Do you really need an air conditioner in Bangkok?

[Hal65]

Right now as I type this, the weather is 95°F at 60% humidity. A couple days ago it was 97° at 80%, which is the hottest I've personally experienced in my five short days in Bangkok.

But although I haven't been here very long, I'll say this: my 18 inch, adjustable height fan that cost about $30 from Tesco is almost too powerful. I have it pointing right at me from about 4 feet away, it has to be put on the first setting, because settings two or three just make me shiver too much (maybe I could use them if I push the fan further away from me).

Another side benefit is that my skin doesn't feel sticky at all. In fact it feels like I'm back in Southern California, with a nice continuous breeze passing by.

Am I just a bit odd, or do some of you truly need air-conditioning?

For those of you who insisted on an air-conditioned room, I'd like to hear why. Perhaps when it gets to a 40°C or above things change with the fan setup. Based on my experience I tend to doubt it, but I'm all ears.

[marko kok prong]

Here in Petchabun,most days have been above 38c,up to 42c,for weeks,so you really do need air con,as the house is concrete and holds the heat well into the night,don't keep it on all night in the bedroom,my missus usaully gets cold,and puts the fan over the bed on at some stage in the night,but in my study,which has a low roof,it was intolerable at this time of year,without ac,which i recently had installed,of course there is no insulation in the roof cavity ,i was going to put some in but with a typical suspended ceiling,there is so much wire hanging from the roof holding up the frame of ceiling i could not be bothered,we only have ac in the bedroom and my study and the stepdaughters hair salon,which is next to my study,i really feel it was worth it atB20,000, i have noticed a slight increase in the electric bill,but generally if you run the ac about say 28c,when it is 38c outside it is not to bad,however if you run at 22c there is a lot of difference,the only downside i have found is sitting in aircon all day,makes you much less tolerant of the heat when you do venture out.

[SoiBiker]

Nope. I haven't used mine for a month. Prefer fans. Plus I find if you get used to air con the heat is much harder to deal with when you do venture outside.

[Dannywla51]

I too am from Southern California , Santa Monica. I have a second home in Phu Khieo, Chaiyaphum. As I write this reply I just paid 31,400 baht to have my 18000 btu AC conditioner replaced with a new one. As it wasn't keeping my upstairs large bedroom cool enough during the day. At night no problem, most of us who choose not to back pack need the air set between 25-28 Celsius too insure we are comfortable.

As they move my seven year old downstairs, it 4 pm and my room temperature in my sitting area of my large bedroom is 74.8 degrees! I couldn't be more happy, sure my electric bill was 3500 baht last month, but it's the hot season! I have only a little less than three weeks before I head back West, but this upgrade and $1000.00 to know that my bedroom will stay at the correct temperature through out any hot day is money well spent.

I enjoy the nicer things in life, how you can say a fan keeps you comfortable is a figure of speech! In the cold season, I can manage with a fan or no fan at all. Why sweat like a pig when you can sit at home with HDTV, wiFi and enjoy the country from a nicer perspective.

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[stoneyboy]

I'm from the UK where temperatures are hardly ever in the high 30s why wouldn't I want air con when it's been hitting 42 in recent weeks,I'm not going to sit here sweating my balls off when a fan is insufficient,the same goes for a comfortable nights sleep and this is only achieved this time of year for me by having the air con on.

During the cooler months I've been known to sleep without the air con or the fan.

[HeavyDrinker]

If you're not from a warm climate, AC is a must at this time of the year.

We've just had the first decent rain of the wet (I hope) and the change in the air is noticeable. Even the wife went around the house turning off the AC and now the dog seems to have sprung to life, going after me shoes....

[bkkjames]

I refer to the locals who were born and raised here.

If they say it's hot, it is.

Do they use air con?

[marko kok prong]

If you're not from a warm climate, AC is a must at this time of the year.

We've just had the first decent rain of the wet (I hope) and the change in the air is noticeable. Even the wife went around the house turning off the AC and now the dog seems to have sprung to life, going after me shoes....

Glad you got some rain mate,we have been spoiled here ,storms nearly everyday since songkran,some heavy falls too,tthe wet season is my favorite time of year in Thailand,but the days have been very hot in between the rain,thats when i really appreciate the a/c.

[DP25]

I'm from southern California and the average daily high around me during July and August is 75F...so of course I want the air conditioner on when it's a full 20-30F higher. Bangkok isn't remotely like California unless you're from Death Valley or something, it is hot, humid, and hellish beyond belief. A fan does nothing during the day, it just moves around hot air. Bangkok is unlivable without air conditioning imo. Up north I can do with just a fan for much of the year, but not in Bangkok.

[h90]

Delta223: But try to do stressful work...urgent packing something heavy for FedEx at the same time speak with customer and tell someone something to do....and it has 42 degree......way too hot.

But to sit and nip on the beer cold beer in the heat is possible....

[VocalNeal]

Bangkok is the hottest city in the world and while a fan maybe nice for sitting a posting on TV if you try and do any meaningful tasks you will soon find that AC is a must. If only to lower the humidity.

[Hal65]

Maybe there's something odd about me because I've read here and numerous times in the past that fans don't actually chill a room, they just move air around. I'm pretty sure that the air hitting me feels cold though.

The only thing that has phased me so far is being outside midday, in the direct sunlight. I was sweating like a pig and fairly uncomfortable in my long sleeve shirt and long pants. Amazingly, a group of motorcycle taxi guys with balacavas on their head and multiple layers of clothing were not sweating at all or showing any signs of discomfort. Lucky them.

I guess I should still count myself as one of the lucky ones at least for expat. Long live penny per hour fans!

[thailiketoo]

There is a thread running now about the old timers. This is a good example. When I was here at 22 years of age I could live without a AC. I adapted. I tried it again at 50 in Bangkok and had to get drunk to go to sleep in a pool of sweat.

[ukrules]

I use A/C all the time. I put it to about 25 degrees C during the day and I set it to 18 degrees C for sleeping at night although in April it rarely goes below 20/21 due to the heat and my shitty A/C unit.

[bartender100]

Can't stand a fan blowing on me when I am trying to sleep, nice cool room with the a/c on about 26 and a light sheet, perfect. Drinking makes you even hotter i think.

[bkkjames]

Maybe there's something odd about me because I've read here and numerous times in the past that fans don't actually chill a room, they just move air around. I'm pretty sure that the air hitting me feels cold though.

The only thing that has phased me so far is being outside midday, in the direct sunlight. I was sweating like a pig and fairly uncomfortable in my long sleeve shirt and long pants. Amazingly, a group of motorcycle taxi guys with balacavas on their head and multiple layers of clothing were not sweating at all or showing any signs of discomfort. Lucky them.

I guess I should still count myself as one of the lucky ones at least for expat. Long live penny per hour fans!

when sweat evaporates from your skin, it cools. A fan can help this.

[CharlieH]

Depends entirely on the structure you are in, and the amount of time you spend in it.

Big difference from a single storey tin roof building and the 34th floor of a hotel.

[SoiBiker]

If you're not from a warm climate, AC is a must at this time of the year.

I'm from the UK. I don't use it.

[StreetCowboy]

I virtually never have the air conditioning on in the apartment in Kuala Lumpur, but I get a pleasant through breeze. I Bangkok I find it very unpleasant without air conditioning, but then we don't get the same movement of air through the apartment in BKK.

in the past, I have found when doing complicated tasks, like wrapping Christmas presents, I sweat like a horse without the air conditioning. In the past, I've used dehumidifiers in preference to cooling, as if the sweat dries off, I feel much happier, and the biggest irritation for me is the sweat spraying off everywhere

SC

[h90]

Maybe there's something odd about me because I've read here and numerous times in the past that fans don't actually chill a room, they just move air around. I'm pretty sure that the air hitting me feels cold though.

The only thing that has phased me so far is being outside midday, in the direct sunlight. I was sweating like a pig and fairly uncomfortable in my long sleeve shirt and long pants. Amazingly, a group of motorcycle taxi guys with balacavas on their head and multiple layers of clothing were not sweating at all or showing any signs of discomfort. Lucky them.

I guess I should still count myself as one of the lucky ones at least for expat. Long live penny per hour fans!

when sweat evaporates from your skin, it cools. A fan can help this.

also you build a thin layer of air that keeps close to your skin and insulates. the fan removes it.

[kurnell]

Fans blow all my money off the table

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[Nautilus05]

I Canadian, and used to -48C wind chill, and sloshing through 4 feet of snow. Need I say more?

[simon43]

I don't use air-cons, too chilly.

I used to be happy with a fan, but after living in Myanmar for 18 months with no fan at night, (due to power outages), I got used to sleeping without even a fan...

[marko kok prong]

If with out power a wet sheet can help as the sheet cools you and heat from your body,causes an evaporative effect,i have used this method before,also i used too wet down the walls of my padded cell,which helped,but this is in the past now and i feel at home in Thailand.

[stoneyboy]

If with out power a wet sheet can help as the sheet cools you and heat from your body,causes an evaporative effect,i have used this method before,also i used too wet down the walls of my padded cell,which helped,but this is in the past now and i feel at home in Thailand.

Wet dreams have a similar effect round my sweaty nads.

[sdanielmcev]

It's been about 100 for a while here, so yeah I could've used it, but we don't have it yet. Bothers my GF more than me. I'm fine with just a fan, about all I used back in Houston.

[wow64]

Dont need a fan or ac if you dont mind smelling like balls.

Sent from my c64

[almavro]

I too am from Southern California , Santa Monica. I have a second home in Phu Khieo, Chaiyaphum. As I write this reply I just paid 31,400 baht to have my 18000 btu AC conditioner replaced with a new one. As it wasn't keeping my upstairs large bedroom cool enough during the day. At night no problem, most of us who choose not to back pack need the air set between 25-28 Celsius too insure we are comfortable.

As they move my seven year old downstairs, it 4 pm and my room temperature in my sitting area of my large bedroom is 74.8 degrees! I couldn't be more happy, sure my electric bill was 3500 baht last month, but it's the hot season! I have only a little less than three weeks before I head back West, but this upgrade and $1000.00 to know that my bedroom will stay at the correct temperature through out any hot day is money well spent.

I enjoy the nicer things in life, how you can say a fan keeps you comfortable is a figure of speech! In the cold season, I can manage with a fan or no fan at all. Why sweat like a pig when you can sit at home with HDTV, wiFi and enjoy the country from a nicer perspective.

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Hi, Danny...

Couldn't help notice that you have a second home in Phu Khieo, as do we, for the past 25 or 30 years. Our first home is in Bangkok but we usually get up here monthly. Surprising that we haven't stumbled across one another: I live a stone's throw from the new bus station (well, it was new, eight or ten years ago). While I do see quite a few farang around, most of them are north European or Brit. You're the first other American I'm aware of.

If you'd care to compare notes, you can reach me via almavro [at] yopmail.com, an e-dress that will be valid for 8 days.

Best, Alex Mavro

[Thian]

In BKK it makes a big difference where you stay. Some places have a breeze of cold air, others a hot breeze or nothing at all.

Tree's around the house also helps a lot, the bigger the better. High floor condo's near the river must also be good to stay now.

But i need aircon in the afternoon, or at least dried air. If not then even brushing my teeth makes me sweat like a horse.

Drinking much icewater also helps well.

[kannot]

I use A/C all the time. I put it to about 25 degrees C during the day and I set it to 18 degrees C for sleeping at night although in April it rarely goes below 20/21 due to the heat and my shitty A/C unit.

Holy crap 18c!!! I thought I suffered with the heat but set mine at 26c 24/7 this time of year, its cheaper to leave it permanently on than run it off/on when you go in/out...............bill was 1380 baht last month house is only 50m2 though double block wall, airtight seal and insulated roof etc.