I'll be traveling for several months and will store some luggage here in Chiang Mai. Anyone know where I can buy those silica packets that absorb moisture or maybe calcium chloride, which I've read does the same thing. Does Tops at Kad Suan Kaew sell anything similar?

Any other tips about storing stuff, mostly clothes, in this humid environment would be appreciated too. Thanks.

You can buy them from almost every export company. We use them in ocean freight containers.

Send me a PM if you want to buy some from us.

Chiang Mai Plastic in Kad Luang and World Chemical on Mahidal Rd. I've seen them in other places, but only these two come to mind at the moment. If possible, use the packets inside, then plastic bag/trash bag with more silica over the box of bag. Even better if you could seal or vacuum seal as well.

Rimping has them including refills for whatever container you choose to use.

Camera shops also sell them, but even better, they sell small 'fungicide' packets too. One or two fungicide packets combined with the sillica dessicant packets, and NOTHING gets moldy, even stored away for a year or two!

Edited February 27, 201313 yr by FolkGuitar

How long do these things last....thinking to put them in a case containing a lot of photographs.

How long do these things last....thinking to put them in a case containing a lot of photographs.

I've got my camera and other optical things in those clip lok boxes the supermarkets have. They have got a rubber ring right around and the clips seem to make them airtight. I put my silica pkts in there and open the boxes as little as possible.

Most silica gel will take to being slowly warmed in a microwave to regenerate it: Do it fast and it'll overheat. If you can get any, get some blue indicating silica gel. It turns pink as it absorbs water, and goes back to blue as it's dried out. You only need a bit, as the other, cheaper, silica gel will be in the same situation.

Calcium Chloride turns to a horrible mush as it absorbs water, and could damage what you're tying to protect.

As suggested by CMSteve, I found silica gel at Chiang Mai Plastics but am wondering about the packaging. All the silica gel I've seen in the past come in paper packets but these are encased in plastic. Will they absorb moisture? Plastic isn't as permeable as the usual paper covering. I checked the plastic packets with a magnifier but couldn't see any perforations to allow more absorption.

Here's a photo of the packets.