I live in Chiang Mai (5+ years now), and since the rain stopped a few weeks ago my lungs noticed a decline in air quality. Maybe it's just the change of seasons, or maybe it's the forrest burning + traffic pollution coming on stronger this year. I'm relatively young, don't smoke, and don't like coughing. How are lungs in Chiang Rai these days?

I've always liked the air quality in Chiang Rai compared to CM with the exception of the border areas near Maesai where the pollution blowing up from the south will tend to be trapped up against the mountains much as it is in Chiang Mai. Over all though, the quality of breathing is much better.

In October the weather starts to change. Also here of course.

The nights and mornings get colder, the difference between night and day temperature goes up to ten degrees Celsius. During the day the sun shines, but as soon you are in the shadow you notice that the air is still cold.

The Thai people dress warmly and we, not always clever 'Farang', underestimate the effects of the change of weather and catch a cold. We tend to neglect this cold and a week later we are prone to an asthmatic bronchitis.

Many, many foreigners, but also many Thai, go coughing through life during this period of the year.

I don't think that the air is polluted now; February and March are the months the ricefields burn and the air turns yellow. How horrible polluted the air can be during these months, I still think that October and November are worse in a way for those who are sensitive to bronchial disorders.

I wonder if the respiratory problems not are related to pollen in the air, with other words allergy.

It could be a combination of changes in the weather and pollen.

My 2 cents ..

Limbo

I"d say that I'm a bit more congested now than say 2 months ago....its a seasonal thing for me I think. (In Chiangrai)

Chownah

I"d say that I'm a bit more congested now than say 2 months ago....its a seasonal thing for me I think. (In Chiangrai)

Chownah

It is certainly a seasonal thing at the moment. Not speaking for everyone but it is the sudden changes in temperature that get me. Hot days turn into very cold nights. If it was cold all the time it wouldnt be a problem or hot etc but when it changes like it does it really messes up my lungs

In The Rai!

Yesterday my wife and I discovered the CR garbage pits (midway between Poang Prabat Hotsprings and Nam Lat) - she complained about breathing problems the rest of the day.

No prob this morning

But -

they do burn garbage here, and not just at the dump.

Add to that the huge cloud over the whole general area from eternal flames in Indonesia (fires that never get successfully doused, they've amazingly made the earth beneath so hot) - which have been making Singapore unliveable) -

and car and 2-stroke motorcycle exhaust (people here neglect to change oil - on that, this morning at Cockpit my car was checked, no charge!)

cooking fires (that's how they do it in those charming hill-tribe villages)

and burn-off of 'excess' vegetation

and there's a real problem. Rain cleans. When it stops, watch out

and in the Spring, eat antihistimines. decogestants and vitamins.

Add to that the huge cloud over the whole general area from eternal flames in Indonesia (fires that never get successfully doused, they've amazingly made the earth beneath so hot) - which have been making Singapore unliveable) -

I can't believe that north Thailand is affected by fires in Indo. The pevailing winds do not come from

there. There was a storm hitting Viet Nam yesterday that might make it here to clean the air, but the

pollution here in CR is nothing like CM. CM sits in a bowl, and when the inversion effect hits, a smog basin.