Smog in Chaing Mai - Travel in April is ok?

[khwaibah]

Where is you spirit of adventure? Take a chance, nobody can predict the future. Come to Chiang Mai!

April usually isn't as bad as March.

But it stills sucks compared to May and on. Avoid it like the plague.

[Awk]

Here's a plot for March - May for the last four years, so anyone who wants can make their own interpretation.

My interpretation is that most years, with the exception of 2011, which was however probably also the best year, by the middle of next week pollution gradually starts decreasing. By the end of the second week of April, pm10 will in three out of the four years have fallen to below 60 ug/m^3, and mostly remain below that level. One year (2013) however still had a pm10 count above 100 ug/m^3 for most of the time till after Songkraen, due to week-lasting peaks appearing out of nowhere.

Unfortunately, the plots indicate that the decline, which will hopefully also this year start by the middle of next week, is a somewhat gradual decline. With a few setbacks included too. Since this year is the worst so far (since 2011 at least), it seems likely to me that the pm10 count will remain above 100 ug/m^3 for a long time, even if a gradual decline starts next week. Will be interesting to next week see if a decline occurs, and by how much.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Awk

[bangmai]

Where is you spirit of adventure? Take a chance, nobody can predict the future. Come to Chiang Mai!

April usually isn't as bad as March.

May is probably the best kept secret about the place. It is much nicer than March/April, some of the lowest backpacker numbers of the year, and the 49 THB sub will return at Subway.

[Tywais]

There is high probability of rain starting Sunday.

[ChangMaiSausage]

Hope so I arrive next Friday

I was in CM last year for Songkran and never really noticed the smog, maybe coming from the Boro in the UK means that I'm used to it (people from Middlesbrough are called smoggies)

There is high probability of rain starting Sunday.

[northernjohn]

OK, thanks everyone. So if we are planning to come the week before Songkran we can assume the burning is still going on. Just how bad is it?

I took this video yesterday at Huay Teung Tao (CM)

https://youtu.be/7avkAC6bq10

Your video has nothing to do with smog in 4 weeks. It is misleading.

Smog has always improved between the middle of March and the middle of April.

How it is misleading? I clearly stated the video was taken YESTERDAY.

On a thread pertaining to April 12. Why not some Christmas pictures. Just clearly state these are December 25th.

[northernjohn]

I just looked back through several seasons of April photos and some of them show quite a bit of haze while others look very clear. You could also look back in the PM10 data to see how things have been in the past.

As others have said, it really depends on whether the locals are done burning, or if the rains have come to dampen the burning party. There is no way to predict what April will be like but it surely won't be as clean as the months of May onward.

Or nearly as bad as March.

[bangmai]

There is high probability of rain starting Sunday.

10%? What have you been smoking, besides the air? 50% on Tuesday for pm thunderstorms. Could I interest you in some shares of PFM?

Edited March 18, 2015 by bangmai

[Chicog]

There is high probability of rain starting Sunday.

And where are you getting this information?

[slipperylobster]

Right now is probably the same as in downtown Los Angeles (during mid august). Our pollution is mostly due to burning, whereas in Los Angeles, it it more about car emissions and factories. I have serious allergies, and was worried about my first smog season here in Chiang Mai, but my allergies were actually worse in January (pollen). My eyes itch from time to time, but my breathing is ok, and I sleep well. We still go to the swimming pool, ride bicycles, walk around the park early in the morning (Huay Teung Tao) and have a few beers at the neighborhood watering hole, near Raum Chok.

I do miss the bright blue skies and greenery, that was abundant just two months ago. All in all...you can deal with it. I would break up your trip and fly direct from Chiang Mai to Krabi (not Phuket). Krabi is easier to get around, and Ao Nang might be interesting (for cleaner air). Take a fresh boat trip to a small island down there.

Edited March 18, 2015 by slipperylobster

[desi]

How it is misleading? I clearly stated the video was taken YESTERDAY.

On a thread pertaining to April 12. Why not some Christmas pictures. Just clearly state these are December 25th.

There's always an ass on Thaivisa - tell me, is it always your turn?

[blueyeshk]

After the first light rains in April it needs another period of steady rain for days because they will start again and again as long as they can. It's dangerous for the past three weeks and will be so for another 4 to come. Get out of there.

Edited March 18, 2015 by blueyeshk

[FolkGuitar]

If it does not rain it will be hazardous to health, simple as that. Eyes burning, sore throats etc, hospitals overflowing with people with respiratory problems.

And the highest ever bad air reached yesterday,no change in sight yet.

Perhaps you could file a complaint with the Thai government.

[Thailand]

If it does not rain it will be hazardous to health, simple as that. Eyes burning, sore throats etc, hospitals overflowing with people with respiratory problems.

And the highest ever bad air reached yesterday,no change in sight yet.

Perhaps you could file a complaint with the Thai government.

If you were searching for something dumb to post on the thread I think you found it.

[northernjohn]

How it is misleading? I clearly stated the video was taken YESTERDAY.

On a thread pertaining to April 12. Why not some Christmas pictures. Just clearly state these are December 25th.

There's always an ass on Thaivisa - tell me, is it always your turn?

I will hence forth try to stop posting over your head.

You clearly missed the point. I suppose that is why you only posted part of the post I was replying to.

Edited March 18, 2015 by northernjohn

[Chicog]

Accuweather says thunderstorms and sunny for all but one day from 31st March for 8 days.

Let's hope there's enough of it to wash the crap away, or there might be a few unfit cricketers keeling over at the Sixes this year!

[Tywais]

There is high probability of rain starting Sunday.

10%? What have you been smoking, besides the air? 50% on Tuesday for pm thunderstorms. Could I interest you in some shares of PFM?

[Thailand]

There is high probability of rain starting Sunday.

10%? What have you been smoking, besides the air? 50% on Tuesday for pm thunderstorms. Could I interest you in some shares of PFM?

2015-03-18-16-29-19.png

Excellent, a 280% chance of rain from Sunday to Wednesday, or did I read it wrong!

[Tywais]

There is high probability of rain starting Sunday.

10%? What have you been smoking, besides the air? 50% on Tuesday for pm thunderstorms. Could I interest you in some shares of PFM?

2015-03-18-16-29-19.png

Excellent, a 280% chance of rain from Sunday to Wednesday, or did I read it wrong!

I just assume you are being obtuse. 5 weather sites all indicating chance of rain beginning Sunday.

[Thailand]

You assume correctly! (-:

Yes, they all seem to be in agreement, let's hope they are right.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Thailand

[bangmai]

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/l/THXX0003:1:TH

40%, 0%, 10% Sunday, Monday, Tuesday..........

[vivid]

Need 3 days of rain to really clear it out significantlym

[FolkGuitar]

If it does not rain it will be hazardous to health, simple as that. Eyes burning, sore throats etc, hospitals overflowing with people with respiratory problems.

And the highest ever bad air reached yesterday,no change in sight yet.

Perhaps you could file a complaint with the Thai government.

If you were searching for something dumb to post on the thread I think you found it.

Tell me, do you think it's any dumber than complaining here in Thai Visa?

[cloudhopper]

If it does not rain it will be hazardous to health, simple as that. Eyes burning, sore throats etc, hospitals overflowing with people with respiratory problems.

And the highest ever bad air reached yesterday,no change in sight yet.

Perhaps you could file a complaint with the Thai government.

If you were searching for something dumb to post on the thread I think you found it.

Tell me, do you think it's any dumber than complaining here in Thai Visa?

Hell yeah - I'm stayin' off their radar screen. Unless your mother really named you Folk and your last name is really Guitar.

[puukao]

I was there until around April 15th once. No rain, no wind, death heat. Was there pollution? Must have been some traces, but I think the heat and no wind made it unbearable.

[FolkGuitar]

Perhaps you could file a complaint with the Thai government.

If you were searching for something dumb to post on the thread I think you found it.

Tell me, do you think it's any dumber than complaining here in Thai Visa?

Hell yeah - I'm stayin' off their radar screen. Unless your mother really named you Folk and your last name is really Guitar.

Is it possible that you missed the unstated suggestion that complaining to either was rather foolish?

(This is a rhetorical question. I figured I'd better state that just in case.)

And actually, my last name is Swagon, but I didn't like the avatar for that so I changed it.

[Asiantravel]

Songkran is always clear.

Haze ends first week of April most years. (Can look it up.)

ooohhh a very bold statement by you

and let's not forget your timing ( off ) owhen you predicted the beginning of the cold dry season in 2014

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I was there until around April 15th once. No rain, no wind, death heat. Was there pollution? Must have been some traces, but I think the heat and no wind made it unbearable.

Right, that's why we spend those days mid April very wet and very drunk.

[Thailand]

If it does not rain it will be hazardous to health, simple as that. Eyes burning, sore throats etc, hospitals overflowing with people with respiratory problems.

And the highest ever bad air reached yesterday,no change in sight yet.

Perhaps you could file a complaint with the Thai government.

If you were searching for something dumb to post on the thread I think you found it.

Tell me, do you think it's any dumber than complaining here in Thai Visa?

I think you have the area of dumb responses well covered.

[true blue]

got to admit this is the worse march since ive been here, hope the rains come soon my eyes and chest are hurting.