Health effects of air pollution in Thailand?

[answermeplease]

I have been in Bangkok for a few months now. The air pollution from traffic and sewage is horrible, and I'm afraid for my health if I am to stay here for a long time. Anyone with experience living here long term and can share their experience with health problems due to the air pollution?

From looking at data on this website:

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/lung-cancers/by-country/

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/lung-disease/by-country/

I see that although lung cancer is not bad compared to the rest of the world, Thailand is top 10 in lung disease. Does that mean that air pollution will more likely cause some sort of disease than cancer? What are these diseases?

[chopin2]

Interesting topic. I once read somewhere that the risk of dying of a lungdisease was 40% greater among residents who lived on the ground floor compared to those livning on 8 floor and above. But there where also a greater risk of sucid jumps for those living on high floors.

I wonder how a study in Bangkok would turn out....?

[answermeplease]

Now you've got me worried, as I can't stand living in a condo or high rise.

Interesting topic. I once read somewhere that the risk of dying of a lungdisease was 40% greater among residents who lived on the ground floor compared to those livning on 8 floor and above. But there where also a greater risk of sucid jumps for those living on high floors.

I wonder how a study in Bangkok would turn out....?

[chopin2]

Perhaps living in a quiet area, down a smal soi with no traffic? Surely that must be better than staying in a condo next to some big road.

[answermeplease]

sure, but I'm not going spend my entire day hiding in the small soi. Eventually, I want to go outside and into the city. I'm just wondering what negative consequences I should expect due to the air pollution.

Perhaps living in a quiet area, down a smal soi with no traffic? Surely that must be better than staying in a condo next to some big road.

[chopin2]

sure, but I'm not going spend my entire day hiding in the small soi. Eventually, I want to go outside and into the city. I'm just wondering what negative consequences I should expect due to the air pollution.

Perhaps living in a quiet area, down a smal soi with no traffic? Surely that must be better than staying in a condo next to some big road.

Its imposible to escape the air pollution living in Bangkok, but i try to stay away from the worst traffic as much as i can.

I also want to know more about what consequences one can expect, is there evidence for higher risk developing COPD? Cardiac diseases? Other types of cancers?

[mommysboy]

Obvious health problems are sore throat, cough, and nasal problems.

Long term no one really knows but seems to be an increased risk of cancer and heart disease. Living away from a main road will help, and don't sleep with windows open.

Great city lousy air.

[Sheryl]

Quite a few people have recurrent sinus and other respiratory problems living in Bkk, as did I when I did (100% relieved now that I live in the countryside).

Asthmatics get much worse.

Not only farang but Thais also have this problem...you'll notice the face masks on the traffic police and also that every hospital has a large ENT department....

Definitely not a good place to live in terms of one's respiratory tract, though people vary in how much it seems to bother them. Personally I can't stand living somewhere that the air is not clean.

You do not have to go too far out of the city for the air quality to improve dramatically, though. I'm just 2 hours from the city limits but the air here is crystal clear (the stars at night are phenomenal). (Helps that I'm on the edge of a major National Park).

So depending on your lifestyle and needs, might consider moving to the outskirts a bit. But it will mean needing a car, and also having fewer other farang around.

[answermeplease]

Cool, thanks for your input! Do you mind sharing what district/province you stay in?

I'm concerned about having access to a good market if living in the outskirts. Do you face challenges accessing basic resources like food, fuel, etc?

Quite a few people have recurrent sinus and other respiratory problems living in Bkk, as did I when I did (100% relieved now that I live in the countryside).

Asthmatics get much worse.

Not only farang but Thais also have this problem...you'll notice the face masks on the traffic police and also that every hospital has a large ENT department....

Definitely not a good place to live in terms of one's respiratory tract, though people vary in how much it seems to bother them. Personally I can't stand living somewhere that the air is not clean.

You do not have to go too far out of the city for the air quality to improve dramatically, though. I'm just 2 hours from the city limits but the air here is crystal clear (the stars at night are phenomenal). (Helps that I'm on the edge of a major National Park).

So depending on your lifestyle and needs, might consider moving to the outskirts a bit. But it will mean needing a car, and also having fewer other farang around.

[Sheryl]

I'm in Prachinburi which is likely further than you'd want to go (I'm the only Westerner in my district).

But there are closer areas, like Patumthani, Thanyaburi, Taling Chan, parts of Nakorn Pathom and Nonthaburi which, while not as crystal clear as where I am, still have much cleaner air than in Bangkok, especially if you live a bit off the main roads and where there are still many trees.

Food and fuel is no problem in any of these areas, even out where I am we have a Tesco, Big C, Robinsons etc as well of course as numerous wet markets, evening farmers markets etc.

However a car is a must.

[maidee]

we had a condo in the city, next to the chao praya... 15th floor

you could smell the polution from the other side of the river

as good on the 15th floor as on the ground floor

[newnative]

Well, if you are leaving Bangkok to escape the pollution don't come to Pattaya. Air quality here is very bad through the winter months. Not sure living high helps much. I am on the 20th floor and when I mop my balcony floor the white mop turns black--and this after only a couple of days. If you take a gander at your ceiling fans you will notice a black layer of gunk on the leading edges of the blades. It's dirty air that the blades are traveling thru as they rotate and it sticks to the blades. Unfortunately, its also what you are breathing. Thailand needs to get serious about air quality and a start would be banning outdoor burning everywhere--not just the North. A switch to electric motorcycles only in city areas would also help--as Beijing has done.

[answermeplease]

Thanks for your input. I didn't know that Beijing is pushing ofr electric bikes. I think that's great and that Thailand should learn from it. While the new vehicles (anyone noticed how almost all BKK cars are quite new?) have better emissions control, the motorbikes and big busses are way out of control.

Well, if you are leaving Bangkok to escape the pollution don't come to Pattaya. Air quality here is very bad through the winter months. Not sure living high helps much. I am on the 20th floor and when I mop my balcony floor the white mop turns black--and this after only a couple of days. If you take a gander at your ceiling fans you will notice a black layer of gunk on the leading edges of the blades. It's dirty air that the blades are traveling thru as they rotate and it sticks to the blades. Unfortunately, its also what you are breathing. Thailand needs to get serious about air quality and a start would be banning outdoor burning everywhere--not just the North. A switch to electric motorcycles only in city areas would also help--as Beijing has done.

[Searat7]

I have lived in Silom for 10 years....I now have asthma (only in Thailand) and I get sinus headaches (despite 3 sinus operations here) and must take strong meds to get them to stop. One helpful precaution is to wear a carbon mask on the street, something I now do automatically. These are gray (vs green) and are sold at Wassons....far more effective than the cheaper masks but still not really expensive.

At the end of next month I will move back to the USA - will still visit Thailand once a year but can no longer live here full time because of the dirty air. I realize I could live in a better area but any convenient locations in the city all have a problem. One step the government could take is to get the old red buses off the road....I often see them spewing black smoke. Buses over 20 yr old should not be on the road.

[answermeplease]

Whoa, 10 years...you really held out. I've been here for half a year and already looking to leave. Thanks for your advice about the carbon mask -- didn't even know those exist. Your point about all the convenient locations having the problem is spot on.

I have lived in Silom for 10 years....I now have asthma (only in Thailand) and I get sinus headaches (despite 3 sinus operations here) and must take strong meds to get them to stop. One helpful precaution is to wear a carbon mask on the street, something I now do automatically. These are gray (vs green) and are sold at Wassons....far more effective than the cheaper masks but still not really expensive.

At the end of next month I will move back to the USA - will still visit Thailand once a year but can no longer live here full time because of the dirty air. I realize I could live in a better area but any convenient locations in the city all have a problem. One step the government could take is to get the old red buses off the road....I often see them spewing black smoke. Buses over 20 yr old should not be on the road.

[masuk]

Whoa, 10 years...you really held out. I've been here for half a year and already looking to leave. Thanks for your advice about the carbon mask -- didn't even know those exist. Your point about all the convenient locations having the problem is spot on.

I have lived in Silom for 10 years....I now have asthma (only in Thailand) and I get sinus headaches (despite 3 sinus operations here) and must take strong meds to get them to stop. One helpful precaution is to wear a carbon mask on the street, something I now do automatically. These are gray (vs green) and are sold at Wassons....far more effective than the cheaper masks but still not really expensive.

At the end of next month I will move back to the USA - will still visit Thailand once a year but can no longer live here full time because of the dirty air. I realize I could live in a better area but any convenient locations in the city all have a problem. One step the government could take is to get the old red buses off the road....I often see them spewing black smoke. Buses over 20 yr old should not be on the road.

Paper masks only filter out dust particles, sawdust. Carbon filters will absorb most chemicals, and hopefully this includes a big killer, which is diesel exhaust.

At the risk of repeating myself, I was impressed with the efforts of some Chinese cities, in banning diesel fuel. Buses, trucks, pick-ups, etc, run on LNG or similar. Motorbikes are almost all battery operated.

[wallybee]

In Chengdu even the tuktuks (now zoomzooms) are electric, wouldn't that be something to dream about?

[ToddinChonburi]

I live on the 14 floor in Chonburi city and mid December my nose began to run. I take 2 Nasolin pills a day and you can look out at the hills and ocean and see the thick smog in the air daily. mornings are really bad and that black junk you get to clean up off the floor and balcony every few days. Have to go to the ENT every 15 days to get meds. Wonderful Thai laws. I am writing down the names of the places for cleaner air.

any condo's up in that area.

[sawadee1947]

look, over 7000 people a DAY are going to hospital for treatment in Chiang Mai this time of air pollution caused bei burning 5 Million rai of rice fields.

Why do you think they are looking for treatment? Just say Hello to the doctor.?

It's common sense and no worth of any discussions that lung infections is No 1 here and followed by cancer later.

[Thunderbirds20]

I lived in Bangkok for 3 and a half years and developed a persistent cough. The doctor told me I was getting Emphysema and should move out of Bangkok! Enough said! I moved to Jomtien Beach almost 6 years ago. The cough went away and I am fine unless caught in the back of a songtao with a tour bus stopped beside us, spewing exhaust!

[connda]

Quite a few people have recurrent sinus and other respiratory problems living in Bkk, as did I when I did (100% relieved now that I live in the countryside).

Asthmatics get much worse.

Not only farang but Thais also have this problem...you'll notice the face masks on the traffic police and also that every hospital has a large ENT department....

Definitely not a good place to live in terms of one's respiratory tract, though people vary in how much it seems to bother them. Personally I can't stand living somewhere that the air is not clean.

You do not have to go too far out of the city for the air quality to improve dramatically, though. I'm just 2 hours from the city limits but the air here is crystal clear (the stars at night are phenomenal). (Helps that I'm on the edge of a major National Park).

So depending on your lifestyle and needs, might consider moving to the outskirts a bit. But it will mean needing a car, and also having fewer other farang around.

Wish I lived near were you live Sheryl. I live between a National Park and a forest reserve on the Lamphun/Lampang border. This time of year, there is no 'crystal clear' anything. The locals burn their forests down every year up here. We had to bag staying at our apartment in Chiang Mai because of the air quality, but the air in the village was probably worse. However, we at least have A/C and an air filtration system at the house. But I'm really trying to convince the wife that next year we just leave Northern Thailand for a month between mid-Feb and Mid-March and find somewhere with clear air, like at a beach. Boy it was bad up here this year. It doesn't usually bother me, but this year, yuk. Caught a little rain over the last couple of days and the winds have picked up. I could actually see stars this evening. Hoping for some rain and more wind between now an Songkran. Seems like around Songkran the arsonists take a break for the holidays.

[cocopops]

This post makes me envious.

Here in Chiang Mai this time of year we would love a few days of tastefully polluted Bangkok air.

You insensitive clods!

Edited March 23, 2015 by cocopops

[ignatzmouse]

My soon-to-be ex (American) has lived in CNX for 6 years. During that time he's developed severe migraines and this year developed a hacking cough that took weeks to clear up. He commutes around by motorbike and lives in the city. The gov't talks constantly about banning tuk-tuks and songtao but imagine how popular that would be among the locals. It seems they also export the most polluting trucks buses and tuk tuks to Chiang Mai to get them off BKK streets. The burning has been worse than usual this year, compounding the problem. I noticed the particulates in the air via watery eyes and dark snot every time I blew my nose. Those paper masks they sell in so-called pharmacies don't help. No doubt there's an alarmingly high rate of asthma and respiratory problems among kids, not to mention older and even younger adults, breathing this crap, day in day out. Otherwise love Thailand but will limit my visits to Jan/Feb but prefer my place on the Atlantic coast the rest of the year, notwithstanding the cold and snow. Just not worth it.

[mommysboy]

I did a 10 year tour of duty in central Bangkok, and I don't know how I did it or indeed why! I guess Bkk is such an exciting place, and it helped me get financially set. During the early years I was a teacher, but had to stop as the daily commute caused me quite nasty nasal problems. Once I ended up in A+E gagging for breath. And many times I would go through hell in the evening with gagging and vomiting from too much phlegm down the back of my throat.

I used to go to the markets a lot in Pratunam and Sukhumvit and again this would lead to bad headaches and respiratory issues in the evening. I got to know the vendors over the years. A few died prematurely, it seemed odd to me as they looked fit enough and weren't old.

By contrast a few of my friends rarely suffer from the effects of pollution. A couple claimed not to have allergies, but what they presented at times told quite a different story.

I am left wondering why, after all places in China, and cities like Chiang Mai are far worse.

I came to the conclusion it was the ground ozone in Bangkok, the lack of breeze, and the unrelenting heat, as well as local irritants such as engine heat and cooking fumes, and the drying effects of air-con.

Certainly after leaving Bkk for Surat, most symptoms were alleviated 100%, all the more so after a few months. Still miss the place though.