Is Bangkok Really as hot as they say?

[diehard71]

heat what heat lived here over 40 years and would not want to live anywhere else than bangkok.

[Martyjustice]

Bangkok 95 is hotter than Texas 105. At least for this fat,white boy.


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[nisakiman]

The first time I arrived in Bangkok was in 1971, somewhere about November, I think. I'd flown from Calcutta, which was very hot at the time, but not humid. I remember getting off the plane (you went down steps to the tarmac, then) and feeling like someone had thrown a hot, wet blanket over me. I don't know what the temp was, or the humidity, but it was just stifling. I couldn't believe how hot it was. And I cope well with the heat. 30° - 35° C is perfect for me.

 

I made the mistake of moving into the Malaysia (?) hotel, where they kept the air con at what must have been no more than 20°. I was there for a few days, and with going in and out of the hotel, from freezing cold to incredibly hot, I developed a bronchial condition, which made me really ill. I then moved to a Chinese hotel near the station - it might even have been called the Hualamphong hotel - which had no air con, only fans (it was actually a great little hotel. Cafe bar / restaurant downstairs in the lobby that always seemed to be heaving with GIs on R&R from Vietnam; girls on tap, good music playing, lots of laughter, cheap rooms...). That gave me a chance to acclimatise and my chest problems gradually disappeared. But I do remember it being very hot back then, much more so than when I'm in Bangkok these days.

[ChidlomDweller]

2 hours ago, honu said:

A graph showing the actual weather averages is attached.  Daytime high temperatures range from 30 to 35 C (85 to 95F), with relative humidity between 74% and 85%.  

 

For most people that's both hot and humid.  If you are from somewhere even hotter it's not so bad.  The daytime lows range around 24-25 most months, not bad, but by late morning temperatures are closer to the highs.

 

Keep in mind that these are long term averages, and that year after year sets a new temperature record for hottest ever.  Anyone who's been here the past few years knows it gets higher than 35 every day in April-June, with 38 frequently.   Look here:

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=temperature+bangkok&oq=temperature+bangkok&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.3511j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Later this week forecasts of 35 and 36 later this week, in February.  According to the chart you post the average maximum is 32.   I'm not picking on you, just something I've often thought when looking at the Bangkok climate chart on Wikipedia.  What I see day to day in temperature reading (on the internet or an app, not a wall thermometer, so a proper reading) is higher than those averages.  And I also realize they're just averages, but I think it rarely if ever got to less than 35 in April in the last 3 years I've been here.  

[seancbk]

The only people who complain it's too hot are people not used to it.

Thailand has relatively low humidity.  Right now it is 31 C and 40% humidity.   

Hong Kong is 16 C and 71% humidity.

I bet HK feels much 'stickier' today.

 

[leftorright]

1 hour ago, ChidlomDweller said:

 

Keep in mind that these are long term averages, and that year after year sets a new temperature record for hottest ever.  Anyone who's been here the past few years knows it gets higher than 35 every day in April-June, with 38 frequently.   Look here:

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=temperature+bangkok&oq=temperature+bangkok&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.3511j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Later this week forecasts of 35 and 36 later this week, in February.  According to the chart you post the average maximum is 32.   I'm not picking on you, just something I've often thought when looking at the Bangkok climate chart on Wikipedia.  What I see day to day in temperature reading (on the internet or an app, not a wall thermometer, so a proper reading) is higher than those averages.  And I also realize they're just averages, but I think it rarely if ever got to less than 35 in April in the last 3 years I've been here.  

I agree, many of these 'average weather' charts available for Bangkok seem to under-report real temperatures. Below are the officially (i.e. by a formal weather station) measured daily high and lows for the past year. Quite a bit higher than those long-term averages, especially the night-time lows. I would also think that it's especially Bangkok's warm nights that contribute heavily to its reputation as a very warm city - more so than the day-time temperatures, which are warm, but not spectacularly warm. Source of the charts: http://www.wetteronline.de/wetterdaten/bangkok?pcid=pc_rueckblick_data&gid=48456&pid=p_rueckblick_diagram&sid=StationHistory&iid=48455&month=02&year=2017&period=52&metparaid=TXLD

 

 

 

[Dumbastheycome]

You  will not  find  any  consensus  in here  because individuals  have different preferences in accommodating temperature versus  humidity. Compared  to  where I usually stay  BKK is  not so hot  or so  humid. It is the  dirty  air  which  have  limited  tolerance for despite not  coping  well   with climtic humidity  anywhere..

 

[6thST]

On 2/8/2017 at 6:17 PM, gdgbb said:

It depends on whether you consider the current temperature of around 32' to be too hot but Bangkok is not the hottest, most unbearable city in the world.

 

It is going to get hotter over the next couple of months, though.  If you check the weather reports you can actually find out the accurate temperature each day without having to resort to listening to rumours.

When The locals complain you know it hot!

[gmac]

26 minutes ago, 6thST said:

When The locals complain you know it hot!

Not actually true, my wife is a native Bangkokian and complains about the heat far more than I do.  And the cold, and in fact just about everything!!

[gdgbb]

15 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

You  will not  find  any  consensus  in here  because individuals  have different preferences in accommodating temperature versus  humidity. Compared  to  where I usually stay  BKK is  not so hot  or so  humid. It is the  dirty  air  which  have  limited  tolerance for despite not  coping  well   with climtic humidity  anywhere..

 

Where are you finding the "dirty" air?   Bangkok has relatively good air quality, demonstrated by several scientific surveys and is not known to suffer from dirty air.

[wow64]

On 2/15/2017 at 1:09 PM, gdgbb said:

No it doesn't!  It won't get cooler over the next few months, it will be getting hotter!  Around Songkran in April is usually the hottest time of year, that's why, to some, Songkran is a relief.

 

It does get cooler.. today was freezing and will only get cooler as locals turn the air up. 

[muzmurray]

On 2/8/2017 at 6:17 PM, gdgbb said:

It depends on whether you consider the current temperature of around 32' to be too hot but Bangkok is not the hottest, most unbearable city in the world.

 

It is going to get hotter over the next couple of months, though.  If you check the weather reports you can actually find out the accurate temperature each day without having to resort to listening to rumours.

While Bangkok doesn’t experience the world’s most extreme summer temperatures, it is the world’s hottest city when it comes to year-round intense heat. Temperatures in the Thai capital routinely rise above 40C during the day, with night-time temperatures hovering at similar levels.

 

https://www.airconco.com/news/the-worlds-10-hottest-major-cities/

 

https://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/warmest-places-on-earth-average-annual-temperature

 

Please check before you make incorrect statements.

 

 

 

[gdgbb]

16 minutes ago, wow64 said:

 

It does get cooler.. today was freezing and will only get cooler as locals turn the air up. 

In general, it doesn't. Today may be cooler than yesterday but it wasn't freezing and that was just one day.  Temperatures between now and April will rise a lot, February is not the hottest time of the year.

[gdgbb]

17 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

While Bangkok doesn’t experience the world’s most extreme summer temperatures, it is the world’s hottest city when it comes to year-round intense heat. Temperatures in the Thai capital routinely rise above 40C during the day, with night-time temperatures hovering at similar levels.

 

https://www.airconco.com/news/the-worlds-10-hottest-major-cities/

 

https://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/warmest-places-on-earth-average-annual-temperature

 

Please check before you make incorrect statements.

First thing, do not alter my post by " bolding" parts of it if you are going to quote them, forum rules do not allow that.

 

Secondly, Bangkok temperatures may, on occasions, rise above 40' but not routinely, and night time temperatures definitely do not "hover at similar levels"!   When specifically was the last time that Bangkok was "routinely" over 40' and when was the last time that Bangkok ever had 40' night temperatures?

 

You do realise that the false information that you linked to was from an air conditioning company?   It refers to Bangkok's "notorious smog", Bangkok does not suffer from smog and hasn't done for over 25 years from my personal experience, so nothing that that company says has any credibility.

 

The 2nd link confirmed an average temperature for Bangkok as 30.3', didn't mention 40' once.

 

So, to quote you, please check before you make incorrect statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2017 by gdgbb

[seancbk]

2 hours ago, wow64 said:

 

It does get cooler.. today was freezing and will only get cooler as locals turn the air up. 

 

Huh?   It never gets cold in Bangkok and certainly never freezing, and turning on airconditioning in buildings and homes etc (I guess that is what you mean by 'turn the air up') has absolutely zero impact on the outside temperature.

 

[honu]

Nice to have all that settled!  It seems the consensus is that if you think 35 C is hot (95 F), when coupled with significant humidity, then it's plenty hot in Bangkok, and if not then it isn't.

 

The comment about air quality got me thinking:  just how polluted is Bangkok anyway?  It's hazy out, kind of obvious if you work in a high building, but I don't keep up with air quality indexes.

 

The current air quality reading I looked up is at 107, listed in the category as "Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected."  Why am I not reassured much by that description?  I think that relates to not breathing this air for just a week or so.  Beijing lists as 25 on the site now, but locations throughout that area show up 30-60.  Los Angeles is at 50.

 

http://aqicn.org/city/bangkok/

 

Edited February 16, 2017 by honu

[Dumbastheycome]

5 hours ago, gdgbb said:

Where are you finding the "dirty" air?   Bangkok has relatively good air quality, demonstrated by several scientific surveys and is not known to suffer from dirty air.

To me  dense traffic  fumes and construction dust constitute  dirty air at street level. And  I have  never stayed in BKK where from about the  10th floor a layer of brown haze through  which high  rise buildings pierce is easily visible in  late  afternoon/evening. 

Perhaps  the result of surveys is  quantified relative  to  much worse places? Or  I am  too  sensitive. lol

[muzmurray]

6 hours ago, gdgbb said:

First thing, do not alter my post by " bolding" parts of it if you are going to quote them, forum rules do not allow that.

 

Secondly, Bangkok temperatures may, on occasions, rise above 40' but not routinely, and night time temperatures definitely do not "hover at similar levels"!   When specifically was the last time that Bangkok was "routinely" over 40' and when was the last time that Bangkok ever had 40' night temperatures?

 

You do realise that the false information that you linked to was from an air conditioning company?   It refers to Bangkok's "notorious smog", Bangkok does not suffer from smog and hasn't done for over 25 years from my personal experience, so nothing that that company says has any credibility.

 

The 2nd link confirmed an average temperature for Bangkok as 30.3', didn't mention 40' once.

 

So, to quote you, please check before you make incorrect statements.

 

First, please show me in the forum rules where it says I can not bold your quoted text to make it easier for other readers to understand what I am referring to.

 

Secondly, do not know where you got your 40 degrees from, if you could read, you would see that it was about AVERAGE temperature, you know average - it is the intelligence level above yours.

6 hours ago, gdgbb said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[buick]

i'm shocked that the chart says the average monthly humidity is 74% or higher every month of the year (assuming i read the chart right !!!).  i wonder if the measurement is taken from a dock on the river.  bkk feels like a 'dry' heat to me.

 

i don't know what this nonsense is about good air quality.  the air quality in bangkok is horrible.

 

 

On 2/15/2017 at 3:12 AM, seancbk said:

Hong Kong is 16 C and 71% humidity.

I bet HK feels much 'stickier' today.

i am in hong kong now and i'm freezing cold !!!!  meanwhile my buddy who is here from seattle is feeling great !!!

[seancbk]

32 minutes ago, buick said:

i am in hong kong now and i'm freezing cold !!!!  meanwhile my buddy who is here from seattle is feeling great !!!

 

Yeah 16C is pretty cold.   That is one thing I don't miss about Hong Kong.   
 

[LALes]

Bangkok is the hottest city in the world for mean average temperature over the course of the year.  Some places are hotter in their summers, but BKK is always hot.  There is NEVER a day when it isn't at least 28 (83) in the daytime.  The places that get hotter in their summers also get colder in their winters.   That doesn't really happen here.   The hottest time is mid March thru mid June,  when the average daytime high is 35-40 EVERY DAY.  

I've lived here for 10 years and I am not used to it.  It sucks.  I'd like to move back to a temperate climate.  Bangkok is also 3-5 degrees hotter than Pattaya, as a rule.  Also, more humid.  The breeze off the Gulf keeps Pattaya cooler and less humid.  Bangkok is built on a swamp.

There is air pollution here in the winter months, peaking in January and February, when the arctic winds bring down the shit air from China.  Yesterday was about the worst I've seen this year, however, this year is not quite as bad as years past for air pollution.  In the summer months, when we get the breeze from the south off the Gulf, the air is quite good in BKK.  Much better than a lot of mega-cities.   Don't forget,  Thailand doesn't measure the smaller polluting particles so the AQI number is skewed.  It ain't as bad as China-no way-but it is worse than you are reading on the AQI site.

[seancbk]

30 minutes ago, LALes said:

Bangkok is the hottest city in the world for mean average temperature over the course of the year.  Some places are hotter in their summers, but BKK is always hot.  There is NEVER a day when it isn't at least 28 (83) in the daytime.  The places that get hotter in their summers also get colder in their winters.   That doesn't really happen here.   The hottest time is mid March thru mid June,  when the average daytime high is 35-40 EVERY DAY.  

I've lived here for 10 years and I am not used to it.  It sucks.  I'd like to move back to a temperate climate.  Bangkok is also 3-5 degrees hotter than Pattaya, as a rule.  Also, more humid.  The breeze off the Gulf keeps Pattaya cooler and less humid.  Bangkok is built on a swamp.

There is air pollution here in the winter months, peaking in January and February, when the arctic winds bring down the shit air from China.  Yesterday was about the worst I've seen this year, however, this year is not quite as bad as years past for air pollution.  In the summer months, when we get the breeze from the south off the Gulf, the air is quite good in BKK.  Much better than a lot of mega-cities.   Don't forget,  Thailand doesn't measure the smaller polluting particles so the AQI number is skewed.  It ain't as bad as China-no way-but it is worse than you are reading on the AQI site.

 

As someone said previously, questions like the OP are impossible to answer as everyone has a different opinion. 

You've lived here 10 years and can't get used to the heat, which means you never will, or you don't want to.  We don't know you or what reason there is for you to find the heat so bad.

To me the heat is nothing.

[fruitman]

18 hours ago, gdgbb said:

Where are you finding the "dirty" air?   Bangkok has relatively good air quality, demonstrated by several scientific surveys and is not known to suffer from dirty air.

 

Downtown of course, like Saphan Kwai or at Chidlom bts-station

[gdgbb]

16 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

To me  dense traffic  fumes and construction dust constitute  dirty air at street level. And  I have  never stayed in BKK where from about the  10th floor a layer of brown haze through  which high  rise buildings pierce is easily visible in  late  afternoon/evening. 

Perhaps  the result of surveys is  quantified relative  to  much worse places? Or  I am  too  sensitive. lol

"And  I have  never stayed in BKK where from about the  10th floor a layer of brown haze through  which high  rise buildings pierce is easily visible in  late  afternoon/evening. "

 

That's called  sunset.

[gdgbb]

15 hours ago, muzmurray said:

 

First, please show me in the forum rules where it says I can not bold your quoted text to make it easier for other readers to understand what I am referring to.

 

Rule 16.

[gdgbb]

15 hours ago, muzmurray said:

 

First, please show me in the forum rules where it says I can not bold your quoted text to make it easier for other readers to understand what I am referring to.

 

Secondly, do not know where you got your 40 degrees from, if you could read, you would see that it was about AVERAGE temperature, you know average - it is the intelligence level above yours.

 

If you could read properly you would be able to see that I was responding to someone else who made the 40C claim.  You don't really want to discuss intelligence levels do you?

[gdgbb]

15 hours ago, buick said:

i don't know what this nonsense is about good air quality.  the air quality in bangkok is horrible.

Horrible?  What does that mean, is it a scientific measurement?

[seancbk]

1 hour ago, gdgbb said:

16 hours ago, muzmurray said:

 

First, please show me in the forum rules where it says I can not bold your quoted text to make it easier for other readers to understand what I am referring to.

 

Rule 16.

16) You will not make changes to quoted material from other members posts, except for purposes of shortening the quoted post. This cannot be done in such a manner that it alters the context of the original post.

I would not consider bolding a line in a post to which you are replying to constitute 'changes to quoted material'.  The rule is clearly to stop people altering the context of posts.

Many users do it, myself included, because it makes understanding that is being discussed that much easier.    

[gdgbb]

17 minutes ago, seancbk said:

16) You will not make changes to quoted material from other members posts, except for purposes of shortening the quoted post. This cannot be done in such a manner that it alters the context of the original post.

I would not consider bolding a line in a post to which you are replying to constitute 'changes to quoted material'.  The rule is clearly to stop people altering the context of posts.

Many users do it, myself included, because it makes understanding that is being discussed that much easier.    

You may not consider that changing how my posts are written constitutes a change but it does.  Altering the post by bolding can alter the intonation and can, therefore, alter the context. 

 

If you think there would be some difficulty in having the discussion understood then copy and paste the relevant part into your own comment, don't alter my comment.

 

Just because other posters alter other's posts doesn't make it ok either.

[muzmurray]

32 minutes ago, gdgbb said:

You may not consider that changing how my posts are written constitutes a change but it does.  Altering the post by bolding can alter the intonation and can, therefore, alter the context. 

 

If you think there would be some difficulty in having the discussion understood then copy and paste the relevant part into your own comment, don't alter my comment.

 

Just because other posters alter other's posts doesn't make it ok either.

 

in·to·na·tion

ˌin(t)əˈnāSH(ə)n/

noun

 

1. 1.

   the rise and fall of the voice in speaking.