Air Quality

[gennisis]

I have always derided the people who constantly complain about the air pollution in Chiang Mai....But...these last few days my eyes and nose are just dripping....and yesterdat there was a lot of black smuts everywhere.

I live out on the Hang Dong road and for the last 3 years I have never had any problems with the air....But,especialy today my eyes are running,my throat is a bit sore and my nose just runs like a tap.

I noticed,this morning that The Doi Suphet and Doi Ithanon hills were hardly visable due to something in the air...whatever is causing this,...I guess burning..have now made me a paidup member of the CM Pollution club.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

is this your first hot season to be in CM?

It's really not bad at all yet.

Edited February 13, 2010 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[toptuan]

Here in Isaan, a nearby farmer neighbor has recently built a charcoal kiln and fires it up late at night when he thinks everyone has gone to bed. Heaven help the nearby neighbors who left their windows open for a bit of fresh evening air while they sleep. You've never "enjoyed" air pollution until you've lived downwind of a charcoal kiln. The pollution looks like thick fog at ground level, and will absolutely shut you down in spasms of gags and coughs (and I have a perfectly good respiratory system....well, did).

[Donnyboy]

yes theres a haze right across the horizon from my b/room window that wasnt there a couple of weeks ago, it hasnt made my nose run or eyes water as yet, but as someone has said, still early days

[gennisis]

is this your first hot season to be in CM?

It's really not bad at all yet.

No...as I said ,this is my 4th Season and prior to this I've never had any cause to complain.....Does anyone know the world record for the number of sneezes,,,,whatever it is I am close to it!! and my nose is getting sore.

[jackr]

Perhaps you have a cold. I have and those are also my symptoms.

[realthaideal]

Sneezing ? Burning season. Watery eyes ? Burning season. Coughing ? Burning season. Back spasm ? Burning season. Broken shoulder ? Burning season. Cat disappeared ? Burning season.

Definitely.

[jdinasia]

hmmm there was a low lying cloud the other day ....

Granted I live in the middle of the city, but so far no complaints this year about air quality. Ask me again in 3 weeks....

[swain]

Burning season...

[paulchiangmai]

is this your first hot season to be in CM?

It's really not bad at all yet.

No...as I said ,this is my 4th Season and prior to this I've never had any cause to complain.....Does anyone know the world record for the number of sneezes,,,,whatever it is I am close to it!! and my nose is getting sore.

Go visit the temple up Doi Suthep and you will get a wonderful view of the smoke pall as far as the eye can see which believe me is not very far. By the way was that meant to be the anti polution club?

[tijnebijn]

I can confirm the heavy burning , while driving home last Friday the forest between Maeteng and

Chiangdao was kilometres long of forest burning , so it has started .

But still clear skies , like others said ask me in a month or so ....I fear the worsed .

[realthaideal]

Btw... was out in San Patong n Hang Dong in various places this afternoon, and all of the Lam Yai trees are blooming. Major pollen times with some plants out here now. You could be suffering allergies as well. Itchy-watery eyes, throat, n sneezing are all symptoms of that as well.

[Donnyboy]

is this your first hot season to be in CM?

It's really not bad at all yet.

No...as I said ,this is my 4th Season and prior to this I've never had any cause to complain.....Does anyone know the world record for the number of sneezes,,,,whatever it is I am close to it!! and my nose is getting sore.

dont think so somehow

Donna Griffiths holds the record for the most sneezes in a row. She sneezed 978 days in a row and an estimated 1 million times

anyway bless you!

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[swain]

Btw... was out in San Patong n Hang Dong in various places this afternoon, and all of the Lam Yai trees are blooming. Major pollen times with some plants out here now. You could be suffering allergies as well. Itchy-watery eyes, throat, n sneezing are all symptoms of that as well.

Yes of course... you nailed it...

[Chicog]

I can't imagine this is going to help (from today's Post):

Thailand faces the likelihood of the most serious water shortage in five years because of the return of El Nino, the Interior Ministry's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department warned on Monday.

Director-general Anucha Mokkhawes said the first effects would likely be felt in the upper parts of the North and Northeast regions. Irrigated zones were not hit, but outside these zones water shortages for agriculture were already in evidence.

Central and Eastern provinces had also begun to experience drought in the upper parts of the regions, and the affects would spread. The South would also be hit, but not seriously.

Mr Anucha said the El Nino threat was expected to result in the lowest rainfall in five years. This would also increase the risk from forest fires.

He said farmers in 23 provinces in the Chao Phraya river basin - Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Uthai Thani, Bangkok, Chainat, Nonthaburi, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Samut Prakan, Suphan Buri, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom - were advised not to grow second-season rice and to instead grow short-lived crops such as beans, corn, sugarcane and cassava, which need less water.

All industrial plants are required to lay down a plan for water use and look for alternative sources of water.

If people were more economical in their use of water in general this would, to an extent, cushion the adverse severity of the dry season, Mr Anucha said.

[scotbeve]

Just passed by Rt. 121 looking west (on the way to 700 yr. stadium) and saw approx. 20 rai on fire on the mountain. The wind was taking it NNE where most of the military bases are along Rt. 107 (to Fang). Reported it and no, sorry didn't bring my camera with me today.

[realthaideal]

"Yes of course... you nailed it..."

Swain, you being clever, here, or are you with me ? Have you ever known anyone or yourself suffered allergy problems ? It can look like a serious cold has come on. Puffy watery eyes, runny nose, bumps and itching in the throat. If the guy hasn't had any prob's in 4 yrs, then why wouldn't this be a possible cause ? There wouldn't be a million anti-allergy medicines out there if they weren't severe enough to warrant medicating and ameliorating.

And then you have to know that because of past goverment subsidization plans there was a glut of lamy yai trees planted here over a couple of years going back to about 1990. The government propped up the price a couple of times and then the farmers went against the agricultural cooperatives advice and overplanted to cash in on the hope of gov't subsidies. There are still rai after rai after rai of lam yai trees out there, all in bloom, with what looks like millions of flowers each. If you are near these and other flowering trees, you get the dust deposited on your vehicle. There is that much of the stuff. Pollen, in the air, around your house and head, enough to deposit a film. Yes, my good friend, that is enough to cause allergy problems.

If the air is really taking him out of the scene already..... it's gonna be a real tough time when the air really starts to get toilet-y in another month or so.

Edited February 16, 2010 by realthaideal

[Ricardo]

Donna Griffiths holds the record for the most sneezes in a row. She sneezed 978 days in a row and an estimated 1 million times

Would she be from the Chiang Mai na-Griffiths family ?

[chiangmaiexpat]

It's definitely the pollution.

I was running my usual 3 km track around the local Orbortor sports field yesterday and it felt like I was breathing lead. Normally I do 20 rounds, but yesterday I wasn't even able to finish 15, the limiting factor being my capacity to breath, not fatigue. I don't have a cold or any other health problems.

According to the PCD, the PM10 concentration in Chiang Mai is already above the EU safety limit for a number of days. Common sense tells me not to exercise outdoors any more until the April rains come. I might do anaerobic indoor exercises instead. Outdoor exercise is probably not recommendable, even if you don't experience symptoms.

Cheers, CMX

[scotbeve]

chiangmaiexpat,

See post 17 AND there was a large fire on Doi Suthep 2 days ago.

[Gladiator]

You know, and perhaps I am going to make myself very unpopular here -

But the pollution in Chiang Mai, caused through burning, has going on for many years.

I used to live close to a very busy International Airport. My family home had been there for 3 generations, long before before the airport was constructed, but we put up the noise because it was home. Many latter day arrivals, who bought houses, close to the airport continually complained about the noise, even though they may have been aware of it, before

re-locating.

In the final analysisis - its your choice! Take the rough with the smooth!

If you want to live in Chiang Mai (warts and all)... up to you !

[scotbeve]

Gladiator,

Been living in Chiang Mai (near city and upcountry) for 22 years and have been attempting to teach folks to make compost piles instead of burning for years. As well as recycling.... I've been taking the rough with the smooth for some time now.

[Gladiator]

Gladiator,

Been living in Chiang Mai (near city and upcountry) for 22 years and have been attempting to teach folks to make compost piles instead of burning for years. As well as recycling.... I've been taking the rough with the smooth for some time now.

Thank you Scotbeve for your reply,

Not that its make any difference, but I have been living in Chiang Mai, on an off, since 1976.

I still assert if you you like it it here, for sure it makes a difference, but don't continually 'wynge' about the place.

If you are not happy - Move on,

[scotbeve]

Not whinging Gladiator... more like stating facts here. And yes, people with allergies should avoid being here for the burning season... If one does stay here during that period, then get a room air filter or several of them for your house, condo, or apt. - they work...

[Gladiator]

Point Taken Scotbeve.

Perhaps the economic incentive of recycling will help diminish some of the problem, and I agree with your theory about compost heaps.

Still, the uban burning, in the cycle of 'used' fields, may still continue here, as per many other agricultutal countries, long after we are gone.

'Grin, cough and bear it?'

[scotbeve]

Gladiator,

Unfortunately and sadly, yes.... But I'll continue to be proactive that I hope that 4 or 5 people (locals) a year will listen to me and actually try it. A shame what they are doing to the soil... I do some farming as well...

[Gladiator]

Good luck Scotbeve,

I also am a farmer, at least in my heart, perhaps not in practice!

[scotbeve]

To you as well Gladiator... and be sure to use your air filter next month!

[Gladiator]

Cough! Cough !

[Donnyboy]

ggggrrrrrr

the area where I live,near Bo Sang, is up in smoke tonight, had to close all the doors and windows in the early evening due to a burn off half a click away. The smell of smoke is thick outside and quite unbearable, i havent experienced it as bad around my home as i have tonight, the gf aint to chuffed about it either