The Old Favourite: Burning Off In Cm

[Ulysses G.]

Most of the farangs leave around that time anyway to avoid getting wet during the water festival at Songkran. Most of them seem to hate that even more than the Smokey season.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Yes yes hard line everything is peachy keen in Chiang Mai is understood..

I have more intense cases of Bronchitis every year I get colds.

Though could be because of age. My wife was diagnosed with Asthma

and now my 2 1/2 year old.

He was joined at a news conference by Dana Kaye of the American Lung

Association of Oregon, who said there's scientific evidence showing a

link between exposure to particulate pollution and increased incidence

of asthma and heart disease.

"It doesn't have to be a weeklong exposure" to cause health problems,

Kaye said. "We're seeing things happen in just a few minutes or

hours."

Air pollution particulates are a stress to the body in that they usually cause inflammation. Some people might get noticeable inflammation issues in the respiratory tract like sinus, lung etc but not necessarily. Inflammation in the cardio pulmonary system can be nearly silent. If someone has another inflammation issue seemingly distant to respiratory issues it could be related to stresses from air pollution. Other inflammations can occur in the digestive system, joints, nervous system, organs etc. Aging and health researchers speak of inflammation storms that arise from environmental and dietary stresses and the resulting cascading cellular damage in the body.

It's definitely worth understanding in the context of overall health.

UG and others point out that air pollution issues in CM don't cause them any issues. Fair enough. I suppose it's a blessing and a curse how adaptive humans are. Humans can acclimate and block out all sorts of irritants. Ever wonder how people can live right next to a noisy highway or airport runway? After a while they don't even notice the noise. Others can live near a stinky canal or sewage treatment plant and get used to it. Ever walk into someones house and get overwhelmed by some funky smell. Yes you guessed it they don't notice anymore. There are even people living inside the forbidden zone of Chernobyl Ukraine nuclear accident area and these old timers say it doesn't affect their health.

As an aside I visited the beautiful twin Pagoda's on Doi Inthanon on Tuesday and holy stink does the left pagoda absolutely reek of feet. The right side Pagoda(Princess) smelled fine btw. I guess all those pilgrims leave a little bit of themselves in addition to the flowers and donations. How about some of those fish spa's up there for cleansing the masses well worn lower parts? I am guessing the maintenance people there are so used to the smell they don't even notice. It was almost eye watering bad smelling.

It's a testament to how flexible and adaptive humans are but obviously that can sometimes be a curse if its something that can damage, slowly kill or just really annoy a person.

Hopefully Priceless and others are right that it's nothing to worry about except in Feb/Mar/April window.

Edited January 28, 2010 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[swain]

I think that are two sides... one that pushes very hard for this issue to come to the surface and hope it stirs the pot and another group that will not tolerate anything that could take away tourist trade. There are laws againist it .. they are still doing it. This is the country where laws are more like a suggestion and not by any stretch of the imagination compulsory . The things I love about this country are the same things that make me sometimes think it was a mistake to move here.

Supposedly, The rich and the new middle class live here too.. and have children that are being exposed to this as well. If they get motivated maybe change can happen.

Edited January 30, 2010 by swain

[Mitker]

By experience, the worst period peaks around March. From personal perceptions (vision and smell), my air purifier indicator and official statistics. Typically the time I try to plan my trips away from CM for leisure or business.

[Robroy]

I left Chiang Mai 3 years ago because of the smoke. It was making us sick for weeks on end.

[amexpat]

I left Chiang Mai 3 years ago because of the smoke. It was making us sick for weeks on end.

So, are you in Phnom Penh now? Breathing easier? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Robroy]

.

So, are you in Phnom Penh now? Breathing easier? Inquiring minds want to know.

Phnom Penh's air is pretty bad: & has a worse dust problem than CM. I get eye problems sometimes here, but I'm breathing easier in the burning season because there isn't one: Cambodians don't usually burn off their rice stubble.

PP doesn't have the extreme health statistics from bad air that CM has: 300,000 people in northern Thailand treated for smoke inhalation the year I left; & 58 heart attacks attributed to the smoke in CM province.

[Priceless]

So, are you in Phnom Penh now? Breathing easier? Inquiring minds want to know.

Phnom Penh's air is pretty bad: & has a worse dust problem than CM. I get eye problems sometimes here, but I'm breathing easier in the burning season because there isn't one: Cambodians don't usually burn off their rice stubble.

PP doesn't have the extreme health statistics from bad air that CM has: 300,000 people in northern Thailand treated for smoke inhalation the year I left; & 58 heart attacks attributed to the smoke in CM province.

I've asked you before with no answer, so I'll ask you again: Have you got a credible source for this?

/ Priceless

[Ulysses G.]

Good ole' Priceless.

[el jefe]

So, are you in Phnom Penh now? Breathing easier? Inquiring minds want to know.

Phnom Penh's air is pretty bad: & has a worse dust problem than CM. I get eye problems sometimes here, but I'm breathing easier in the burning season because there isn't one: Cambodians don't usually burn off their rice stubble.

PP doesn't have the extreme health statistics from bad air that CM has: 300,000 people in northern Thailand treated for smoke inhalation the year I left; & 58 heart attacks attributed to the smoke in CM province.

I've asked you before with no answer, so I'll ask you again: Have you got a credible source for this?

/ Priceless

Does it really matter? There is no way to do a comparison. Medical care anywhere in Cambodia is severely lacking when compared to Chiang Mai. Who knows how many people were treated in Phnom Penh for anything? Certainly not the Cambodian govt.

CM's air sucks in March but Robroy's comments add nothing to the discussion.

[Thailand]

Played golf at Hang Dong today, was able to see smoke rising from five different sources and could definitely smell it.

Not long now.

[Ulysses G.]

So, are you in Phnom Penh now? Breathing easier? Inquiring minds want to know.

Phnom Penh's air is pretty bad: & has a worse dust problem than CM. I get eye problems sometimes here, but I'm breathing easier in the burning season because there isn't one: Cambodians don't usually burn off their rice stubble.

PP doesn't have the extreme health statistics from bad air that CM has: 300,000 people in northern Thailand treated for smoke inhalation the year I left; & 58 heart attacks attributed to the smoke in CM province.

I've asked you before with no answer, so I'll ask you again: Have you got a credible source for this?

/ Priceless

Does it really matter? There is no way to do a comparison. Medical care anywhere in Cambodia is severely lacking when compared to Chiang Mai. Who knows how many people were treated in Phnom Penh for anything? Certainly not the Cambodian govt.

CM's air sucks in March but Robroy's comments add nothing to the discussion.

Actually, Priceless is asking Robroy to support the health figures he is claiming about pollution related illnesses in Chiang Mai - he wants to check if they are legitimate. He not trying to compare Chiang Mai with Phnom Penh.

Edited February 1, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[el jefe]

So, are you in Phnom Penh now? Breathing easier? Inquiring minds want to know.

Phnom Penh's air is pretty bad: & has a worse dust problem than CM. I get eye problems sometimes here, but I'm breathing easier in the burning season because there isn't one: Cambodians don't usually burn off their rice stubble.

PP doesn't have the extreme health statistics from bad air that CM has: 300,000 people in northern Thailand treated for smoke inhalation the year I left; & 58 heart attacks attributed to the smoke in CM province.

I've asked you before with no answer, so I'll ask you again: Have you got a credible source for this?

/ Priceless

Does it really matter? There is no way to do a comparison. Medical care anywhere in Cambodia is severely lacking when compared to Chiang Mai. Who knows how many people were treated in Phnom Penh for anything? Certainly not the Cambodian govt.

CM's air sucks in March but Robroy's comments add nothing to the discussion.

Actually, Priceless is asking Robroy to support the health figures he is claiming about pollution related illnesses in Chiang Mai, not trying to compare Chiang Mai with Phnom Penh.

I understand that. But even if 300,000 people in northern Thailand were treated for respiratory problems, what would that tell you? Robroy said that was during "the year I left". Does that include the rainy season too? 300,000? What % of the population are we talking about? it actually sounds low to me.

[Chicog]

We all want Chiang Mai to be a clean city - each and every day - , but chasing away tourists with lies, exaggerations and false impressions is not going to help Chiang Mai get any better.

You could easily replace the phrase "chasing away" with "luring".

After all, there seems to be only room for extremes in this discussion.

[Ulysses G.]

Some people have said that the air in Chiang Mai does not usually bother them and others have said that it does and no one has claimed that there is never problem. Before casting stones, why don't you point out any lies that are meant to "lure" tourists to Chiang Mai with false pretenses?

[realthaideal]

Swain - pretty much a balanced summation from you there. Appreciate it. But I'd go further to add that I'm not here with an agenda. And I'm sure many here are in the same middle path camp. I have no business in CM. I just know what it is and understand there is a problem, and that some sources are working on it. IN the big sense though, the problem persists. But I think it's silly all the whining and going back and forth. It is what it is, the air here. If any one person really, really has a problem.... go join some of the groups of people working to solve this problem (info on some groups and ways to work on this situation through search of past CM pollution threads) and then chime back in on this thread and let us know how it's going. Be a leader. Otherwise we might as well bemoan that the sky is blue or that grass is green.

I drove back from a dinner party last night in Mae Rim. Got home and there were little black crusts in the corners of my eyes from all the smoke I'd driven thru in the 25 or so km's up n back. Am I thrilled about it ? No. Do I wish it was not this way ? Yes. Am I up to doing something about it rt now ? Not really. So it's not my place to complain either. Is this place still a wonderful community with plenty of wonderful nature surrounding it ? Yes. Am I fine overall ? Yes. If I wasn't would I move ? Yes.

All I can think...along the same lines of arguing with the sky being blue n such, is that if you walk around BKK with friends or for a few hrs excursion, then go back to your hotel and either wash your face or blow your nose over the sink, it's pretty awesome what comes out. We're talking about some serious pollution and dust... black grime. Everywhere, and in just a few hrs. And so where're the BKK pollution threads ? Or do they just accept it? Chiang Mai really has a pollution thread addiction, second only to burger threads.

And again overall.... if you're gonna complain, and not be part of the solution, then what's your pt ? Thailand owes you happiness and the environment you want ? Take action instead. Put me to shame for inaction. But better, inspire all of us rather than decry what is, and stir the pot of disputing this-and-that, drawing lines of one camp or the other. I dare the complainers: Lead.

[chiang mai]

If it's any consolation we had two bad days here in Phuket during late January, visibility was reduced and a distinct smell of burning wood in the air, my car was soon covered in a dust/powder and it all reminded me very much of Chiang Mai. But the nice part was that the problems soon disappeared as normal service was resumed, clear skies and a gentle offshore breeze make the place very pleasant the moment.

[Ulysses G.]

I think that are two sides... one that pushes very hard for this issue to come to the surface and hope it stirs the pot and another group that will not tolerate anything that could take away tourist trade.

I don't suppose that it is worth bringing this up, but there are two expats with businesses that post on Thai Visa in the CM forum on a regular basis and have said that the pollution here bothers them very little - myself and Kevin. Speaking for myself -and I think that I can include Kevin too - implying that we are not being honest and trying to cover up problems in Chiang Mai to attract tourists is a load of bullsh_t, and it does not matter how many times it is repeated by posters with their own agenda, it is still not true. In fact it is nothing but a BIG LIE.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Lie

Edited February 2, 2010 by Ulysses G.