Does air pollution where you live in Thailand concern you?

[Jingthing]

I imagine those living in Chiang Mai and Bangkok would generally say yes.

Perhaps somewhat better where I live in Jomtien with the sea breezes but still quite polluted from what I can superficially see, vehicle exhaust.

Well, in case you didn't know, it kills, and Southeast Asia in general is one of worse air pollution zones on the planet.

Air Pollution Kills 5.5 Million People Every Year Worldwide
And due to surging population growth and rapid urbanization, especially in places like China and South Asia, now a greater number of the world’s population—85 percent—lives in a place where particulate matter levels exceed the World Health Organization’s healthy guidelines.

http://gizmodo.com/air-pollution-kills-5-5-million-people-every-year-world-1758734291?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_twitter&utm_source=gizmodo_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

To add a personal experience, I'm asthmatic but my normal med program means I haven't suffered from symptoms of while living in Jomtien. But when I visit Bangkok, symptoms start quickly.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Jingthing

[ukrules]

Over here in Hua Hin there doesn't seem to be an issue.

[Ghostmanthai]

There is a test of sorts I find. Take a trip into one of the areas with mountains in Thailand. When your there for a while and realize that your kinda stuffy nose is gone and you cough up a few nasty things (and are not a smoker) its a good indication of you living in a bad spot for air pollution. I have ridden from BKK to CM a few times and its almost as I can feel the different air quality once away from a major hub.

[BangkokKen]

'Pollution''

Yeah right....You guys need to awake

[Jingthing]

'Pollution''

Yeah right....You guys need to awake

Maybe you should expand on that because your comment is meaningless.

Of course air pollution is a general term and includes many things. My impression is that large particulates are particularly harmful to health.

[chiang mai]

'Pollution''

Yeah right....You guys need to awake

Maybe you should expand on that because your comment is meaningless.

Of course air pollution is a general term and includes many things. My impression is that large particulates are particularly harmful to health.

It is the smaller particles that are most harmful, sub PM 2.5 in particular because they can be absorbed directly into the lungs and enter the blood supply, nasal hair and even simply face masks can easily filter the larger particles..

[GuestHouse]

In UK London I was on a puffer for years....When I moved to Ubon I threw the thing away after a few weeks...

But, my motor has an air filter for the air coming into the cabin....When new the filter is white, after a few weeks it is dark gray, that tells a story..........

I think transom the reason you are not using your inhaler in Thailand is the humidity. I too suffer asthma which improves dramatically when I'm in a humid atmosphere.

While in the middle east my asthma would be pretty bad in the dry hot periods but then improve immediately the weather changed and the humidity went up.

[chiang mai]

He's a tad broad in the beam perhaps but to refer to him as the stern of a vessel is bit much!

[GuestHouse]

'Pollution''

Yeah right....You guys need to awake

Maybe you should expand on that because your comment is meaningless.

Of course air pollution is a general term and includes many things. My impression is that large particulates are particularly harmful to health.

It is the smaller particles that are most harmful, sub PM 2.5 in particular because they can be absorbed directly into the lungs and enter the blood supply, nasal hair and even simply face masks can easily filter the larger particles..

It's not just the nano particulates but also some of the gasses, ozone, incompletely combusted carbons and NOx.

Those of use who have been in Thailand since before the mid 90s will remember that before Thailand's low sulphur fuel process plants came on line, the atmosphere in Bangkok and around any traffic jam reeked of sulphur - back the I could not stay in BKK for more than a couple of days without developing a searing sore throat. So some things have changed.

As an aside, I have my eye on a airborne particulate monitor that I know is coming up for sale - It is and EPA certified system that fits in a small case about the size of a carry on bag, and comes with the calibration system and wireless internet interface.

I've been pondering the idea of setting one of these up with a home weather station to produce my own reports.

Why would I do that?

Well because I have frequently seen the guy who takes care of the local official government dust monitor spraying a mist of water around the air intake probe of the local environmental measuring station.

And because, you can see this for yourself, when the pollution levels climb above the safety level, the dust monitors that report real time online data in Thailand have a habit of going off line.

However this does raise a concern - I'm not sure the people who order the monitors to be taken off line would take too kindly to an independent pollution monitor reporting live data to the internet.

[Searat7]

I live in Silom and have asthma here but not in my home country. Also I have to wear a carbon face mask on Silom Rd. or I get sinus headaches which are like migraines. Even with mask I have to watch how much time I spend in busy areas. Heading back to USA for my first really long stay after Songkran.....I know I could live elsewhere here but I like central location.

[KittenKong]

A couple of days ago there was a mass of thick smoke/smog in Jomtien all day. Cant say that I remember seeing that before, at least not to that extent. It was so thick I didn't leave my condo at all, or go onto the balcony.

Apart from that there is quite a lot of fine black dust that deposits itself on my condo balcony, in spite of the wind often blowing from the sea which is very close to me. Another reason to keep the aircon on and the doors closed.

If I lived somewhere like Chiang Mai I would probably go elsewhere during the couple of months when they have the annual crop-burning.

[Jingthing]

I reckon most people don't know about the link between air pollution and heart disease. It's not only about lung issues.

So the guys out running in messed up air trying to keep their bodies fit may actually be doing more harm than good.

[chiang mai]

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Air-Pollution-and-Heart-Disease-Stroke_UCM_442923_Article.jsp

[mogandave]

I thought it was the second-hand smoke and Big-Gulps that was killing everyone.

[Jingthing]

I thought it was the second-hand smoke and Big-Gulps that was killing everyone.

It all adds up.

Second hand smoke is a kind of localized air pollution.

Big Gulps are more about sugar overload and obesity.

[Crossy]

Ok chaps, a reminder, the topic of this thread is "Does air pollution where you live in Thailand concern you?".

It is not about conspiracy theories, or high-altitude radioactivity.

Some posts (and their sensible replies) removed.

[curtklay]

OK back on topic; Yes, it concerns me a great deal. The smoke here in Phrae province is horrible. Burns your eyes, congests your lungs, smells awful, and reduces visibility. It's worse than the years I spent in Los Angeles. In Chiang Mai last year, it reminded me of Northern California when forest fires were raging all around. Of course, it's a serious health hazard. Might as well take up smoking cigarettes. But I'm convinced nothing will ever be done here to combat it. The farmers will continue happily burning the fields, the unregulated vehicles will continue spewing smog, and the entire country will continue it's journey down the toilet. The good news? Thailand will probably run out of water first, so why worry about the air?

[wpcoe]

I'm a city boy at heart. I love the convenience of being in the center of a big city. But after a couple years in Bangkok, my sinuses and throat couldn't take the air pollution so I moved to Jomtien in 2004. The few times a year that there is noticeable pollution, it seems to blow away at night. Overall, I found the air in Jomtien to be pleasantly clean.

Looking for calmer pastures to spend my retirement years, I moved to central Hua Hin. However, I'm less than 200m from Petchkasem Road (the main highway through town) and the pollution is pretty bad. My measure is how often I need to mop the floors. In Bangkok, I had 2x/week maid service and by the third day, the bottoms of my feet would be black from the junk on the floor. It's almost as bad here where I am in Hua Hin. In Jomtien I could go weeks without mopping and my feet would be clean.

In Hua Hin I could move further away from the traffic on P'Road, but the whole point of being where I am is that everything is walkable: Post office, bank, restaurants, grocery stores, even the big shopping mall (Market Village.)

I'm actually considering a test six-months back in Bangkok to see if it's really any worse than where I am in Hua Hin. I could move back to Jomtien, but I got a bit worn out over some other issues over there, but it *does* have the cleanest air I've experienced in Thailand.

[loong]

Yes, I am concerned about the air pollution. It amazes me that the Thais seem totally unconcerned.

I am 25 Km north of Khon Kaen. Nearly all the villagers here cook on fire. They start the fires by using rubber or plastic and the stink can be terrible at times. If they do any type of weeding, they are seemingly totally unaware of the advantages of composting, they burn it. They don't wait for it to dry, they use rubber or plastic to get it going, but as it is damp it creates a lot of smoke. I am convinced that Thai people are pyromaniacs.

We have people making charcoal and they don't care how close to the houses or the school. Sugar cane fields are burnt before harvesting. Other crops are burnt after harvesting.

Sometimes, I blow my nose and the issue is black.

Thailand needs to wake up and be educated about the dangers of air pollution. But even then, would they do anything about it?

[Mitker]

It's a concern for me too

I live in CM and the issue is sadly chronic - on a yearly basis -, just as the sterile meetings/declarations of local officials

I stay indoor as much as possible with the HEPA filter on

If I can fly abroad, I jump on the opportunity, while telling my friends to definitely avoid this period to visit Thailand

Burning habit costs a lot to the country but, in this domain too, inertia is the rule and I think the result achieved by the authorities for the years to come will be a big flat zero

There's simply no will

[mommysboy]

It did when I lived in Bangkok, yes. It's a great city but I had significant sinus issues over a number of years.

Surat is much cleaner.

[mommysboy]

'Pollution''

Yeah right....You guys need to awake

Maybe you should expand on that because your comment is meaningless.

Of course air pollution is a general term and includes many things. My impression is that large particulates are particularly harmful to health.

It is the smaller particles that are most harmful, sub PM 2.5 in particular because they can be absorbed directly into the lungs and enter the blood supply, nasal hair and even simply face masks can easily filter the larger particles..

That's correct, thoygh I would say the larger particles cause irritation in nose and throat, and if bad enough can really undermine health.

[Jingthing]

OK, I was confused about the particle size. But bad stuff is there, that's for sure.

This issue impacted me from the start here.

I much preferred Chiang Mai as a retirement destination to the Pattaya area, but rejected it based on the smoky season issue.

Of course, like I said, I wouldn't call the Pattaya area air healthy. I assume it's got to often be over the WHO safe levels just based on the vehicle emissions.

Edited February 13, 2016 by Jingthing

[ammagic]

Indeed it did. After a decade in Chiangmai moved to Hua Hin. Couldn't take the air pollution any longer

[alanferdi]

NO Pollution is not a major concern, getting cheated, and having to listen to stories in order to live in this country is really a big concern.

Its no longer attractive.

[Thian]

I'm a city boy at heart. I love the convenience of being in the center of a big city. But after a couple years in Bangkok, my sinuses and throat couldn't take the air pollution so I moved to Jomtien in 2004. The few times a year that there is noticeable pollution, it seems to blow away at night. Overall, I found the air in Jomtien to be pleasantly clean.

Looking for calmer pastures to spend my retirement years, I moved to central Hua Hin. However, I'm less than 200m from Petchkasem Road (the main highway through town) and the pollution is pretty bad. My measure is how often I need to mop the floors. In Bangkok, I had 2x/week maid service and by the third day, the bottoms of my feet would be black from the junk on the floor. It's almost as bad here where I am in Hua Hin. In Jomtien I could go weeks without mopping and my feet would be clean.

In Hua Hin I could move further away from the traffic on P'Road, but the whole point of being where I am is that everything is walkable: Post office, bank, restaurants, grocery stores, even the big shopping mall (Market Village.)

I'm actually considering a test six-months back in Bangkok to see if it's really any worse than where I am in Hua Hin. I could move back to Jomtien, but I got a bit worn out over some other issues over there, but it *does* have the cleanest air I've experienced in Thailand.

We had the same dirty floors every 3 days when we lived next to a busy road. I even started mopping myself.

Now we live away from busy roads (in BKK) and we almost never mop the floor anymore, only vacuumclean once a week or so.

Traffic really gives dirty air, better keep the windows closed but i don't want to live like that.

[Guest]

I live in Bangkok and above floor 30 ... on the river.

The air is pretty good and always a breeze.

I keep a Samsung air purifier running 24/7 - 365.

I do really feel it when I get to street level and start walking.

How people enjoy a low rise on Sukhumvit ... I have no idea.

We just see that blue cloud extending up to about floor 15 and shake our heads.

[Thian]

I live in Bangkok and above floor 30 ... on the river.

The air is pretty good and always a breeze.

I keep a Samsung air purifier running 24/7 - 365.

I do really feel it when I get to street level and start walking.

How people enjoy a low rise on Sukhumvit ... I have no idea.

We just see that blue cloud extending up to about floor 15 and shake our heads.

It's not only around sukhumvit, it's everywhere near busy roads. Just look at the citybuses or big trucks what they fume. When i drive motocy in a clean white blouse for an hour it's grey with black spots when i come home.

Bangkok is just filthy, the air and also the pavements. They should replace all those fuming vehicles for clean ones and high pressure waterclean the pavements.

In our moobaan it's clean though, loads of birds, squirrels, frogs, toads, tree's. And clean air (if nobody is making a fire for whatever reason).

[mogandave]

Yes, I'm really concerned as well. I think everyone should stop using electricity and driving...except me of course.

[jacko45k]

Yes, traffic fumes are bad.

You get stuck at the lights on your motorbike and trucks and coaches belch it out practically into your face, quite sure it is affecting me.