Smoke, Smog, Dust 2013 Chiang Mai

[puukao]

Remember, the smoke can trigger many allergic reactions. I got some Zyrtec today from the hospital, and it seems to help. I also wear a facemask all the time; still waiting for someone to ask "Why?" Protect yourself out there......I am afraid long-term exposure to air contaminants can have very serious health ramifications.

Note that you can get generic Zyrtec at any pharmacy, rather cheaply. (Cetirizine)

BTW this still ranks as a very good year(*). I didn't see Chiang Mai go into the red yet (>120 average daily value), which is very encouraging. It may still happen of course in the next week or two. Mae Hong Son is showing very high values today.

(*)No, that does not mean that nothing is wrong, or that I'm happy with the current state of affairs. I'm the one who left Chiang Mai just in case. But I personally find it 'encouraging' that the situation is improving over time.

Cetirizine, thanks. good info. I actually had a very small bike accident last month and wanted him also to glance at my foot injury, which I thought was fine. it was. I was also curious if they would take an x-ray of my lungs. they didn't. the meeting and the zyrtec was 320 baht. if I only bought zyrtec in America, it would be more expensive. But the info on Cetirizine is good.

[driedmango]

Almost all years, early April is fine. Also, even when it's quite bad, many people don't even notice it.

There is actually a good chance that Bangkok will have worse air around that time, yet you never hear people about that. This forum is very vocal on the issue.

I'd make the decision closer to that time, and then decide if you want to go North or South.

Personally I'm planning to be back in Chiang Mai around that same time.

ya lots of tourists don't know there is a mountain there and those face masks are just nurses who forgot to take off their uniforms

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Breathing in particles irritates the respiratory linings and raises inflammation.

Over a long period that could lead to cancer but in the shorter term any of the inflammatory diseases are going to be increased.

Any of the diseases with .....Itis at the end.

Acne, Atherosclerosis, depression, obesity, insulin resistance and a long list of problems caused by inflammation.

It's really a failure and disservice to the masses who don't even know they should be staying indoors or wearing a real mask.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Almost all years, early April is fine. Also, even when it's quite bad, many people don't even notice it.

There is actually a good chance that Bangkok will have worse air around that time, yet you never hear people about that. This forum is very vocal on the issue.

I'd make the decision closer to that time, and then decide if you want to go North or South.

Personally I'm planning to be back in Chiang Mai around that same time.

Lovely, thanks for that! Other option is to go up north the last few days of the month so end of April and go down south first. Hmmmm decisions.

If you can remain flexible then that's good yes. Typically the later in the season the better, for Chiang Mai. What may actually impact planning even more is how much of the Songkran festival you want to catch. In teh South they have this for one single afternoon, so you will still get to experience it no matter what. In the North however it's a full 4 days, 12-15 April, with kids in the villages starting a bit earlier than that. Depending on your preferences that might be great, or just a bit too much. And of course it's the main squeeze travel wise, so hard/expensive to get flights and trains/buses. You will want to avoid being on the roads during the holiday, so just pick a spot. Another argument for being in the North is that prices for things in the South go up, as Thai people also go on holiday and want hotels, boat trips, tours, etc.

[MESmith]

Nice bit of wind from the south this afternoon. Can see mountains to the east & west.

[cloudhopper]

Nice bit of wind from the south this afternoon. Can see mountains to the east & west.

Noticed the same thing in Pai.

Almost all years, early April is fine. Also, even when it's quite bad, many people don't even notice it.

There is actually a good chance that Bangkok will have worse air around that time, yet you never hear people about that. This forum is very vocal on the issue.

I'd make the decision closer to that time, and then decide if you want to go North or South.

Personally I'm planning to be back in Chiang Mai around that same time.

Lovely, thanks for that! Other option is to go up north the last few days of the month so end of April and go down south first. Hmmmm decisions.

IMO that is the better plan, assuming South means well south of Hua Hin. The smoke will remain until the first big thunderstorms which usually occur around the Songkran holidays (lasting around 2 weeks in Pai and worth avoiding the North entirely for that reason alone then IMO.) By the end of April the air is usually clear and plants are turning green.

[T_Dog]

Nice bit of wind from the south this afternoon. Can see mountains to the east & west.

Seems to be the regular pattern this year. Miserable air in the morning and winds clearing it in the afternoon. We had 1 kilometer visibility this morning with lousy air and now after the winds, visibility is over 15 kilometers. My eyes are still itching however. I wonder how long it takes those PM 2.5s and PM 10s to leave your system........?

[scd]

While a little disturbing, that pink sun right now looks amazing!

[T_Dog]

While a little disturbing, that pink sun right now looks amazing!

The winds stopped up here in Mae Taeng and the soot is already falling. There must be some major fires up in the hill judging from the falling black stuff. Could be a bad morning tomorrow.

[MESmith]

We're off to the beach on Sunday, but only for 5 days....

[Rasseru]

. . . It's really a failure and disservice to the masses who don't even know they should be staying indoors or wearing a real mask.

Perhaps, but one can also savour a certain Darwinian quality in the story too.

[cloudhopper]

. . . It's really a failure and disservice to the masses who don't even know they should be staying indoors or wearing a real mask.

Perhaps, but one can also savour a certain Darwinian quality in the story too.

My sense is that in Darwinian terms the hill tribes of Northern Thailand will be more successful than my Southern Californians.

[TommoPhysicist]

. . . It's really a failure and disservice to the masses who don't even know they should be staying indoors or wearing a real mask.

Perhaps, but one can also savour a certain Darwinian quality in the story too.

The pollution only affects the weak and sick ........ evolution in action.

[Rasseru]

. . . It's really a failure and disservice to the masses who don't even know they should be staying indoors or wearing a real mask.

Perhaps, but one can also savour a certain Darwinian quality in the story too.

My sense is that in Darwinian terms the hill tribes of Northern Thailand will be more successful than my Southern Californians.

Time will tell.

[tangcoral]

Was wondering since the smoke is natural it can't be that bad can it? I mean chinas vehicle emissions and factory smoke stacks is uncomparable correct?

So 2-3 more weeks of this and its over?

Edited March 18, 2013 by tangcoral

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Was wondering since the smoke is natural it can't be that bad can it? I mean chinas vehicle emissions and factory smoke stacks is uncomparable correct?

So 2-3 more weeks of this and its over?

I think so. In China its much more industrial wastes, coal emissions, vehicle emissions, and some Gobi desert sand dust.

The natural smoke has to be better for ones health.

China has like 60 of worst 100 places for air quality. So yeah its better than the worst place(s) on earth.

China is so big though there are also quite a few cities/towns for great air quality that far surpass Chiang Mai's.

Try some of the cities in Yunnan Province like Kumming, Dali etc. The winds come down from the Himalayas etc and very clean.

Edited March 18, 2013 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[Chao Lao Beach]

Here is a TV thread for a year or so ago.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/346633-trat/

It seems that folks leave CM to come here (Clao Lao / Lam Sadet Beach) for a few months for fresh air. Looks horrible up there up north sucking n all that crap.

Edited March 19, 2013 by Chao Lao Beach

[seesip]

Yesterday afternoon near City Hall seemed really bad, but when I check the numbers online it looks like it was only borderline. My assessment was based on very low visibility, headaches, burning eyes. I expected to see numbers around 150+. Published numbers were around 113 unless I'm reading it wrong?

[T_Dog]

Here is a TV thread for a year or so ago.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/346633-trat/

It seems that folks leave CM to come here (Clao Lao / Lam Sadet Beach) for a few months for fresh air. Looks horrible up there up north sucking n all that crap.

We normally go to Ko Chang in March but last year and this year we had things going on that kept us in the smoke. It is pretty cruddy up here at the moment.

[MESmith]

Here is a TV thread for a year or so ago.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/346633-trat/

It seems that folks leave CM to come here (Clao Lao / Lam Sadet Beach) for a few months for fresh air. Looks horrible up there up north sucking n all that crap.

We normally go to Ko Chang in March but last year and this year we had things going on that kept us in the smoke. It is pretty cruddy up here at the moment.

I'll fill a bottle up with sea air & pm it to you

[T_Dog]

Here is a TV thread for a year or so ago.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/346633-trat/

It seems that folks leave CM to come here (Clao Lao / Lam Sadet Beach) for a few months for fresh air. Looks horrible up there up north sucking n all that crap.

We normally go to Ko Chang in March but last year and this year we had things going on that kept us in the smoke. It is pretty cruddy up here at the moment.

I'll fill a bottle up with sea air & pm it to you

Make it a large or better yet, super-size it!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Be specific on which sea air you want.

[MESmith]

Be specific on which sea air you want.

Laem Chabang.jpg

Is that where you're holing up? Spoiling the family again

[MESmith]

Back to the smog, why does a bit of wind from the south clear the air? If this is regional smog, surely it will just blow our smog to the north, replacing it with smog from the south? Or does the wind raise it higher in the atmosphere, clearing the smog at ground level? Discuss.....

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Be specific on which sea air you want.

Laem Chabang.jpg

Is that where you're holing up? Spoiling the family again

No, no, we're in Patters, with some side trips along the Eastern Seaboard. Air was a bit hazy earlier in the month, but it's just fine now. Right at the port of Laem Chabang though they're unloading very dusty stuff from very big ships though.

[cloudhopper]

Back to the smog, why does a bit of wind from the south clear the air? If this is regional smog, surely it will just blow our smog to the north, replacing it with smog from the south? Or does the wind raise it higher in the atmosphere, clearing the smog at ground level? Discuss.....

From what I can observe the cool late night/early morning downslope drainage breezes carry the forest fire smoke down into the valley where it pools and concentrates. As the day warms, thermals (often seen as short-lived whirlwinds) start to develop that carry the particulates up into the higher atmosphere where they are scattered by upper level stream winds that are often going a different direction to the more random surface winds. So the afternoon smoke levels are generally more representative of the wider regional pollution and anything denser is of relatively local origin.

[T_Dog]

Good to see some enforcement action. Ramp this up by a factor of 100 and the burning might be reduced.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=1556

[nikster]

Good to see some enforcement action. Ramp this up by a factor of 100 and the burning might be reduced.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=1556

Wow!!!!

Thats brilliant! A far cry from the mayor spraying water into the air from a firetruck or blaming Korean Bbqs...

[MESmith]

Latest PM10 reading for centre of city is 283 @ 11am.

Need some strong wind.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Yeah, was just going to say that you guys are having a spike.

You never know what will be next though.. could be double, or could be half..