How do you deal with the heat? Seriously...

[Stan42]

How I deal with the heat?

I mostly stay indoors with the aircon blasting at 25°. If I'm out and about, I just accept getting sweaty and have a shower when I get home. I remember to drink plenty of fluids boys and girls.

[marko kok prong]

Hellishly hot 40c again today in my carport,not a drop of rain,the monsoon may well not come this year,due to a strong el nino,we may have very little rain,for it to be 40c,at this time of year is very unusual,no big cloud's building,only the scudding stuff,we are in for a big drought this year .

[lostoday]

44 thousand baht new AC. Glad I bought it this year. Worth every penny.

[nev]

Open all the windows you need a cross flow of air, sit in my favourite chair with the fan going a nice cool drink and not having to do much is a blessing.

[buhi]

Open all the windows you need a cross flow of air, sit in my favourite chair with the fan going a nice cool drink and not having to do much is a blessing.

Yes indeed, look at traditional Thai homes even palaces, the one of Rama 6 at Cha Am comes to mind.

We built our house Thai style. Use air at night as a luxury, but never before sunset or to try and compete with the heat outside; air flows in , up and out.

Edited June 1, 2015 by buhi

[cretan]

_{thai shopping malls are often so cold I look forward to going back outside.}

[northernjohn]

Thanks MJP. I've had the dress code down for years. my concern is I just left 3 months of blistering heat and humidity in West Bengal. I was helping set up a humanitarian medical project/clinic there. I was hoping for a little relief here.

Could always push more water...

Have you tried northern Thailand? I admit the last 6 weeks have been hot here in Chiang Mai but they are still acceptable.

Just what kind of an area do you want to live in?

[fey]

Been living with a fan for years in the hottest areas. Fact is, with a fan blowing directly on you your really hard pressed to complain no matter how hot it is. And they are pretty cheap to run 24/7. Try it at night, its great. The wind feels great, or is the breeze to irritating you as well and maybe you need still cold air to feel normal? Lol.

You need to have those car windows rolled up, can have the wind messy your hair lol.

Recently had the displeasure of dining in an air con place and sitting next to a foreigner full of himself explaining how he cant live without air con and how terrible it must be for the poor people who cant afford it.

Spineless twerp, seriously...

Edited June 1, 2015 by fey

[ramrod45]

The first day I arrived in Thailand I had flown into BKK late at night. The next morning I left the hotel, walked about 20 paces, and was drenched with sweat. Found a little café shop about 50 meters up the road, stopped in, 20 minutes later I was still sweating. Honestly thought maybe I had made a grave error, plus I do sweat easier that others. Two days later I was in Chiang Mai, and it was much better, but still hot, however less humid. I tried my best to acclimate, not using the room a/c, sleeping with just a fan on, being careful when/where I went during the day. Second year seemed better.....less sweat, but it also seemed we had fewer hot days. This year I've had the a/c on more than ever. I have found the days to be more hot, the humidity is up (though still better than down south), and if I do anything more than maybe a short walk, I start to sweat considerably, which I find to not be comfortable. I'm not over here to not drink beer, not have fun, not enjoy a lifestyle I select. Those at the beach can have the beach, I've lived around the beach most of my life and really don't need, or want it. I know people that barely sweat, people that sweat just standing up. There is no right or wrong for over here, and it is something that needs to be addressed when you move here. (Just because someone complains, seems all the TV bashers immediately say "go home"...pffffft ) Wearing sandals...hmmm, every had the top of your feet burning up while sitting at that 12 minute stop light on your scooter in the middle of the day? Wearing a long sleeved shirt or light jacket does help in the day when riding around. I see no issue using a/c at home....I've done it with and without, and laying on the bed getting all clammy is just not my cup of tea. Showers just help to get rid of the sweat.....supposedly you should take hot showers, as a cool one doesn't do much when walking back out into a hot room (I prefer the cool a/c room). Basically do what Thai people do: walk in the shade, limit when you go out, cover your arms, drink fluids. Does one ever consider why some places in Thailand are lively after 7pm? It's when the sun goes down and it's more enjoyable to be out. As far as the Thai people go, I know many that can only afford a fan, and they all wish they could have a/c at home. Some good advice was given on this thread, but some people, prior to coming to a more tropical climate and having never experienced it before, will find the weather difficult. Other people seem to want everyone to live that "healthy" lifestyle, and give up the things some of us find enjoyable. My opinion is use the a/c, minimize when you are out during the hottest time of the day, and try to stay in the shade if you need to go out. I think the one thing everyone agreed on was to drink sufficient water. Even a/c dries you out.

[marko kok prong]

it may be hotter here than on the coast,but when i was in Koh chang recently,the humidity was very high,even sitting reading a book,i would be sweating,since i have come back up to Petchabun province,well we have not had a day under 38c,yesterday was 40c,this is my third year here and this is the hottest i have known it,not much i can do but sit in my study with the air con on,yesterday even that was struggling to cool the room.

[joeyg]

Thanks MJP. I've had the dress code down for years. my concern is I just left 3 months of blistering heat and humidity in West Bengal. I was helping set up a humanitarian medical project/clinic there. I was hoping for a little relief here.

Could always push more water...

Have you tried northern Thailand? I admit the last 6 weeks have been hot here in Chiang Mai but they are still acceptable.

Just what kind of an area do you want to live in?

I'm actually OK now. Strangely enough. When I go out I usually do open up the umbrella which really helps. I walk about 3 miles total to the market in Samut Prakan nearly everyday. Sometimes I come back pretty soaked. As long as I can wipe the sweat out of my eyes and neck with a bandana I feel OK. A cold beer, water or coconut just hits the spot.

[californiabeachboy]

I just read you last post, and as a fellow San Diego resident, I admire your ability to adapt. I live here in San Diego (Pacific Beach) and have visited Thailand about 10 times, but after 3 or 4 weeks that weather just kills me, so I start planning my way home.

For me, there are only two solutions - every time you return home, take a shower - it will feel sooo good. The second is, when you are out and about in Thailand, and the sweat is pouring down you, just think of the shower that will be soon be coming your way.

[MrJohnson]

Been here almost twenty years. When I get used to the heat I'll let you know. As I get older I find it more difficult to handle.

[wow64]

Keep the air con serviced and some cold beer in the fridge.

Sent from my c64

[mommysboy]

I have met some people who seem unbothered by the heat, either they are hardy individuals who come from a warm climate or who have worked in Saudi for instance, or people who have somehow blocked out the discomfort their body is very obviously demonstrating in other ways.

Location is a big factor, Bangkok is beyond hot most of the time and is also polluted which adds to the heat stress, whereas some coastal regions are quite pleasant at least some of the time.

The only remedy for me, good air conditioning, and keeping myself in good shape.

[Asheron]

The heat in itself isn't any issue for me, it's the "small" issue that i sweat like a pig right now if i do anything even remotely taxing on my body such as wash dishes or cook food. I even sweat just walking under 50 meters in the sun or even in the shade. And i'm not fat or obese as that tend to make people sweat more easily.

Sitting down with a fan directly on me from about 1 meter is the only solution to the heat.

[mommysboy]

That's a bit of a contradictory posting

[wileycoyote]

 

Give it a bit of time. I take around a month to acclimatize usually. Drink lots of water, take showers twice or three times a day.

Thailand is no place for two day pants. The inside out thing doesn't work.

Lose the socks. Crocs over socks is a no no.

 

Sound advice,also eat less especially sugary foods

[mogandave]

It's only hot 2-3 months a year, and only outside...

[peterb17]

It never used to bother me as a younger man. I have noticed that it is getting progressively harder to handle at 62. I mean I don't want to move outside. I'm wondering is there something wrong with me or the body is just different.

I'm 5'10' 175 pounds. So only a little over weight. My trips over the last 20 years although frequent have never been over 30 days. and I've always been so relieved to get back to the nearly perfect climate of San Diego.

I do want to retire here and my friends who have lived here many years say I'll get used to it in 6 months. "My blood will thin out." Anyway I love Thailand but it feels after a few weeks the climate may be a deal killer. I don't want to live in an air conditioned room.

Any thoughts...

11 years + living in Thailand and I still sweat like a whore in church!

I am totally comfortable with just a fan most of the time.

I make sure to be active during the day. I run every morning at 0530.

I work a lot, if I overheat during my work day, I run home for a shower.

In other words, I don't let the heat slow me down too much. Hydration certainly is the key to life here.

Just interested- why would a whore ( I think the politically correct term is sex worker ) sweat in church.

[peterb17]

It's only hot 2-3 months a year, and only outside...

And that's why ( with ref to another thread where some one was whinging about a 1300 baht electricity bill ) my bill last month was 9230 baht .

Even the garden is air conditioned.

[Chivas]

The hotter the better as far as I'm concerned. New lease of life whenever I hit the Sun

[mindovermatter]

Take a bath twice a day, always wear deo and light clothes. Always walk under the shaded part of the streets. Use an umbrella or wear a cap/hat. Don't wear any hair gel! Always have a towel handy and drink lots of water! It's already the start of the early rainy season so the heat should be a bit bearable for now. Glad that I'm able to surpass the scorching heat of April and May in Bangkok. Whew!

[redandyellow]

Anyone else overwhelmed by the climate?

no, just the women

[rocketboybkk]

Powder up, shower a lot, drink fluids

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[joeyg]

Been using that Snake Brand Powder 2 big cans 86 bhat. Man that stuff is like liquid Nitrogen!!!

Anyway, the heat doesn't phase me anymore thank God. And what rainy season?

[joeyg]

Anyone else overwhelmed by the climate?

no, just the women

So you find it overwhelming then. LOL sorry you left yourself wide open for that one 555

[Tchooptip]

It's not just heat (as you all know, Grandma suck eggs), but the heat index . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_index

Worth learning about (takes five mins) if you live in the tropics.

Thanks for the link, very interesting, I've learnt something

[dirtycash]

i have at least 3 showers a day, wear flip flops and shorts, wear cotton shirts etc, use cool powder from 7/11, use a good anti persperant such as dove 48 hour protection.

[AlexRRR]

Yes it can be hard, i found that limiting the use of air con is a factor, many showers a day ( bird bath as one poster put it ) going out early mornings or mid to late afternoons made it better, i found going vegetarian 98% of the time and eating like a thai adding chilli to most dishes drinking chilled water with meals and pretty much avoiding alcohol made life bearable.