Just How Unhealthy Is Chiang Mai And The North?

[vagabond48]

I'm feeling fine, how about you?

Ahhhh, "ignorance is bliss"

I'm not ignorant, I just feel fine, this stuff in the air has never effected me.

I smoke 10 packs a day, "cough" "cough" .... and I feel just fine too.

[uptheos]

I'm feeling fine, how about you?

Ahhhh, "ignorance is bliss"

I'm not ignorant, I just feel fine, this stuff in the air has never effected me.

I smoke 10 packs a day, "cough" "cough" .... and I feel just fine too.

[vagabond48]

These are the filters from my bicycle mask that I just changed after about 15 hours of bicycle riding around the city of CM.

I don't own a motorcycle and only get around by bicycle. This only shows what is visible in the air.

Edited March 10, 2011 by vagabond48

[LJW]

I'm feeling fine, how about you?

Ahhhh, "ignorance is bliss"

I'm not ignorant, I just feel fine, this stuff in the air has never effected me.

.........to your knowledge.

And to my doctors knowledge, too

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

These are the filters from my bicycle mask that I just changed after about 15 hours of bicycle riding around the city of CM.

I don't own a motorcycle and only get around by bicycle. This only shows what is visible in the air.

What filter material do you prefer?

I don't ever plan to ride/exercise in town on the roads.. I prefer exercising in the outskirts and in the mountains but still would be interesting to breakdown the tradeoffs and choices.

Anyone have a primer on 3M filters and other choices?

[pjclark1]

These are the filters from my bicycle mask that I just changed after about 15 hours of bicycle riding around the city of CM.

I don't own a motorcycle and only get around by bicycle. This only shows what is visible in the air.

I don't ever plan to ride/exercise in town on the roads.. I prefer exercising in the outskirts and in the mountains but still would be interesting to breakdown the tradeoffs and choices.

Where you exercise doesn't matter.

The pollution is caused by burning forest and rice stubble.

Nothing to do with big town or car pollution.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

These are the filters from my bicycle mask that I just changed after about 15 hours of bicycle riding around the city of CM.

I don't own a motorcycle and only get around by bicycle. This only shows what is visible in the air.

I don't ever plan to ride/exercise in town on the roads.. I prefer exercising in the outskirts and in the mountains but still would be interesting to breakdown the tradeoffs and choices.

Where you exercise doesn't matter.

The pollution is caused by burning forest and rice stubble.

Nothing to do with big town or car pollution.

Nope your partially mistaken. The particulate matter is a health risk but when these floating particulate matter binds with toxins like dioxin from diesel fumes or benzene from petrol sources then the particulate matter is now the carrier that transports them to the lungs and bloodstream.

The wood/straw smoke is plenty bad but the addition of toxic petrochemicals is what really packs the punch for health problems.

The CMU study I linked to above has been measuring that the blood toxicity of test subjects has been increasing over recent years.

And also completely obvious is that the mountain monitoring station up at Phuping Palace often shows far better quality readings...

Edited March 10, 2011 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[gotlost]

www.tmd.go.th 20% chance of rain for the next three days. www.pcd.go.th Today's readings at 9AM: PM10 57.5, AQI 76.0 A year ago PM10 was 162.2 and AQI was 118 BTW we have blue skies and white fluffy clouds. Edited March 10, 2011 by gotlost

[Joop50]

The rain is coming now, almost 16.00 h. here between Saraphi and Hang Dong the sky is very dark, wind and clouds coming from the south.

[Semper]

OP, it's not healthy. Stay away

[heybruce]

One could argue that the susceptibility of a person to the pollution is related to the state of their immune system.

Therefor those younger people who have had their immune systems damaged by multiple vaccination at an early age in the western world, would be more likely to suffer than those older people who never received such vaccinations (or those who actively sought to avoid such treatments).

Huh?

I assume you can reference some credible scientific studies to support the implication that immunizations, rather than boosting immune systems, actually damage them.

There are no such studies available to the public, The British government actively suppress all such information and work to remove funding from any researchers foolish enough to work in that area.I assume the other western governments are doing the same. I don't know why they do that, only what I have seen for myself.

I'll probably regret this, but....

So the assumption that immunizations weaken the immune system is based upon what?

Also, I assume you wouldn't claim the British government is suppressing important health information without evidence. Would you care to share this evidence with us?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I'll probably regret this, but....

So the assumption that immunizations weaken the immune system is based upon what?

I think we'll all regret it.. If someone says something like that to you in a bar, do you enter the discussion or do you quietly find a place some distance away?

[heybruce]

I'll probably regret this, but....

So the assumption that immunizations weaken the immune system is based upon what?

I think we'll all regret it.. If someone says something like that to you in a bar, do you enter the discussion or do you quietly find a place some distance away?

I understand your point, but when I see something absurd posted as a fact on the internet, I sometimes can't resist pointing out the absurdity. I do this in hopes of benefiting those who are in that mental gray area in which they are capable of rational skepticism but prone to a gullible belief in anything printed as a statement of fact. I realize I'll never change the beliefs of pjclark or other conspiracy fans (I don't like to use the term "conspiracy theorist" because it is an abuse of the true meaning of "theory").

[vagabond48]

For anyone who is interested. The mask is sold by a company named totobobo.. I use it everyday here and when I go to China. Although I usually get around on my bicycle, if I travel without my bicycle, I will still use the mask in many of the air polluted cities in Asia.

I have attached a local Kunming (China) newspaper photo of me wearing the mask while waiting for a light to turn green.

[uptheos]

This is an American study but the criteria seems to fit Chiang Mai.

Sex, Coffee, Smog Can Trigger Heart Attacks: Study

(HealthScout) UPDATED 2011-02-23

Results from a major analysis of data on heart attack triggers has found that sex, coffee, alcohol and breathing smoggy air can all help to trigger these attacks. Air pollution while stuck in traffic spurred 7.4 percent of heart attacks, physical exertion led to 6.2 percent of these attacks, coffee and alcohol were both linked to 5 percent of heart attacks, and sex triggered 2.2 percent of attacks.

http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/650225/main.html

[heybruce]

This is an American study but the criteria seems to fit Chiang Mai.

Sex, Coffee, Smog Can Trigger Heart Attacks: Study

(HealthScout) UPDATED 2011-02-23

Results from a major analysis of data on heart attack triggers has found that sex, coffee, alcohol and breathing smoggy air can all help to trigger these attacks. Air pollution while stuck in traffic spurred 7.4 percent of heart attacks, physical exertion led to 6.2 percent of these attacks, coffee and alcohol were both linked to 5 percent of heart attacks, and sex triggered 2.2 percent of attacks.

http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/650225/main.html

In that case I'll cut down on the smoggy air.

[ogb]

OP, it's not healthy. Stay away

That seems to be the most realistic assessment - thanks for the advice

[Ulysses G.]

I'll probably regret this, but....

So the assumption that immunizations weaken the immune system is based upon what?

I think we'll all regret it.. If someone says something like that to you in a bar, do you enter the discussion or do you quietly find a place some distance away?

I understand your point, but when I see something absurd posted as a fact on the internet, I sometimes can't resist pointing out the absurdity. I do this in hopes of benefiting those who are in that mental gray area in which they are capable of rational skepticism but prone to a gullible belief in anything printed as a statement of fact. I realize I'll never change the beliefs of pjclark or other conspiracy fans (I don't like to use the term "conspiracy theorist" because it is an abuse of the true meaning of "theory").

I know what you mean. Some posters have claimed that the folks who recently died mysteriously in CM died of "MSG poisoning".

[pjclark1]

I understand your point, but when I see something absurd posted as a fact on the internet, I sometimes can't resist pointing out the absurdity. I do this in hopes of benefiting those who are in that mental gray area in which they are capable of rational skepticism but prone to a gullible belief in anything printed as a statement of fact. I realize I'll never change the beliefs of pjclark or other conspiracy fans (I don't like to use the term "conspiracy theorist" because it is an abuse of the true meaning of "theory").

Well, all I can say is

I was involved in making a Tv programme about vaccination for channel 4 (early 1990s).

We were interviewing the senior doctor at great Ormund street children's hospital.

During the interview he said, as far as he was concerned anyone giving their children MMR vaccine should be reported for child abuse.

He then went on to justify his position in a very convincing way, several other senior doctors in the UK confirmed his opinion for the show.

Before the programme was aired the UK security forces stepped in and informed us we were not to broadcast this show, no reason was given, I cannot explain their interest in this subject..

If you can find information showing the rise of immune related health problems (diabetes, asthma, Crohns, autism?, etc.) over the last 50 years, then find information showing the rise in vaccinations for children at early ages for that same period of time. You will see a remarkable positive correlation. Best to do it on a country by country basis, as each country started mass vaccinations of children at different times.

Dr. Wakefield

Here is one website

And another

This site seems to echo some of the doctors concerns.

Edited March 11, 2011 by pjclark1

[amexpat]

The last 50 years, eh? Rock and roll music is the obvious culprit.

[Priceless]

I understand your point, but when I see something absurd posted as a fact on the internet, I sometimes can't resist pointing out the absurdity. I do this in hopes of benefiting those who are in that mental gray area in which they are capable of rational skepticism but prone to a gullible belief in anything printed as a statement of fact. I realize I'll never change the beliefs of pjclark or other conspiracy fans (I don't like to use the term "conspiracy theorist" because it is an abuse of the true meaning of "theory").

Well, all I can say is

I was involved in making a Tv programme about vaccination for channel 4 (early 1990s).

We were interviewing the senior doctor at great Ormund street children's hospital.

During the interview he said, as far as he was concerned anyone giving their children MMR vaccine should be reported for child abuse.

He then went on to justify his position in a very convincing way, several other senior doctors in the UK confirmed his opinion for the show.

Before the programme was aired the UK security forces stepped in and informed us we were not to broadcast this show, no reason was given, I cannot explain their interest in this subject..

If you can find information showing the rise of immune related health problems (diabetes, asthma, Crohns, autism?, etc.) over the last 50 years, then find information showing the rise in vaccinations for children at early ages for that same period of time. You will see a remarkable positive correlation. Best to do it on a country by country basis, as each country started mass vaccinations of children at different times.

Dr. WakefieldHere is one website

And another

This site seems to echo some of the doctors concerns.

From Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wakefield ):

"Andrew Wakefield (born 1957) is a British former surgeon and medical researcher known for his fraudulent claims of a causative connection between the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, autism and autistic enterocolitis. The latter controversial term was created by Wakefield to describe an unproven form of inflammatory bowel disease.

Four years after the publication of the study, the findings of other researchers failed to confirm or reproduce Wakefield's. A 2004 investigation by Sunday Times reporter Brian Deer identified undisclosed financial conflicts of interest on Wakefield's part, and most of his coauthors then withdrew their support for the study's interpretations. The British General Medical Council (GMC) conducted an inquiry into allegations of misconduct against Wakefield and two former colleagues. The investigation centred on Deer's numerous findings, including one that autistic children were subjected to unnecessary invasive medical procedures, such as colonoscopy and lumbar puncture, and that Wakefield acted without the required ethical approval from an institutional review board.

On 28 January 2010, a five-member statutory tribunal of the GMC found some three dozen charges proved, including four counts of dishonesty and 12 counts involving the abuse of developmentally challenged children. The panel ruled that Wakefield had "failed in his duties as a responsible consultant", acted both against the interests of his patients, and "dishonestly and irresponsibly" in his published research. The Lancet immediately and fully retracted his 1998 publication on the basis of the GMC’s findings, noting that elements of the manuscript had been falsified.[11] Wakefield was struck off the Medical Register in May 2010, and may no longer practise medicine in the UK."

/ Priceless

[KhunDave]

Seen our PM10 numbers for yesterday? Mid-forties, comparing well with the likes of Narathiwat and Yala. IN MARCH. Quite un-believeable.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Seen our PM10 numbers for yesterday? Mid-forties, comparing well with the likes of Narathiwat and Yala. IN MARCH. Quite un-believeable.

Hope I don't jinx it but so far great this year and I am liking my decision to stay for the season.. If we can just continue these little storms once in a while...

Supposedly the Australians had been using Thai rainmaking technology recently. I wonder if that is behind the better conditions but even if its just luck then it's so welcome.