad at all. Pity is for tourists, they spend most of their time travelling about, so get the worst of it. As an Expat, I travel in Bangkok only when really necessary. Shower 2 times a day with whatever soap lies to hand, including washing up liquid or liquid clothes detergent - they are all soaps... Naturally if your skin is sensititve, you'd have to choose a soap that suits.

Edited March 20, 2005 by pandit35