La Nina To Cause Record Drop In Temperature In Thailand

[webfact]

La Nina to cause record drop in temperature: study

By Janjira Pongrai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The weather phenomenon known as La Nina will have an impact this year not seen in decades, resulting in a temperature drop in Thailand of 2 degrees Celsius, according to a study supervised by Chulalongkorn University.

La Nina will also result in a premature wet season, in addition to a 30-year-record drop in temperature, researcher Arnont Sanitwong na Ayutthaya told a Bangkok technical seminar.

The study was based in Chiang Khan district in Loei province because it had experienced record low temperatures in two nine-year cycles: 20 degrees for 18 weeks from 1975-1984, and 21 degrees for 20 weeks from 1995-2004.

La Nina is now causing a drop in the temperature of seawater in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator.

After the temperature drop this year, global warming will result in a temperature increase of 1 degree in Chiang Khan district in the next 30 years. This, coupled with affects from large dams built on the mekong River in China, could affect the tourism industry in the area.

A study centre at Chulalongkorn University and an environmental study centre based in Sweden jointly conducted the study in Chiang Khan on the relevance of temperature diversity.

A senior Meteorological Department official, Somchai Baimuang, said rain was more frequent this year as a result of La Nina during the wet season, which was longer than during other years without La Nina's effects.

Somchai, speaking at the same seminar, echoed Arnont over the temperature drop for 2 degrees this year.

He said 10 provinces that would face a temperature drop were Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Loei, Udon Thani, Nong Khai and Sakon Nakhon.

-- The Nation 2010-10-12

[CHdiver]

Good News, looking forward to some pleasant weather then.

Note to myself: Don`t forget to pack my furcoat and ski equipment when I visit next time my homecountry

[RickBradford]

What is it with the 'na Ayutthaya' clan and weather/natural phenomena? Only a few weeks ago, we saw Dr Ajong Chumsai na Ayutthaya,saying that the Gulf of Thailand would be hit by tsunamis and that Bangkok would be under water in less than seven years.

Certainly, many forecasters have predicted a very cold winter again in Europe because of La Nina, so it's plausible Thailand will feel similar effects.

In one year, we will have had a heatwave, a drought, floods and serious cold. It's called weather.

[RickBradford]

This is probably what has spooked weather forecasters around the world -- it's a graph of the cycles of El Nino (red), La Nina (blue).

The latest La Nina (at the far right) is estimated to be the steepest and potentially the deepest since 1955/6

This is also a good descriptor of temperatures over the last 60 years -- 1950-1975 was cold enough to have people fretting about a new ice age; 1975-2000 was hot (all that El Nino red, culminating in the record heat of 1998), and the picture since 2000 is mixed. Many scientists think we're in for another La Nina-dominated cold spell, which could have serious effects on agriculture.

[fred007]

Gee I had Better Get out My Thermal Gee String.............Again

[Forethat]

I struggle to see the issue here...

For years the seas have been warmed up above a critical point where the corals begin to die. The gulf of Thailand is warmer than ever. If something could lower the temperature a couple of degrees that'd be perfect.

[RickBradford]

If something could lower the temperature a couple of degrees that'd be perfect.

Unless you happen to be a peasant in rural northern Thailand, where winter temperatures drop low enough to kill people who don't have the means to keep themselves warm.

It may not be an issue for Western scuba divers, certainly.

[Forethat]

If something could lower the temperature a couple of degrees that'd be perfect.

Unless you happen to be a peasant in rural northern Thailand, where winter temperatures drop low enough to kill people who don't have the means to keep themselves warm.

It may not be an issue for Western scuba divers, certainly.

People die when the temperature drops to 18-20 degrees...?

I might be wrong but I thought we were talking centigrade and not fahrenheit...?

[RickBradford]

Mountain temperatures are a few degrees lower than Chiang Mai city and clients should bring suitable clothing; during the cool season it may even be considered cold with night temperatures drooping as low as 2 degrees C over the cool season.

Care to try it?

There are many documented cases of people dying from cold in those areas.

CHIANG MAI, Dec 28 (TNA) - A construction worker died Wednesday night in Thailand's northern province of Chiang Mai after he drank alcohol and went to sleep without wearing warm clothes or using a blanket.

The authorities indicated an autopsy will be performed to officially confirm the cause of his death.

Kongkaew Rampan is the second victim of this month's cold snap after the death of another worker two weeks ago.

The first victim was a security guard who died December 15 while on duty outside a building. Shinawatra Srihome, 47, was found dead at his post at a computer store in the provincial seat.

Police attributed his death to night-long winds combined with ultra low temperatures

Edited October 12, 2010 by RickBradford

[jayjay0]

Two degrees will not even be noticed. People die of the cold only because they forget to put clothes on and sleep in side. The coldest it ever gets is to allow frost at night. Unless you are in the mountains you will not even notice the difference.

[RickBradford]

People die of the cold only because they forget to put clothes on and sleep in side

Or have to stay outside on duty as a security guard, like Shinawatra Srihome.

[Lammbock]

I really enjoy the low temperatures. NICE!

[Forethat]

Mountain temperatures are a few degrees lower than Chiang Mai city and clients should bring suitable clothing; during the cool season it may even be considered cold with night temperatures drooping as low as 2 degrees C over the cool season.

Care to try it?

There are many documented cases of people dying from cold in those areas.

CHIANG MAI, Dec 28 (TNA) - A construction worker died Wednesday night in Thailand's northern province of Chiang Mai after he drank alcohol and went to sleep without wearing warm clothes or using a blanket.

The authorities indicated an autopsy will be performed to officially confirm the cause of his death.

Kongkaew Rampan is the second victim of this month's cold snap after the death of another worker two weeks ago.

The first victim was a security guard who died December 15 while on duty outside a building. Shinawatra Srihome, 47, was found dead at his post at a computer store in the provincial seat.

Police attributed his death to night-long winds combined with ultra low temperatures

Oh dear.....I bet your next idea is to ban water entirely because thousands of Thais drowmn each year. Pump away all the water, sort of..? And in case someone opposes he's an ignorant farang who cares only about the scubadiving..?

You are either:

1) Kidding

2)Uneducated

3) The late Information Minister of Iraq

4) Not serious

Edited October 12, 2010 by Forethat

[RickBradford]

Have I suggested banning anything? How does one ban cold weather?

You said that you "struggle to see the issue here." and then suggested that people will not die because temperatures in Thailand do not go below 18-20C.

I have informed you that temperatures go down to 2C and that people do die. That is the issue. Do you think that all those Thai charities which distribute blankets in rural areas are simply wasting their time?

And I have not called you "an ignorant farang who cares only about the scubadiving.", because I do not know whether you are a farang or whether you care about scubadiving.

[gotlost]

Going to be a White Christmas.

[Forethat]

Have I suggested banning anything? How does one ban cold weather?

You said that you "struggle to see the issue here." and then suggested that people will not die because temperatures in Thailand do not go below 18-20C.

I dont suggest anything, I am telling you that you will NOT die from hypothermia if temperatures drop TO 18-20 degrees - which is exactly the temperature mentioned in the article.

It may not be an issue for Western scuba divers, certainly.

Why wouldn't that be an issue for western scuba divers? Only because one care about the marine life it means that they dont care about something entirely different? Stop putting words in peoples mouths, especially when they stink.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Forethat

[RickBradford]

I'll try just once more.

You have said that you can't see the issue about a 2C drop in temperatures in Thailand.

Here is the issue. Provinces which will be affected include Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Loei, Udon Thani, Nong Khai and Sakon Nakhon.

These are some of the coldest and poorest provinces in Thailand. A 2C drop in temperature will cause great hardship to peasants in those areas, and will heighten the risk of death by hypothermia, especially among the old, sick and very young.

I don't think that this drop in temperatures would be 'perfect', as you put it.

[animatic]

Going to be a White Christmas.

That's why they sell so much skin whitener here.

[Forethat]

I'll try just once more.

You have said that you can't see the issue about a 2C drop in temperatures in Thailand.

Here is the issue. Provinces which will be affected include Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Loei, Udon Thani, Nong Khai and Sakon Nakhon.

These are some of the coldest and poorest provinces in Thailand. A 2C drop in temperature will cause great hardship to peasants in those areas, and will heighten the risk of death by hypothermia, especially among the old, sick and very young.

I don't think that this drop in temperatures would be 'perfect', as you put it.

A temperature drop of 2C so that the temperature reaches 18-20 C will NOT cause anyone to die from hypothermia.

Can we agree on that? Good. Let's move on.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Forethat

[meom]

If something could lower the temperature a couple of degrees that'd be perfect.

Unless you happen to be a peasant in rural northern Thailand, where winter temperatures drop low enough to kill people who don't have the means to keep themselves warm.

It may not be an issue for Western scuba divers, certainly.

People die when the temperature drops to 18-20 degrees...?

I might be wrong but I thought we were talking centigrade and not fahrenheit...?

I was up in Loei a couple of years ago somewhere end of November and at night the temperature dropped to about 4 C which felt pretty cold. Can't remember the day time temperature but for sure it must've been lower than 18-20C.

[Forethat]

I was up in Loei a couple of years ago somewhere end of November and at night the temperature dropped to about 4 C which felt pretty cold. Can't remember the day time temperature but for sure it must've been lower than 18-20C.

But that isn't what the article says, is it....!?

The article claims the record low temperature is 18-20 degrees C.

[catmac]

The only blessing is that it MAY shut the Global Warming fanatics up for a bit - though I'm sure that they will soon find some other dire phenomena that will require vast amounts of taxpayers money to "research" into!

[Thai at Heart]

I'll try just once more.

You have said that you can't see the issue about a 2C drop in temperatures in Thailand.

Here is the issue. Provinces which will be affected include Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Loei, Udon Thani, Nong Khai and Sakon Nakhon.

These are some of the coldest and poorest provinces in Thailand. A 2C drop in temperature will cause great hardship to peasants in those areas, and will heighten the risk of death by hypothermia, especially among the old, sick and very young.

I don't think that this drop in temperatures would be 'perfect', as you put it.

For which the country donates blankets pretty much every year.

Yes it does feel chilly in the hills in the winter, and it can feel like a shock to the system for some of the older weaker folk I am sure. A few years back, it was about 6c in Loei at night, and it meant a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt with a t shirt inside. Hardly hypothermia territory.

However, having seen 46c on the thermometer in my car this year, a nice cool winter will be much appreciated personally.

[meom]

I was up in Loei a couple of years ago somewhere end of November and at night the temperature dropped to about 4 C which felt pretty cold. Can't remember the day time temperature but for sure it must've been lower than 18-20C.

But that isn't what the article says, is it....!?

The article claims the record low temperature is 18-20 degrees C.

You're right. Probably due to bad reporting on the Nation's part.

Maybe with record low they mean average temperature which was at a record low or maybe they mean the temperature never went above 18-20 C for a certain period which was a record low etc. etc.

[dumball]

They have all of the means at their disposal to insulate their shacks against the cold , it is called 'Rice straw' , rolled and tied in 2inch thick rolls and applied in a double layer around the outside of the shack . I mentioned this last year but some idiot commented that this would form a fire trap , how ? The straw is on the OUTSIDE of the shack which is often built of woven straw any way , build a plastic room inside of the house and an electric light bulb will keep them warm , the electic is free also .Sitting on their rear ends and just expecting others to do the work and pissing in the wind will achieve diddly squat , but then again , that appears to be what they are best at , and stay off the alchy , that only gives the impression of warming the body .

[phosphorescent]

Maybe this link will prove to the doubters that temperatures can drop enough to cause hypothermia.

http://thailandlandofsmiles.com/2008/12/16/snow-in-thailand/

[RickBradford]

Maybe this link will prove to the doubters that temperatures can drop enough to cause hypothermia.

Too much to hope for, I'm afraid.

[dumball]

As what seems to becoming the norm for members here on TV , many are more intent on proving others wrong or ripping each other apart , how about putting some of that brain energy into offering some ligit recommendations or help in alleviating a problem ? As an aside , I wonder where many of the good members have dissappeared to , most likely to better climes for more rational posts to read and enjoy , Tv is being trashed for egotism .

[EarthAlien]

Well maybe the Thai car manufacturers might start putting the heater demisters back into new cars.

We've bought 3 new cars in the last 5 years (Honda & Toyota) and none of them had heater demisters. When we complained about this the dealers just say "oh,.. that's because Thailand a hot country,- you don't need heater in Thailand" (sorry for complaining,.. I should have known that).

I won't harp on and go off topic but it would be a good one to cover in a new thread I think.

[Activo]

If something could lower the temperature a couple of degrees that'd be perfect.

Unless you happen to be a peasant in rural northern Thailand, where winter temperatures drop low enough to kill people who don't have the means to keep themselves warm.

It may not be an issue for Western scuba divers, certainly.

People die when the temperature drops to 18-20 degrees...?

I might be wrong but I thought we were talking centigrade and not fahrenheit...?

In Pattaya about 7 years ago, a Thai man died of hypothermia overnight - the temp was 22 degs C