Smoke, Smog, Dust 2016-2017 Chiang Mai

[Cheesekraft]

smoke is truly awful today, Doi Suthep totally hidden behind the cancer clouds

[blueyeshk]

How about some" attitude adjustment " program for the pyromaniacs short term and long term real strategies to get rid of this annual recurring criminal events.

[ammagic]

Thank God I finally gave up & moved to Hua Hin - my lungs couldn't take the year after year burning season

[vivid]

Not many posts of late, that's good.

Don't mind me posting this.

Edited May 10, 2016 by vivid

[Tywais]

AQI with PM2.5 24 hour average is still quite bad at 152. Has been in that region for a few days now. And the temperature quite miserable today at 41.

[vivid]

Edited May 10, 2016 by vivid

[vivid]

Edited May 10, 2016 by vivid

[vivid]

Edited May 10, 2016 by vivid

[vivid]

Luckily it's just over now, 90% of the city is saved.

Edited May 10, 2016 by vivid

[cloudhopper]

Forest fires on both sides of the Pai valley again tonight.

[Harry2]

Luckily it's just over now, 90% of the city is saved.

What is this here for - the thread is specifically about smoke conditions in Chiang Mai 2016 not pictures of fires in Canada, Ecuador or Ghana.

[Diplomatico]

Luckily it's just over now, 90% of the city is saved.

What is this here for - the thread is specifically about smoke conditions in Chiang Mai 2016 not pictures of fires in Canada, Ecuador or Ghana.

There's a fire in Ghana?

[mesquite]

Finally....

[Awk]

I wondered whether the supposed ban on burning from mid February to mid April would have any obvious effect on the pm values. Here's a graph showing the PM10 levels from January to today for station 36t, this year and the last two years.

It's impossible to say for sure I guess, since we don't know how the graph for that period would look like if there was no ban, but at least to me there is obvious effect of the ban visible here.

If one were to try to look at the ban positively, it does look like the PM level starts falling around the middle of February, as the ban should take effect, but by mid March, it has risen back to the same level as before, and continues to raise till the end of March, even though the ban is supposed to still be in effect. Around mid April, when the ban should no longer be in effect, the PM level starts to raise again, but quickly starts falling again. To me it does not look like the ban had any significant effect.

[ExpatOilWorker]

smoke is truly awful today, Doi Suthep totally hidden behind the cancer clouds

Any recent pictures of the mountain or the Chiang Mai skyline?

[chiang mai]

I wondered whether the supposed ban on burning from mid February to mid April would have any obvious effect on the pm values. Here's a graph showing the PM10 levels from January to today for station 36t, this year and the last two years.

It's impossible to say for sure I guess, since we don't know how the graph for that period would look like if there was no ban, but at least to me there is obvious effect of the ban visible here.

If one were to try to look at the ban positively, it does look like the PM level starts falling around the middle of February, as the ban should take effect, but by mid March, it has risen back to the same level as before, and continues to raise till the end of March, even though the ban is supposed to still be in effect. Around mid April, when the ban should no longer be in effect, the PM level starts to raise again, but quickly starts falling again. To me it does not look like the ban had any significant effect.

It would be interesting to see how that graph correlates to temperature, it seems to me that the burning ban did have an impact at least it did in my neck of the woods..

[NancyL]

The graph correlates with my perception since we can see Doi Suthep from our condo windows and it gets pretty depressing to see it obscured for months on end. This year the haze seemed to last longer, although it wasn't as severe as it's been in other years. Frankly, it gets to be psychologically wearing, to go day after day looking at a view that you know indicates dangerous health conditions.

We've always stayed here during "burning season" because we're so involved in community activities. But, I think it's time for the community to do without us and to go elsewhere next year.

[puukao]

The graph correlates with my perception since we can see Doi Suthep from our condo windows and it gets pretty depressing to see it obscured for months on end. This year the haze seemed to last longer, although it wasn't as severe as it's been in other years. Frankly, it gets to be psychologically wearing, to go day after day looking at a view that you know indicates dangerous health conditions.

We've always stayed here during "burning season" because we're so involved in community activities. But, I think it's time for the community to do without us and to go elsewhere next year.

sorry to hear that, but i think you are doing the right thing. i was there for two burning seasons, and it's very difficult. the community will understand, of course.

who knows, maybe next year we will be wearing little oxygen tents around our heads and sleep in oxygen tents.

i think i saw rain on the forecast, good luck.

[Konini]

My totally unscientific opinion is that the smog has lasted longer than it has for a few years, but not so bad as the last couple.

I could be totally wrong, that's just my impression. I don't suffer from the effects of it - 30 years of chain smoking hardened up my lungs and nose, my assumptions are made on how Doi Sutep looks from town.

[Diplomatico]

At 06:52 this morning, PM 2.5 levels are < 10 ug/m3 in Chiang Mai (36t). Comparatively speaking, that's a major improvement.

[Sparkles]

With the recent rain it would be very strange if it didn't go down.

Sadly the arrival of rain seems to be our only annual saviour and we will go through the whole thing again next year

[blueyeshk]

With the recent rain it would be very strange if it didn't go down.

Sadly the arrival of rain seems to be our only annual saviour and we will go through the whole thing again next year

That would be right if you don't learn anything and plan now to leave in time for good or for just the time of the fire season

[daoyai]

Today is a day for deep breathing, and hey we are surrounded by mountains..!

[Cheesekraft]

finally the air is safe and the mountains visible. Enjoying the clean air

[blueyeshk]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to write your local government describing your experience and concerns reminding them that the problems is not washed away by rain and action have to be prepared now to not let this disaster happen again and again otherwise they will think they just can sit it out year after year.

[Thailand]

On 27 June 2016 at 4:34 PM, blueyeshk said:

It wouldn't be a bad idea to write your local government describing your experience and concerns reminding them that the problems is not washed away by rain and action have to be prepared now to not let this disaster happen again and again otherwise they will think they just can sit it out year after year.

Just a reminder of what happens after the rain.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37192800

[Berkshire]

Anyone notice the air in Chiang Mai getting sort of bad lately?  Even with all the rain.  I don't get it!

[elephant45]

Yes...Eyes watering, coughing..I think its from all the construction, Diesel Belching Trucks, And New factories in this valley.

[Berkshire]

5 hours ago, elephant45 said:

Yes...Eyes watering, coughing..I think its from all the construction, Diesel Belching Trucks, And New factories in this valley.

 

The PM2.5 at City Hall has hit 124 today.  It's like March conditions in September!

[Konini]

That's incredible.  I don't notice it myself, apart from not being able to see the mountain, but I had noticed a couple of weeks ago that my husband's cough has returned.  I thought he might have some kind of infection, because he only coughs like that in smoke season or if we are below 15 degrees for a couple of weeks.

 

This certainly can't be blamed on burning, lots of rain around.  

 

Does anyone know if humidity makes smog worse?  The last few weeks have been very, very humid; I mostly notice because of the polished wood floors at our place.  Took me a while to figure out why they looked grubby just hours after being cleaned properly; it's footprints on the very moist floor.  We've been here almost 3 years and I've never had this before.  Also been out to buy a sack of calcium chloride flakes to put in wardrobes and cupboards to suck some of the moisture out of the air and I'm topping it up and emptying the water out of the containers literally every morning.  Again, something I haven't done before, but it's so bad that that horrible musty smell was just starting in one of the wardrobes.  Thankfully I caught it in time and there isn't much in that particular bedroom so I won't have to wash too many clothes.  Leather bike jacket and DryRider coat currently swinging in the breeze outside until I can find a drycleaner that won't kill the body armour.