Death And Illness As Cold Weather Embraces Thailand

[w11guy]

There are some real ''A*se hole'' comments here. Nothing more so than ''in my country **c is not cold . . . . . !!'' Wake up this is not your country this is Thailand and the temperatures reported are incredibly cold for this region of the world.

Please wise up . . .

IW

LOL. This is thai visa forum. Most comments are from farang with incredibly low levels of intelligence, so don't expect sensible comments. LOL.

[w11guy]

Dunno when 14 was considered cold.

Normal winter temp here where I am.

Geeeeez ppl, get with it.

Try living in Finland, where it is real cold and dark all day too in the depth of winter.

You need to get with it. The body must remain close to 37C to function. If you slept naked in 14C you would probably die by morning. If you swam in 14C water you wouldn't last long. It's basic science.

Please go easy on these people. They have sub-average intelligence and find these things almost impossible to understand. They are mostly farang who have been here a few years and think they know thailand and thai people but are more ignorant that many 6 year olds. Just read the general comments on this forum and you will see that the average farang on here must have an IQ of about 80. LOL.

[DP25]

My, my, my... People here are so short sighted and selfish!

Yes, 20 is cold if you lived all your life around 30. Your body is simply not adapted to fight the cold.

And people die. But that must be funny.

Yeap. Just look at the "heat waves" in Europe that kill tons of people, that wouldn't even bother many here because they've lived with it all their life.

[nowork114]

Influenza, pneumonia, measles, German measles, chickenpox and diarrhoea are usually common in the wake of lower temperatures.

All of the above are caused by bacteria or viruses both of which you can catch no matter how warmly you are or are not dressed.

.

Sounds like another journalist suffering from oral dysentery - perhaps due to the cold weather. Vaccines available for measles (MMR) and for chickenpox (varicella). No reason for people to die. Both these vaccines should IMHO be given free of charge to all Thai children. No need for people to die from these diseases in 2011.

I am just guessing here !!! But at an experienced and 2 year guess of living and travelling in the North East provinces and meeting many of these people , I am guessing most Western people just dont understand that many of these people really dont have the 150 baht or more required to buy a luxury such as a warm jacket that will only be used for a short time . Free vaccines and medicine are only handed out where there is publicity or an underlying financial benefit such as minerals , energy or gold to be had by providing this aid so Foreign Governments can win contracts or make deals to get at these resources for their own benefit , rarely do these countries get any true and real returns on any of our so called assistance . People dont get much in poor areas in Thailand except when the poliically inspired greedy contestants pay you for your vote in the provinces , most rural dont understand why they get this money .

Farang supported families are envied by others in these areas and are considered very lucky and very rich . Maybe a Farang could sponsor every family in Thailand that does not have a good paying job ? There are no jobs in the country and when there is work its just for short harvest and planting periods . The rest of the time if they are lucky to get work in construction , they travel to Bangkok or similar , live on site in the most atrocious tin sheds and earn about 150 to 200 Baht a day . Again I personally know these people who do this . It is real and they are desperate to have at least something . So if you have some spare cash use that to help instead of talking bullshit .

On the other hand they can always come up with some money for beer, khao lao, smokes or gambling ... money is not the biggest problem there ...

[Randee]

I can't sleep at nights without the air con on. The days are sometimes cooler and I occassionally but rarely put a t-shirt on under the cool ceiling fan.

But I know cold. Sleeping rough in wet military clothing in the depths of freezing winter on excercise is cold. much like sleeping in the freezer compartment of a refridgerater.

And all these mentioned illnesses above are caused by viruses not by conditions.

[metisdead]

Some insulting posts have been removed from view.

[raylo]

I can't sleep at nights without the air con on. The days are sometimes cooler and I occassionally but rarely put a t-shirt on under the cool ceiling fan.

But I know cold. Sleeping rough in wet military clothing in the depths of freezing winter on excercise is cold. much like sleeping in the freezer compartment of a refridgerater.

And all these mentioned illnesses above are caused by viruses not by conditions.

Yes the illnesses are caused by viruses but when the body/constitution is weakened by diverting energy to resist the cold then the viruses/bacteria gain a foothold easier.

If the reistance is low disease spreads. If you cannot understand that look at other analogies including prison/refugee camp disease spread due to less than ideal sanitary

conditions - YES -plus lower resistance.

As per the other ill informed and what have you posters, earing a T shirt under a fan or short term military exercises designed to test your resolve have very little to do

with a tropical people living in what is to them sub tropical conditions for a few months.

[peanut]

Just a quick google search for all the wise a**es out there insisting that cold weather has nothing to do with getting sick:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn12808-cold-weather-really-does-spread-flu.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080330203401.htm

Yes, we DO know that cold does not CAUSE the flu and other diseases, but the fact is that they are a lot more prevalent in winter. One reason is what other posters pointed out, that cold can lower your immune systems. Other are explained in the articles above. And there may be others that we just don't know about yet. So please, spare us your superior but clearly incomplete "knowledge".

[473geo]

My, my, my... People here are so short sighted and selfish!

Yes, 20 is cold if you lived all your life around 30. Your body is simply not adapted to fight the cold.

And people die. But that must be funny.

Ah yes because Thais and westerners are genetically different that they are not adapted to the cold.

Sure they are not used to it but their body does not function much different from ours.

My understanding is that the blood adapts to be thinner in the warmer climate.

[Randee]

Yes the illnesses are caused by viruses but when the body/constitution is weakened by diverting energy to resist the cold then the viruses/bacteria gain a foothold easier.

If the reistance is low disease spreads. If you cannot understand that look at other analogies including prison/refugee camp disease spread due to less than ideal sanitary

conditions - YES -plus lower resistance.

As per the other ill informed and what have you posters, earing a T shirt under a fan or short term military exercises designed to test your resolve have very little to do

with a tropical people living in what is to them sub tropical conditions for a few months.

what so you're saying thailand is the same as a prison/refugee camp?

UK is far from being an arctic type country but for 1 or 2 months a year it can become very close to arctic conditions. extreme cold by british usual standards which brits have to endure. But Brits don't have these problems. unless they are already vulnerable such as being old etc.

i've worked 10 hour days in freezing freezing conditions luugging steel scaffolding tubes up to roof tops 6 days a week. i didnt get measles or upset stomachs etc. and sleeping in the military excercise as i described, for 1 week, is no short term. you try it and see. where i come from short-time is something else.

Edited January 18, 2011 by Randee

[johncat1]

Cold? In Thailand? In January?

I do believe we do not speak about the same thing, the same country and the same season.

If temperature drop of 1 Celsius, that is not cold by any standart, and no one can die of that if in normal health (read without under heavy alcohol; body burn by alcohol or drugs ...). I did witness temperature dropping of 25 celsius in 48 hours .... in Europe, in a very specific place famous for it (6 jully 1980 + 26 celsius; 8 jully 1980 -1 celsius ... the place is named Pontarlier)

Thailand is a tropical country (sorry if I am wrong); so temperature are NEVER EVER cold. Cold is temperture below -20 celsius (I played Rugby by -18 celsius); Cold is - 40 celsius during the night (Stage commando with sleeping out side in february 1986 , place named Les Rousses).

That is B.S.; bad journalism, or maybe another way to justify this or that ....

Cold in thailand, is it another hub (winter sport hub for saoudi????????????????)

It is all relative and anything below 15 Degrees in Thailand is cold

The same as temperatures around 30 c are considered warm in Thailand................ NOT HOT !!

In most Western countries that would be considered a heatwave with authorities shouting water restrictions if no rain for a week

So look at both sides

[steve187]

There are some real ''A*se hole'' comments here. Nothing more so than ''in my country **c is not cold . . . . . !!'' Wake up this is not your country this is Thailand and the temperatures reported are incredibly cold for this region of the world.

Please wise up . . .

IW

Good point, well said!!

[atyclb]

Influenza, pneumonia, measles, German measles, chickenpox and diarrhoea are usually common in the wake of lower temperatures.

All of the above are caused by bacteria or viruses both of which you can catch no matter how warmly you are or are not dressed.

It would be nice if the writers of such statements would stop considering the body politic as a collection of very stupid people.

How many times to you have to tell people to dress warmly in winter?

How many times do you have to tell people not to burn charcoal in their closed up house because it will kill you?

Sometimes not listening has a consequence.

Yes, you can get these diseases any time, but the cold weakens the immune system, so these diseases are more prevalent in winter. The majority of people actually are stupid when it comes to health matters. We all know what causes things like heart disease, high blood pressure, etc, but people are still too stupid to avoid these things. Why do you think healthcare costs are so high but the health of people is getting worse and worse? If people weren't stupid, then they would change their lifestyle to avoid these things. So perhaps you should actually consider how stupid the general public really are.

Since 90 percent of all high blood pressure is known as "essential hypertension" and the worlds top university researchers, scientists, and physicians do not know what causes it, perhaps you could share with us something you know that they all don't???

[jeffman]

Freezing is cold, no matter where you are. Whether it's 0 celsius or 32 farenheit. I don't know what the Thai's do with their warm clothing when it turns warm, but for some reason, never have even a long sleeve shirt when it's cold.

Have you actually been to Thailand. I live in Bangkok, and even when temperatures are in the 20s there are PLENTY of people with long sleeve tops on. I have also seen plenty of people wearing jackets. I think you need to get out a bit more.

I agree to what you said here. I'm living in BKK and what you said is true, the people here feel cold even with 20 DegC. I just came back from Northeast yesterday. When I was there, I can feel cold when the wind blows toward me and it is only 17degC at that time. I sleep in AC, I love cold weather but I can't take the cold at that time. The reason is I'm from malaysia and the weather there is always warm or you can call it hot.

[humqdpf]

Actually disrrhoea frequently arises due to infections that do not involve the ingestion of infected or bad food or water. Influenza in some of its forms can lead to diarrhoea.

I don't think that the writer was equating a fall in temperature of one or two degrees in Bangkok with the deaths up north. Hypothermia may not afflict those, seemingly like yourself, who are in the best of health and able to play games in very cold weather. Apart for the fact that you were acclimitized, you did not fall into the high risk categories, namely newborns and very young children, the elderly and those with a condition that makes them suseptible to hypothermia. It would be instructive to learn that you fell into one or more of these categories at least for some period of your life.

[softgeorge]

Not the first time nor will it be the last that Thailand experiences cold snaps. Here in Chiang Mai in December/January (the coldest months of the year) you see it all the time where locals rug up with jackets etc.

I haven't noticed the cold in Chiangmai I actually think it is still quite hot. Still sleep with the aircon on all night.

[astral]

zero degrees - bloody cold.

Not that unusual in the North East where winter frost is quite common.

Thank God it is the dry season, so there is no snow!!

[jsflynn603]

"Influenza, pneumonia, measles, German measles, chickenpox and diarrhoea are usually common in the wake of lower temperatures."

Actually many virus including those who are responsible for influenza and viral pneumonia thrive in the respiratory tracts of humans when the weather is cold and dry. See: http://www.newscient...spread-flu.html or do a search using "cold weather and virus" and you'll find lots of quality hits.

German measles and chicken pox are viral diseases and also tend to favor the spread of disease if a reservoir is present. (Meaning the cold weather makes it more prone to spread to another if one person has the disease as again, the virus thrives in the colder dryer air versus warm and damp.

I've never heard of diarrhea being related to cold weather at all so I really have to wonder on that one. But cold can act as a stressor, and make the body more susceptible than it normally would be.

Still there is this dialogue:

Sunday: JS: T**** (my gf's name) your toes feel like ice, wear socks and shoes--it's a long ride home on the motorbike and it's cold out there.

Monday: JS Y**** I thought you were going to wear socks and shoes today, your feet feel like ice....

Today: T: "I'm so cold" JS: T**** here, wear these socks... T****: "no thanks"

Edited January 18, 2011 by jsflynn603

[yoon01]

Cold? In Thailand? In January?

I do believe we do not speak about the same thing, the same country and the same season.

If temperature drop of 1 Celsius, that is not cold by any standart, and no one can die of that if in normal health (read without under heavy alcohol; body burn by alcohol or drugs ...). I did witness temperature dropping of 25 celsius in 48 hours .... in Europe, in a very specific place famous for it (6 jully 1980 + 26 celsius; 8 jully 1980 -1 celsius ... the place is named Pontarlier)

Thailand is a tropical country (sorry if I am wrong); so temperature are NEVER EVER cold. Cold is temperture below -20 celsius (I played Rugby by -18 celsius); Cold is - 40 celsius during the night (Stage commando with sleeping out side in february 1986 , place named Les Rousses).

That is B.S.; bad journalism, or maybe another way to justify this or that ....

Cold in thailand, is it another hub (winter sport hub for saoudi????????????????)

Haha, you have no idea what you are talking about! Come to the mountains in Mae Hong Son and freeze your arse off!

[shunima]

I come from a country where -10C is more or less normal. But being here for more than 8 years it feels unbelievable cold since a few days and I do not leave the house for work without a rather thick jacket in the morning.

I feel for the Thais is their houses without heating and usually no option to shower hot to get warm again quickly. It is cold right now ...compared to what we are used to.

[FritsSikkink]

Thailand is a tropical country (sorry if I am wrong); so temperature are NEVER EVER cold.

You are wrong in the north up the hills it can get cold

[maapaa]

Cold? In Thailand? In January?

I do believe we do not speak about the same thing, the same country and the same season.

If temperature drop of 1 Celsius, that is not cold by any standart, and no one can die of that if in normal health (read without under heavy alcohol; body burn by alcohol or drugs ...). I did witness temperature dropping of 25 celsius in 48 hours .... in Europe, in a very specific place famous for it (6 jully 1980 + 26 celsius; 8 jully 1980 -1 celsius ... the place is named Pontarlier)

Thailand is a tropical country (sorry if I am wrong); so temperature are NEVER EVER cold. Cold is temperture below -20 celsius (I played Rugby by -18 celsius); Cold is - 40 celsius during the night (Stage commando with sleeping out side in february 1986 , place named Les Rousses).

That is B.S.; bad journalism, or maybe another way to justify this or that ....

Cold in thailand, is it another hub (winter sport hub for saoudi????????????????)

Don't know where in Thailand you are living right now. But you are totally wrong.

I knew about the three saesons in Thailand, sure (hot, rainy and cold).

I am living here in Mukdahan province since end of April. And now, since a few weeeks already .... it's dam_n cold for me as a European! I am not talking about the time from around noon until the evening, no. But when I get up early in the morning (around 6 am), check the outside temperature (16 to 17 degree C), leave from home at around 7:30 am on my motorcycle, feeling the really very strong wind ... man, I can tell you: It is cold.

My tears are running down my face, my fingers are shaking and I am happy to arrive at school after only a short ride of maybe 5 min.

You don't know how cold 16 / 17 degree C can be, sorry.

maapaa

[Randee]

Thailand is a tropical country (sorry if I am wrong); so temperature are NEVER EVER cold.

You are wrong in the north up the hills it can get cold

yes he is wrong. up north can get very cold at nights. so cold that your teeth chatter.

[Randee]

weather-wise Thailand is pretty diverse. Mostly it is a tropically hot country.

But South Thailand has a lot more rain in the rain season, making it greener.

North is much cooler/colder in the cool season.

In Chiang Mai you can go out in the afternoon in hot sunshine wearing just shorts and flip-flops and if you don't make it home by late evening (because of over indulging you will feel the temperature difference.

If you stay out all day and return home middle of the night/morning hours on the back of a tuktuk or motorbike it can be pretty cold. So cold that your teeth chatter and your body shakes.

I'm in Bangkok now and while it's definately gotten cooler, it's not uncomfortable or cold. Being a Whitey and not a native, I need no more than a T-shirt

(but i must confess, i've just switched my fan off!)

[Randee]

and for all the wannabe know-it-alls - bacteria and germs don't like cold. They thrive in warmth and moisture.

THAT'S WHY WE KEEP OUR FOOD IN FREEZERS AND REFRIDGERATORS

[DEREK-C]

Cold? In Thailand? In January?

I do believe we do not speak about the same thing, the same country and the same season.

If temperature drop of 1 Celsius, that is not cold by any standart, and no one can die of that if in normal health (read without under heavy alcohol; body burn by alcohol or drugs ...). I did witness temperature dropping of 25 celsius in 48 hours .... in Europe, in a very specific place famous for it (6 jully 1980 + 26 celsius; 8 jully 1980 -1 celsius ... the place is named Pontarlier)

Thailand is a tropical country (sorry if I am wrong); so temperature are NEVER EVER cold. Cold is temperture below -20 celsius (I played Rugby by -18 celsius); Cold is - 40 celsius during the night (Stage commando with sleeping out side in february 1986 , place named Les Rousses).

That is B.S.; bad journalism, or maybe another way to justify this or that ....

Cold in thailand, is it another hub (winter sport hub for saoudi????????????????)

To Sting123

I don't know where you live, but here in the North East is is cold.

Thai houses do not have insulation and have no heating. So I suggest you turn off your heating and leave your windows open for a couple of days, and then when you awake at 6am with an inside house temperature of about 14C, you will understand.

My, my, my... People here are so short sighted and selfish!

Yes, 20 is cold if you lived all your life around 30. Your body is simply not adapted to fight the cold.

And people die. But that must be funny.

From reading through the above comments it becomes obvious there are some who live rurally (like me) and many who either don't live here that much or assuredly don't mix much with the average Thai people.

Before I left California for here, I did one winter without heat. Mind you the home was insulated unlike here... and I'd sleep only after bundling well... in a room at 12-14 Celsius. Californians are the weather wimps of the USA, but not as warm as Thailand. (I grew up in snow country, ran X-Country and other sports in such and have camped on mountains in snow - and I've experienced -25 Celsius too.)

Live a few years at local temps in a country that is generally 30-40 Celsius (no I don't use AC thank you) and find how much colder these currently lower temps feel. Add in the fact that many Thai are significantly lower body fat, especially among the elderly... and the ones here commenting about cold they've withstood might share some human kindness by physically visiting the rural areas and sharing the hot air they are so full of.

Fully agree with you. Feeling cold is a relative thing. When I lived in the UK I was used to it and would still just have a T-shirt when the temp dropped below zero. I have lived in Ratchaburi for over 9 years and the temp is pretty constant, and quite warm. However, when it does drop a few degrees I feel a chill. So I really have sympathy for those in the North who are experiencing relatively low temperatures for Thailabd. A few years ago Thai friends persuaded me to dive them to Doi Ithannon to see real snow.

[oggie911]

^{ha ha cold 20c and they dress up like fur ball so there not all cold hearted just they like the heat because they go to live with uncle satan after they die there family burn them at we get a good ole hole in some feild,ps only joking}

[sezze]

Yes , Thailand can be cold , even very cold . Remember that people , and even you if you live there , are adapted to 25 to 35 degrees celcius . If the temp drops below 15 you will feel very cold . If it even drops further ( here and there it might freeze !!! ) there is a very severe risk of undercooling .

Clothes are readily available , but it still get's cold . Most people do not have warm water and have nowhere to heat up . Undercooling your body makes your body vulnerable . Then we come to the diseases . Yes , they are transmitted by virusses and bacteria . However , if you get undercooled , your body immune system is not 100% . You have more chance of having all kinds of diseases .

[johnefallis]

To Sting123

I don't know where you live, but here in the North East is is cold.

Thai houses do not have insulation and have no heating. So I suggest you turn off your heating and leave your windows open for a couple of days, and then when you awake at 6am with an inside house temperature of about 14C, you will understand.

Really? Are you kidding me? I'm in southern California right now, and I wake up every morning to a lower temperature than that where I live and call it wonderful. In fact, todays high 24 celcius, low 8. Windows open, no heat on.

[raylo]

Yes the illnesses are caused by viruses but when the body/constitution is weakened by diverting energy to resist the cold then the viruses/bacteria gain a foothold easier.

If the reistance is low disease spreads. If you cannot understand that look at other analogies including prison/refugee camp disease spread due to less than ideal sanitary

conditions - YES -plus lower resistance.

As per the other ill informed and what have you posters, earing a T shirt under a fan or short term military exercises designed to test your resolve have very little to do

with a tropical people living in what is to them sub tropical conditions for a few months.

what so you're saying thailand is the same as a prison/refugee camp?

UK is far from being an arctic type country but for 1 or 2 months a year it can become very close to arctic conditions. extreme cold by british usual standards which brits have to endure. But Brits don't have these problems. unless they are already vulnerable such as being old etc.

Read the post and look up the word analogy then place it in the context as mentioned. I would say more but one of the "moderators" does not like members

to let their (moderators) friends and countrymen know they might be afew sandwiches short.