Dare I say the 'S' word

[Konini]

I know it's early October and we haven't had any rain (in the city) for a few days, but..........

Husband has been complaining of irritation for a couple of days, and the haze (which I thought I was imagining yesterday) seems quite bad today - it can't be starting already can it?

[Thailand]

Started in earnest mid December last year so maybe just a glitch?

Hopefully!

[Konini]

I hope so. Thought I was very clever to have arranged to be out of the country for the worst of it. Now I'm looking more like a clever clogs

[cloudhopper]

Saw the first big fire of the season in the Pai foothills last night.

[SoloFlyer]

Definate burning out hang dong around 6ish last night.

[siamod]

I also noticed some burning 4 days ago in Hang Dong, at the Chiang Mai Canyon area.

[MESmith]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

[Thailand]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

[uptheos]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

That's the importance of being.

Geez, let's hope it doesn't start early. I had the misfortune to go all around the place today, hopping on and off songthaews. The fumes from choc a bloc traffic were awful, add to that burning in dem der hills when it comes and Chiang mai IMO is one ugly city...... though it looks better at night.

[MESmith]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

But many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

[daoyai]

I think the big brown cloud has blown down from China a little early this year, eyes dry and itchy.

Edited October 10, 2013 by daoyai

[T_Dog]

Saw the first big fire of the season in the Pai foothills last night.

We have been seeing it here in Mae Taeng as well. This photo is from two nights ago and there was burning in all quadrants. We had to close off all the windows and hunker down until well after sunset. Everything is still so moist and that seems to make more smoke and longer fires. Winds cleared things up today but there was still a lot of burning going on.

[anto]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

But many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

Its vastly exaggerated .THE ONLY THING IT MEANS TO ME AFTER 5 YEARS HERE IS I CAN NOT SEE THE MOUNTAINS FROM MY MOOBAAN WHEN IT HAPPENS .Never had any breathing problems ,or anything health wise ,touch wood .

[Thailand]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

But many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

Its vastly exaggerated .THE ONLY THING IT MEANS TO ME AFTER 5 YEARS HERE IS I CAN NOT SEE THE MOUNTAINS FROM MY MOOBAAN WHEN IT HAPPENS .Never had any breathing problems ,or anything health wise ,touch wood .

Please don't shout it's very rude.

[LarryBird]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

But many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

Its vastly exaggerated .THE ONLY THING IT MEANS TO ME AFTER 5 YEARS HERE IS I CAN NOT SEE THE MOUNTAINS FROM MY MOOBAAN WHEN IT HAPPENS .Never had any breathing problems ,or anything health wise ,touch wood .

I think it was SIX years ago when it was actually VERY bad. I'm sure someone can look up the statistics. But, at that time, there really was extremely limited visibility. Like 200-300 meters.

Whether or not you think it affects you is irrelevant. If 50 people got hit by bullets, and 50 people didn't, and you were one of the survivors, does that mean there's not a problem.

[Tywais]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

But many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

Its vastly exaggerated .THE ONLY THING IT MEANS TO ME AFTER 5 YEARS HERE IS I CAN NOT SEE THE MOUNTAINS FROM MY MOOBAAN WHEN IT HAPPENS .Never had any breathing problems ,or anything health wise ,touch wood .

Exaggerated, seriously? Not much comfort for the thousands who have respiratory problems each year due to it.

[Tywais]

Current fire map shows hardly anything at all of significance. So local (next door neighbor) style burning is not a forerunner to the true burning season.

[anto]

People with breathing problems ?

I would humbly suggest that such people not live in Chiang Mai then .I left Pattaya because after 2 years i had certain issues with the place .They can do the same from Chiang Mai ,but pretty please stop the whinging <deleted> .

[naboo]

Hypochondriac - what is the smoke equivalent?

<deleted>.

[CMKiwi]

Only been here a year and although the smoke season is a bit of a hinderance at times, Ive never got to the stage where Ive had to voice my annoyance about it. Id still prefer to live here than BKK for many reasons. At the moment I think its just heat haze! Well its been a few days now since we had any rain, and yet Im told its winter???

Good time to get out and about on the bike.... damn I love this place.

[hellodolly]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

But many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

Many living here dream little things into being a problem. Smog occurred last year for a short time in December and as few days in January but didn't really start up to Chiang Mai standards until mid February. I believe they hung around for an extra month though.

Seems as people get older their perception changes. Look at the record of years past it will show where it was bad and where it was not bad.

[DeeMockMark]

The haze is most likely from all the evaporated recent rain. I'll let you know when the burning commences in earnest.....

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

But many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

Its vastly exaggerated .THE ONLY THING IT MEANS TO ME AFTER 5 YEARS HERE IS I CAN NOT SEE THE MOUNTAINS FROM MY MOOBAAN WHEN IT HAPPENS .Never had any breathing problems ,or anything health wise ,touch wood .

I have been here allergy free for a year. Today I am all stuffy and sneezing. You are lucky Anto. I think I might be getting more sensitive. What a pain.

[orang37]

many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

Sawdusted Cupcakes, ME,

Let me get this straight: are you implying that some expats are living here that didn't come here to be like totally in denial, and to attain profound unawareness of their problems ?

Well okay, I'm not sure if "attain" is the right word.

I'm so far in denial people ask me if I'm Egyptian, but they refuse to believe what I tell them: do you have this problem ?

~o:37;

[Thailand]

People with breathing problems ?

I would humbly suggest that such people not live in Chiang Mai then .I left Pattaya because after 2 years i had certain issues with the place .They can do the same from Chiang Mai ,but pretty please stop the whinging <deleted> .

I guess you are referring to the thousands of Thai's that suffer from aggravated respiratory problems during the burning season each year.Where would you recommend they go to?

[hellodolly]

Very kind but I think we will probably know.

Definitely a few extra fires around the Samoeng canal road are towards San Patong.

But many folk living here are in denial or unaware of a problem

Its vastly exaggerated .THE ONLY THING IT MEANS TO ME AFTER 5 YEARS HERE IS I CAN NOT SEE THE MOUNTAINS FROM MY MOOBAAN WHEN IT HAPPENS .Never had any breathing problems ,or anything health wise ,touch wood .

Exaggerated, seriously? Not much comfort for the thousands who have respiratory problems each year due to it.

That is an February through April problem not an October problem. The population is aging and their ability to handle smoke/smog is apparently weakening. With out meaning malice but in the spirit of health perhaps some people should look for other locals to reside in. Chiang Mai can be harsh but there are far worse in Northern Thailand.

I posted a chart earlier if you click on it you will see the last ten years records. Far different than what people suppose them to have been.

[hml367]

Sometimes statistics and charts (usually made from statistics) reflect what the author wants them to reflect.

CMU has done studies in the past, and probably still does, regarding the health hazards from the air quality in Chiang Mai.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Sometimes statistics and charts (usually made from statistics) reflect what the author wants them to reflect.

And at other times it's raw data that comes out of a air analysis machine every hour.

It only becomes statistics if you do analysis over time. Which is actually a useful thing to do.

[dave2]

re

and the haze (which I thought I was imagining yesterday) seems quite bad today

shes right !

blue sky pic 8 18 am wednesday

grey sky pic 8 19 am today

dave2

[hml367]

For reference....

CMU-airpollut.pdf

[hellodolly]

Sometimes statistics and charts (usually made from statistics) reflect what the author wants them to reflect.

CMU has done studies in the past, and probably still does, regarding the health hazards from the air quality in Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai university has done studied and probably still does.

All they had to do was ask me. I could have told them that even with out the burning season the air with pollutants from all vehicles in the city was not great. Even vehicles that are not public modes of transportation such as Tuck Tuck's and Songtels.(had to put that in for my fans)

Did they take into account that it is an aging population?

The chart I put up was just to show the month to month measurements for the last ten years. I can not swear to it but I would imagine it was the same equipment each year. Even if they changed the equipment each year you would still be able to see the difference month to month.

As for statistics best let them be. They require at the least a little common sense and at the most, well who knows. My Psychology instructor said it was a 5 year collage course.