Recommendations for travelers re spring haze conditions in C.M. (2016)?

[rosalinda]

Hi all,

I hope it's OK for me to post here, even though I'm not resident in Thailand. I'm on a long-term backpacking trip here, and I've seen that this forum often has the best advice in English anywhere online. So I wondered if I might respectfully ask for some advice about upcoming travel to Chiang Mai.

Right now (Jan. 17), I am in Bangkok, after traveling up from the south. I had originally had a plan in mind that would see me spending time between here and Sukhothai until early February. Then I was thinking of going to visit a friend in Myanmar (the best time for her), and then returning to Thailand in early March, to visit Chiang Mai and the north.

However, I'm just learning -- for the first time, from this forum and elsewhere -- about the smoke issues in Chiang Mai in the spring. That gives me pause. I have asthma, which means I'm not a big fan of smog. I was also in Singapore and Malaysia this past autumn when the haze from Sumatra burnings were hanging over them, and it kind of sucked.

Now I'm wondering whether I can rearrange my itinerary to visit Chiang Mai when it's not too smokey, or whether, given my time constraints, that's just not likely to happen on this trip. (Which would be OK, I can accept that sometimes things just don't work, and maybe I'll get there some other time.) I'm particularly confused about the situation because I've read here that there's some sort of effort afoot to start and 'finish' the burn season earlier this year (?)

I know there's no way to predict conditions exactly. But, with your locals' knowledge, may I ask if you would you suggest any of the three following options as my best plan of action? :

1. Stick with original plan, and visit Chiang Mai, Pai and the region in early- to mid- March.
2. Change itinerary: go to Chiang Mai in late January/ early February instead (and save visiting central Thailand for later, in March.)
3. Just forget about it this trip: it's already smokey, and will be at least until April. Spend the time and money going somewhere else instead this time around.

Thank you so much, in advance, for any advice or recommendations. (And, again, apologies if this isn't the best place for me to post this. If I should move it somewhere else, please just let me know.)

[sunnyjim5]

information in the link

http://www.johnnyfd.com/2015/02/burning-season-has-started-in-chiang-mai.html

[amexpat]

Welcome to the forum, Rosalinda. I agree completely with the information in the link posted above.

[TheAppletons]

Of the three choices listed, I'd choose #2. It will start getting smoky by the end of Feb and stay that way for about six weeks. Given your choice of dates, come here now or don't come at all, especially as you mentioned that you are asthmatic.

[jonwilly]

I normally leave CM during March, the coast is best place to be during March + or - a week each way.

john

[northernjohn]

Rule of thumb bad season starts mid February worst in March and ends around mid April. One year we didn't even have it. We just got rain.

Some people feel it in December as they are far more sensitive to it. Some are feeling it now I see people wearing masks now. some are not feeling it now. All will this time next month and then it will get worse. Nobody misses it in March.

Plan 2 defiantly the best.

[masuk]

My biggest concern is that Chiang Mai has no enforceable standards in regard to diesel exhaust, and most of the public transport is poorly maintained diesel pick-ups, along with trucks and 4WDs. The diesel exhaust coupled with the smoke and ash from burn-offs is far from healthy.

As others have said, mid-February for about 6 to 8 weeks is the worst time.

[Chicog]

My advice: Skip Chiang Mai until the rainy season.

[rogeroc]

Seems to have started early, pretty unpleasant in CM today. Not sure if that means it will finish earlier or not !

[Tywais]

If you haven't seen the pinned topic it is useful for boots on the ground reports of the current situation - Smoke, Smog, Dust 2016 Chiang Mai

And you can look at last year's topic, link in the above topic, and move forward to March/April posts to get an idea. Last year was not too bad compared to some previous years. Considering how dry it is this year won't be surprised a jump in the burning even though there was a recent meeting in Chiang Mai to be more proactive in attacking the problem. But then every year they are 'proactive' and every year the same dire results.

[mango66]

in 10 years i have been only 1 day in CM,

for what to go there ??

[scooterboy]

South of Chiang Mai - and you can't see the mountains AT ALL. It's relatively cold in the mornings just now, so many are burning wood fires to keep warm. Then there's the burning off (of fields, weeds, etc) later in the day.

If you're asthmatic then best to stay away at the moment - it probably won't get better until March (at the earliest).

When most have finished burning, then it's announced over the village tannoy speakers "No burning!".

Same old, same old - every year.

[desi]

I have asthma. Even with limiting time outside to ten minutes and running HEPA filters inside, I'm coughing (enough to consider leaving until this is over). Other friends in CM with asthma are feeling the same. Some are leaving temporarily (some packing up for good).

[biggles45]

DO NOT GO WHEN THE SMOKE IS THERE. GF and I made the mistake of going a couple of years ago, never again. Neither of us have breathing problems but it took weeks and medication to get over it. We went to the Doi Suthep temple and could only see the houses at the base of the hill it was that bad and from the 5th fl of our hotel we couldnt see the hills. I do remember reading that some CM residents go to BANGKOK to get away from the smog !!

[bazza40]

Forget it. Go to Vietnam instead.

[Nowisee]

I don't have asthma (I don't think) and I have been wheezing and coughing the last 2 weeks +, can see the smoke over the city from my condo.
I am planning an escape, no healthy reason to stay around here.

[MaeJoMTB]

It's not just a CM problem, but the whole of mainland SE Asia.

In CM smog has already arrived, not too bad at the moment, but very visible.

These mountains should be crystal clear.

Photo taken this morning.

What it should look like.

Edited January 19, 2016 by MaeJoMTB

[newnative]

Come to CM now! My partner and I have been here touring for 4 days and every day has been beautiful! Clear blue skies every day. Possibly light jacket in the morning and evening and the rest of the time shirtsleeves/shorts and perfect temperatures. Lots to see and it's a beautiful city and area--seems to be much better run than Pattaya, where we live. Enjoy!

[rogeroc]

I don't think the above is good advice atall, the OP has asthma!! i am heading down South in a couple of days to try and escape it. Ok the temperature is good and the sun shining but you can see and you can smell the pollution. Chiang Mai is a great place but would be such a shame to see it like it is now on the first visit.

[Cheesekraft]

the smoke is already really bad, I noticed a sting to the nostrils and bad taste, eyes burning immediately stepping off the plane a few days ago. I would wait until April or May

[newnative]

I guess you are spoiled in CM. This time of the year in Pattaya a lot of the days you can't see the islands in the bay for all the smog/haze. I had asthma as a child and bad air will still affect me but I haven't had any problems so far in CM. Pattaya would be thrilled this time of year to have a day as clear as the first photo posted.

[northernjohn]

South of Chiang Mai - and you can't see the mountains AT ALL. It's relatively cold in the mornings just now, so many are burning wood fires to keep warm. Then there's the burning off (of fields, weeds, etc) later in the day.

If you're asthmatic then best to stay away at the moment - it probably won't get better until March (at the earliest).

When most have finished burning, then it's announced over the village tannoy speakers "No burning!".

Same old, same old - every year.

Where are you located. Here in Chiang Mai as a rule March is the worst time to be here. April is when it starts to get better.

For the OP. It is not bad now compared to what it will be in about three weeks. That is when it will really start to get bad. Most Ex Pats do not post on Thai Visa but all you have to do is walk around a mall and you can see that they are still here during the worst part of the smog. The traffic is also a good indicator that not many have left.

As stated some who are asthmatic have left now and some will leave later. Good move for them. Most of us stay here. Use are air con and go to indoor buildings like the malls and what not through the worst of it. My suggestion come now or come in late April and May.

Edited January 19, 2016 by northernjohn

[rogeroc]

To Northern John, i think you really miss the point, it may get worse in Feb / March but it is not nice now. Why on earth would you recommend that someone with Asthma comes now. You are telling someone with Asthma to come now in the same breath as you are saying people with Asthma are leaving now. Ridiculous !!

[rosalinda]

Everyone: Thank you _so_ much for your helpful replies. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your taking the time to give me your experience and advice: all the links, the photos, the link to the film -- I really, really appreciate it! It's incredibly useful and valuable for me. Thank you all, so much.

I've been thinking things over, and I think that my plan (I'll put it into action in the next day or two) is to go up to Chiang Mai early next week (around Jan. 25), and plan to leave the area no later than Feb. 10.

I can see that conditions aren't perfect there, but I hope that, with any luck, I'll be able to see and experience the area without being in terrible conditions. I hope I'll be able to enjoy the area, especially since, realistically, I probably wouldn't be able to travel there this year in April or May.

I should add that, while my asthma is a genuine concern, mine is not terribly severe; I haven't had a serious attack for many years. I'll carry my inhaler with me, just in case, and I'll bring along the N-95 mask I've been carrying since Singapore.

(From a purely calculating kind of perspective: it took three-plus weeks in the Kuala Lumpur and Singapore haze before I started experiencing respiratory issues, and that haze was quite heavy in October and November. So I guess I'm hoping that I'll be OK for two weeks in and around Chiang Mai.)

I'm still weighing all the aspects, and I haven't booked my ticket yet, so am still interested in hearing your further thoughts or considerations, if any. Thank you again. <3

P.S.: If I may, might I tag on a couple of related questions about smoke and the smoke season?

a.) Should I expect conditions to be generally the same "throughout Northern Thailand" during the period that I'm there? For instance, if the conditions do turn out to be bad in Chiang Mai, I probably wouldn't be able to "escape" them by going to Pai, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, or other places: is that correct?

b.) I'm also starting to wonder what I should expect when traveling further south in Thailand, after I return from Myanmar, in mid-March. I understand that that period is expected to be the worst in and around Chiang Mai. But, should I also expect that to be the case in, for instance, Sukhothai? Or Phitsanulok? (I think my problem here is that I don't have a good sense of where the boundaries of "northern Thailand" vs. "central Thailand" lie. Not that smoke is a great respecter of boundaries.)

Thank you all, so much, again!

(PS: I'm very sorry about the earlier duplicate posting. I made it by accident, and then couldn't figure out how to delete it.)

[Tywais]

a.) Should I expect conditions to be generally the same "throughout Northern Thailand" during the period that I'm there? For instance, if the conditions do turn out to be bad in Chiang Mai, I probably wouldn't be able to "escape" them by going to Pai, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, or other places: is that correct?

Mae Hong Son & Lampang are usually the worse hit of the northern areas, more so then Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai. CM & CR are probably pretty close with CM perhaps a bit worse due to being in a valley.

[Greenwich Boy]

I lived in Chiang Mai through a couple of smoggy seasons and it is not great. Apart from spoiling the view the smog itself did not bother me that much - despite being mildly asthmatic - it was more the heat.

I am now very much a tourist. I turn up early January and am out of here by 20th February or so. I have no issues with the weather during this time.

I was in Singapore early October last year and right now the weather is much nicer here - cool enough for a light jacket first thing.

My advice is go for it - get up here as soon as and enjoy it.

If you do why not report back and let us know if you enjoyed it.

[cloudhopper]

a.) Should I expect conditions to be generally the same "throughout Northern Thailand" during the period that I'm there? For instance, if the conditions do turn out to be bad in Chiang Mai, I probably wouldn't be able to "escape" them by going to Pai, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, or other places: is that correct?

Mae Hong Son & Lampang are usually the worse hit of the northern areas, more so then Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai. CM & CR are probably pretty close with CM perhaps a bit worse due to being in a valley.

It's already worse than CM in the Pai valley.

[connda]

In the last two day, my area of Northern Thailand (Lamphun) has become magnitudes worse. Can't see the distant mountains in our valley which were clear to view a week ago. Smoke is getting thicker. From now until Songkran, if you're a tourist, imho, travel somewhere else until the rains begin. Speaking from experience. Or, buy yourself a 3M 95N facemask and don't plan to see much outside of 5 to 10 km from your point of view. This is not a nice time to tour Northern Thailand.

Edited January 20, 2016 by connda