Coping With The Heat And Humidity

[watgate]

So I returned to the states the end of February after spending the past 4 months in Chiang Mai and I enjoyed it immensely. Toward the end of February it was starting to get quite a bit hotter and I was looking forward to being back on the eastcoast where it was still cold. After returning I came to the realization that I am sick of cold weather, not to mention the unwelcome 8 inch snowstorm that arrived. Next winter I will be planning to stay in Chiang Mai until the middle of March and hopefully the weather back on the eastcoast of the USA will have turned the corner and spring will be arriving by the time I get back. My only question is for the folks who reside in Thailand year round, how do you cope with the increasing heat and humidity? Do you stay indoors in air conditioned comfort mainly? The place where I stay charges 7 units for electricity so I will have to be judicious in my useage next year when it gets hot.

[market trader]

What heat? What humidity? Stay here long enough and 32 - 37c feels normal. When I first arrived in Thailand on my first visit some 30-35 years ago I thought I was going to die from the heat and humidity and couldn't wait to go back home. However now that I have a Thai wife and have been living here for several years the heat and humidity all feel normal.. Actually this past January on the odd day when we woke up in the morning and the temperature was 18c we put a sweater on. Believe me for the first few weeks you will think you are in hell. But gradually you will get used to it. If you do feel it is imperative to turn on the air conditioner set it for 26 or 27c that setting will remove the humidity and you will feel comfortable.

[rene123]

I haven't used the aircon yet and I've been in Chiang Mai for 5 months. I just run an inexpensive fan and leave the screen door open. I have the fan blowing over me at night and it keeps what few mosquitos there are away. I only sleep with just a sheet over me. I gave up the blanket over a month ago. But, it WILL be nice to get back to the west coast of Canada in a month. I'm not hanging around for songkran.

[market trader]

I haven't used the aircon yet and I've been in Chiang Mai for 5 months. I just run an inexpensive fan and leave the screen door open. I have the fan blowing over me at night and it keeps what few mosquitos there are away. I only sleep with just a sheet over me. I gave up the blanket over a month ago. But, it WILL be nice to get back to the west coast of Canada in a month. I'm not hanging around for songkran.

Come on Rene... Tell the truth. It will be nice to get back to the west coast of Canada in a month because the weather there will be fantastic.. Nothing to do with Songkran.

[hellodolly]

I haven't used the aircon yet and I've been in Chiang Mai for 5 months. I just run an inexpensive fan and leave the screen door open. I have the fan blowing over me at night and it keeps what few mosquitos there are away. I only sleep with just a sheet over me. I gave up the blanket over a month ago. But, it WILL be nice to get back to the west coast of Canada in a month. I'm not hanging around for songkran.

Come on Rene... Tell the truth. It will be nice to get back to the west coast of Canada in a month because the weather there will be fantastic.. Nothing to do with Songkran.

Coming from that country I can safely say she is looking forward to the rain. The miserable kind that goes on for hours.

[hellodolly]

What heat? What humidity? Stay here long enough and 32 - 37c feels normal. When I first arrived in Thailand on my first visit some 30-35 years ago I thought I was going to die from the heat and humidity and couldn't wait to go back home. However now that I have a Thai wife and have been living here for several years the heat and humidity all feel normal.. Actually this past January on the odd day when we woke up in the morning and the temperature was 18c we put a sweater on. Believe me for the first few weeks you will think you are in hell. But gradually you will get used to it. If you do feel it is imperative to turn on the air conditioner set it for 26 or 27c that setting will remove the humidity and you will feel comfortable.

Good advice we ran ares for a few days at 27 mainly to filter the smog out of the air.

We pay 6 baht a unit and it is well worth it in the really bad smog. We ran it for a month all most non stop a couple of years ago and the cost was about 2,500 baht more than if we had not run it. I have since become more shall we say Thaiezed and it is mostly the wife who wants to use it now. Running full boar for a month worked out to about 70% of what my bill back home would have been with out using air coI did not retire to enter an endurance contest if it gets to hot for me.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I like the hot weather because I get this feeling of anticipation for Songkran.

Similar to liking the cold in anticipation for the holiday season as a kid.

(Again similarly, the day after the party I want the season to change :-) )

[masuk]

I haven't used the aircon yet and I've been in Chiang Mai for 5 months. I just run an inexpensive fan and leave the screen door open. I have the fan blowing over me at night and it keeps what few mosquitos there are away. I only sleep with just a sheet over me. I gave up the blanket over a month ago. But, it WILL be nice to get back to the west coast of Canada in a month. I'm not hanging around for songkran.

Same here. Been here more than a year, and use the fan on all but the hottest nights.

My neighbours from your country run their air con lots, both to cool in the warmer months and to warm in the 'cold' weather.

It's all a matter of getting used to the weather, and not breaking your bank.

[KRS1]

Chiang Mai humidity is nothing compared to the atmospheric soup that is BKK.

[kaptainrob]

What humidity?

Chiang Mai is dry compared with Thailand coastal areas like Phuket and Australia's east coast. The ~38c temps we had in Feb have been been replaced with an unusually cooler spell and smoke-free blue sky. Very, very nice weather.

I couldn't go back to NZ in winter after 30 years of sub-tropical living.

[averagejoey]

What heat? What humidity? Stay here long enough and 32 - 37c feels normal. When I first arrived in Thailand on my first visit some 30-35 years ago I thought I was going to die from the heat and humidity and couldn't wait to go back home. However now that I have a Thai wife and have been living here for several years the heat and humidity all feel normal.. Actually this past January on the odd day when we woke up in the morning and the temperature was 18c we put a sweater on. Believe me for the first few weeks you will think you are in hell. But gradually you will get used to it. If you do feel it is imperative to turn on the air conditioner set it for 26 or 27c that setting will remove the humidity and you will feel comfortable.

I have been living in Thailand for 12 years and still have NOT got used to heat and humidity. Not everyone gets used to it.

[puukao]

I definitely can't handle the heat year round, especially with the pollution. I live in Western United States, and the air is really nice. Just needed to avoid the winter this year. I couldn't handle freezing temperatures all year either, but I have learned I need at least a few seasons. 30 C all year while wearing a face mask a few months out of the year is not my idea of nirvana. who knows the long-term effects of the smoke in your lungs. however, I think December, January and parts of February are amazing.

We are all different. All good.

[Pikey]

I've been here 8 years and same, have not got 100% used to the heat. But, having said that, neither my previous rented house nor the house we have owned for the past 6 years have A/C and I am perfectly comfortable with a ceiling fan and if it gets really hot, the additional cross breeze of a free-standing fan.

Besides, it's a good excuse to drink a nice cold beer

Cheers,

Pikey.

[MESmith]

I've been here 8 years and same, have not got 100% used to the heat. But, having said that, neither my previous rented house nor the house we have owned for the past 6 years have A/C and I am perfectly comfortable with a ceiling fan and if it gets really hot, the additional cross breeze of a free-standing fan.

Besides, it's a good excuse to drink a nice cold beer

Cheers,

Pikey.

No AC for me in the 14 years here. A well designed house & garden are the way to go. Keep the windows closed during the heat of the day

[Pikey]

Yes, forgot about the garden - lots of shade really helps and if it gets truly hot, the missus hoses down the patio areas which I suppose is a primative Thai-style aircon, i.e cooling by evapouration.

Cheers,

Pikey.

[KRS1]

When i kinda quit smoking it made it much easier for my body to handle excess heat, dont know what they put in thai cigarettes.

Before i would sweat just walking in the mall.

[NancyL]

Good fans can work wonders and are cheap to purchase and operate.

Sounds like the OP is staying in a guesthouse or long-stay apartment, since he mentioned electricity charges of 7 baht a unit. Also sounds like he wants to return there. 7 baht/unit isn't excessive for a place like that. The OP should think about the orientation of the building and ask for a room on the north or northeast side. Also, often the lower floors are cooler, because the top of a high building is exposed to the sun longer each day than the lower part.

We switched locations within the same high-rise building and our electricity bill was cut in half.

[hellodolly]

What heat? What humidity? Stay here long enough and 32 - 37c feels normal. When I first arrived in Thailand on my first visit some 30-35 years ago I thought I was going to die from the heat and humidity and couldn't wait to go back home. However now that I have a Thai wife and have been living here for several years the heat and humidity all feel normal.. Actually this past January on the odd day when we woke up in the morning and the temperature was 18c we put a sweater on. Believe me for the first few weeks you will think you are in hell. But gradually you will get used to it. If you do feel it is imperative to turn on the air conditioner set it for 26 or 27c that setting will remove the humidity and you will feel comfortable.

I have been living in Thailand for 12 years and still have NOT got used to heat and humidity. Not everyone gets used to it.

I can kind of relate to that. I have been here 7 years and while it can bother me I have learned to ignore it. I learned that trick working construction in a hot climate all though it was not near the humidity we have here.

The wife just called from Bangkok and all she could say was coming home tomorrow morning and hot hot hot.

[MESmith]

What heat? What humidity? Stay here long enough and 32 - 37c feels normal. When I first arrived in Thailand on my first visit some 30-35 years ago I thought I was going to die from the heat and humidity and couldn't wait to go back home. However now that I have a Thai wife and have been living here for several years the heat and humidity all feel normal.. Actually this past January on the odd day when we woke up in the morning and the temperature was 18c we put a sweater on. Believe me for the first few weeks you will think you are in hell. But gradually you will get used to it. If you do feel it is imperative to turn on the air conditioner set it for 26 or 27c that setting will remove the humidity and you will feel comfortable.

I have been living in Thailand for 12 years and still have NOT got used to heat and humidity. Not everyone gets used to it.

I can kind of relate to that. I have been here 7 years and while it can bother me I have learned to ignore it. I learned that trick working construction in a hot climate all though it was not near the humidity we have here.

The wife just called from Bangkok and all she could say was coming home tomorrow morning and hot hot hot.

A bit too much information, Dolly

[hellodolly]

What heat? What humidity? Stay here long enough and 32 - 37c feels normal. When I first arrived in Thailand on my first visit some 30-35 years ago I thought I was going to die from the heat and humidity and couldn't wait to go back home. However now that I have a Thai wife and have been living here for several years the heat and humidity all feel normal.. Actually this past January on the odd day when we woke up in the morning and the temperature was 18c we put a sweater on. Believe me for the first few weeks you will think you are in hell. But gradually you will get used to it. If you do feel it is imperative to turn on the air conditioner set it for 26 or 27c that setting will remove the humidity and you will feel comfortable.

I have been living in Thailand for 12 years and still have NOT got used to heat and humidity. Not everyone gets used to it.

I can kind of relate to that. I have been here 7 years and while it can bother me I have learned to ignore it. I learned that trick working construction in a hot climate all though it was not near the humidity we have here.

The wife just called from Bangkok and all she could say was coming home tomorrow morning and hot hot hot.

A bit too much information, Dolly

Sorry

Is I used to put a sprinkler on the roof in Canada OK

Edited March 10, 2013 by hellodolly

[harryfrompattaya]

Live like a white person and use the Air I as a Black America can not believe all the Cheap Charlies and poor fools that do you

I read about all the money they have the great business in Thailand and Hi So Wife's but talk about the high cost of air,

My poor family in America on welfare are use air

Stop being cheap

[dickyknee]

If it gets a bit warm during the day, pick a hill and drive up it.

[realthaideal]

You get used to it. Drink plenty of water and take cold showers 3-5x/day.

[nivram4491]

I haven't used the aircon yet and I've been in Chiang Mai for 5 months. I just run an inexpensive fan and leave the screen door open. I have the fan blowing over me at night and it keeps what few mosquitos there are away. I only sleep with just a sheet over me. I gave up the blanket over a month ago. But, it WILL be nice to get back to the west coast of Canada in a month. I'm not hanging around for songkran.

I don't like aircon and I don't like a fan blowing over me when I try to sleep. To keep the house from heating up to much during the day keep all doors and windows closed to keep the hot air out.

At night when trying to sleep what I do is put a fan in the window beside my bed but blowing air outside through the window. This creates a flow of cool air flowing in through the other open windows in the room across my bed. It's a bit like aircon but much gentler and much cheaper. It only works because of the cool nights we have in Chiang Mai.

[MESmith]

Live like a white person and use the Air I as a Black America can not believe all the Cheap Charlies and poor fools that do you

I read about all the money they have the great business in Thailand and Hi So Wife's but talk about the high cost of air,

My poor family in America on welfare are use air

Stop being cheap

???????

[hellodolly]

Live like a white person and use the Air I as a Black America can not believe all the Cheap Charlies and poor fools that do you

I read about all the money they have the great business in Thailand and Hi So Wife's but talk about the high cost of air,

My poor family in America on welfare are use air

Stop being cheap

???????

I have to agree with him we can get pretty cheap at times. Mind you I am on a retirement visa so that means I have money. The people teaching English are not that well off and some of them have to budget. Don't know about the other people but I would imagine the business owners are doing all right.

With some people it is not about the cost they just don't like air con. For myself I find just opening the window and the front door serves me well. How ever my Thai wife will from time to time turn the air on. Also if the smog is to bad I will turn it on and shut all entrances.

[Pikey]

Live like a white person and use the Air I as a Black America can not believe all the Cheap Charlies and poor fools that do you

I read about all the money they have the great business in Thailand and Hi So Wife's but talk about the high cost of air,

My poor family in America on welfare are use air

Stop being cheap

???????

I have to agree with him we can get pretty cheap at times. Mind you I am on a retirement visa so that means I have money. The people teaching English are not that well off and some of them have to budget. Don't know about the other people but I would imagine the business owners are doing all right.

With some people it is not about the cost they just don't like air con. For myself I find just opening the window and the front door serves me well. How ever my Thai wife will from time to time turn the air on. Also if the smog is to bad I will turn it on and shut all entrances.

For once I agree with you HelloDolly. See my bold highlights, yes to both. I'm no cheap charlie by any means (I'm not a cash spunker either), but I am somewhat asthmatic and aircon, particularly in the bedroom, means I wake up with a sore throat and bunged up nose. I don't "suffer" with the heat here and am happy enough with a fan or two.

Dunno what our black american friend from Pattaya is on about either......

Cheers,

Pikey.

[MESmith]

Live like a white person and use the Air I as a Black America can not believe all the Cheap Charlies and poor fools that do you

I read about all the money they have the great business in Thailand and Hi So Wife's but talk about the high cost of air,

My poor family in America on welfare are use air

Stop being cheap

???????

I have to agree with him we can get pretty cheap at times. Mind you I am on a retirement visa so that means I have money. The people teaching English are not that well off and some of them have to budget. Don't know about the other people but I would imagine the business owners are doing all right.

With some people it is not about the cost they just don't like air con. For myself I find just opening the window and the front door serves me well. How ever my Thai wife will from time to time turn the air on. Also if the smog is to bad I will turn it on and shut all entrances.

Thanks for the translation. Might have known you'd understand such a random selection of letters

What the fella from Pattaya might not understand is the climate is very different here up north. Cool evenings & mornings. No need for AC unless you live in a concrete box in the sun all day. My house is a comfortable 26 - 28C inside during the day. At night, open some windows turn on the ceiling extractor fans for about an hour, suck in the cooler air. Rooms are far too large, and ceilings too high to cool by AC. Wish I was welfare

[hellodolly]

Live like a white person and use the Air I as a Black America can not believe all the Cheap Charlies and poor fools that do you

I read about all the money they have the great business in Thailand and Hi So Wife's but talk about the high cost of air,

My poor family in America on welfare are use air

Stop being cheap

???????

I have to agree with him we can get pretty cheap at times. Mind you I am on a retirement visa so that means I have money. The people teaching English are not that well off and some of them have to budget. Don't know about the other people but I would imagine the business owners are doing all right.

With some people it is not about the cost they just don't like air con. For myself I find just opening the window and the front door serves me well. How ever my Thai wife will from time to time turn the air on. Also if the smog is to bad I will turn it on and shut all entrances.

Thanks for the translation. Might have known you'd understand such a random selection of letters

What the fella from Pattaya might not understand is the climate is very different here up north. Cool evenings & mornings. No need for AC unless you live in a concrete box in the sun all day. My house is a comfortable 26 - 28C inside during the day. At night, open some windows turn on the ceiling extractor fans for about an hour, suck in the cooler air. Rooms are far too large, and ceilings too high to cool by AC. Wish I was welfare

Not sure if that was a compliment or not. I presume you have a lot of shade covering your roof.

Not sure about the cool mornings year around but defiantly a chill in the air in the winter months.

[watgate]

Some very interesting responses to my query. I truly appreciate all the feedback because it helps you formulate a game plan for addressing your concerns and the information and suggestions can be invaluable. I agree that if you reside in Thailand long enough, you have a better chance of eventually acclimating yourself to the tropical conditions, especially during the summer months. Part of my problem is that I don't stay in a house when I am in Chiang Mai. If I did, I think you have a better chance of cooling your living quarters, as opposed to living in a concrete square with little air movement. I like the suggestion of getting a fan and will buy one upon my return next winter. Not only should it help with cooling but hopefully it will give me some relief from the incessant mosquitoes who love to torment me. Also, the place where I stay,which I love, but unfortunately does not have screens to my outside porch, so thusly I am not at liberty to open my sliding doors at night because I know a mosquito or 2 or 3 will sneak in and have a field day with me. I am supposed to be moving to a higher floor which hopefully my room will have a screen so I can get some ventilation at night. Anyway, at some point, if my plans go according to schedule, I hope to eventually rent a house which, at that point, I will have more viable options to address the heat and humidity. I love the suggestion about heading up to the top of a mountain to cool off during the day. I went to the campground past Doi Suthep this past February and the air was cooler, although when I went again it wasn't as refreshing. Anyway living in Chiang Mai and in Thailand is certainly interesting and can be challenging at times, but I keep coming back every year so I guess I LOVE IT HERE.

Edited March 10, 2013 by watgate