Whats wrong with the air on Phuket

[thaibutty]

Does anybody also feel that the air quality in Phuket has gone downhill over the last couple of years?

 

I dont mean the haze from Indonesia a while back.

 

I am talking about constant smog in the South of the island. I have been paying attention to it a lot and I cant remember the last really clear day.

Everyday when I am driving my son to school on Chao Fa West I can see towards Phuket town and Khao Torsae, the one with the antennas, is always in a haze. On the way back all the Chalong hills are also always in a haze. Its a bit better early morning and worse in the afternoon.But never really clear.

 

Everywhere where you can see a bit into the distance the air is rather hazy.

 

Doesnt surprise me with all the traffic, hundreds of buses and the favorite local pastime of burning their leafs and garbage in their backyards

 

Air quality index hasnt been updated in 6 month. http://aqicn.org/city/thailand/phuket/municipal-health-center-1/

 

I wonder why.... 

[NamKangMan]

 

With no proper public transport, everyone needs access to a vehicle on Phuket, hence, the traffic, noise pollution, air pollution, parking problems, accidents, injuries, and death here.

 

Here's an old article, but even then the figures are quite large. 

 

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Huge-increase-Phuket-vehicle-numbers/9381

 

 

 

[trd]

Haze can be caused by smoke particles or harmless water vapour. The air quality has been quite good this high season. Look for when the prevailing winds come from China. That's the worst.

[Old Croc]

Not saying there isn't a possibility of smog here, but it could just be haze (water vapour) from the ocean helped by the tropical high humidity and the westerly winds.

 

When fishing, up to 20 miles out off Australia, you could tell when the sea breeze was coming and it was time to head in.

Even on cloudless days you would see a dirty haze on the horizon.

[stevenl]

Quote

Does anybody also feel that the air quality in Phuket has gone downhill over the last couple of years?

I don't.

[schlog]

Yup i do. For example the air quality between Patong and Maikhao is a big difference. Driving over Patong hill you can see the smog caused by cars, busses and cruise liners. This cruise liners are hell for good air.

 

It is easy to feel the difference by a small test. How long can you stay in the sun without getting grilled? Maikhaw max 30min and in the south easy more than 1h.

[thaibutty]

3 hours ago, schlog said:

Yup i do. For example the air quality between Patong and Maikhao is a big difference. Driving over Patong hill you can see the smog caused by cars, busses and cruise liners. This cruise liners are hell for good air.

 

It is easy to feel the difference by a small test. How long can you stay in the sun without getting grilled? Maikhaw max 30min and in the south easy more than 1h.

I had that impression too that the air in the Northern part of the island is cleaner than in the South.

[thaibutty]

 

11 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Not saying there isn't a possibility of smog here, but it could just be haze (water vapour) from the ocean helped by the tropical high humidity and the westerly winds.

 

I am quite sure that parts of the haze is vapour from the ocean and humidity. But I dont think it is the only cause. Of course, in the past there was always some kind of haze during this time of the year. But I still think that the visibility is less than 10 years ago. It seems more hazy. The Chalong hills are always in some kind of fog. Almost all year round. This wasnt the case 5 years ago. 

I can be wrong but I believe the explanation is more smog due to more cars, more busses, more cruiseships, more people burning their stuff.

Not that I feel it but I dont think that the air is as clean as it used to be.

[stevenl]

 

I am quite sure that parts of the haze is vapour from the ocean and humidity. But I dont think it is the only cause. Of course, in the past there was always some kind of haze during this time of the year. But I still think that the visibility is less than 10 years ago. It seems more hazy. The Chalong hills are always in some kind of fog. Almost all year round. This wasnt the case 5 years ago. 

I can be wrong but I believe the explanation is more smog due to more cars, more busses, more cruiseships, more people burning their stuff.

Not that I feel it but I dont think that the air is as clean as it used to be.

Big Buddha is normally very clearly visible.

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[exemplary21]

Yes, it's because people drive their kids to school every day.

[williet98248]

No opinion on the smog but I have noticed that at certain angles of the sun I can actually see the particulates in the air.  Like fine snow coming down.  No wonder my cleanly washed car gathers a layer of dust in a day or two.  And I have to breathe this stuff.  

[madmax2]

No smoke from Indonesia this year, air quality is better than it has been in previous years for sure

[trd]

The Phuket monitoring station doesn't give AQI readings anymore it seems but when they were you could see a clear difference between seasons. The best quality air is during the monsoon season when the winds are coming from the south west across the Indian Ocean, but when they shift to the north east the air is coming from China bringing all it's heavy industrialised pollution with it. You could see that when you compared the AQI readings. That isn't to say that local pollution levels from cars haven't increased.

[xylophone]

On 3/25/2017 at 7:00 AM, williet98248 said:

No opinion on the smog but I have noticed that at certain angles of the sun I can actually see the particulates in the air.  Like fine snow coming down.  No wonder my cleanly washed car gathers a layer of dust in a day or two.  And I have to breathe this stuff.  

Yes I agree with that, and I don't know if it's because I have a sensitive nose or not, but I am certain that there is some sort of smoke in the air, because I can smell it and when I look into the hills from my apartment, which is fairly high up, I can see that grey/blue haze and I can assure you it's not water vapour haze, because my apartment is just near these trees and I get to smell this smoke all the time and it's bloody annoying.

 

A couple of years ago I bought a Sharp air purifier and I've just had to change the filter (recommended every two years) and it was a light brown in colour, the same colour as the 3M filter I put in the air conditioner.

 

In addition the Sharp air purifier has an ioniser and this also ensures particles in the air fall to the ground and like "williet98248" has said, I can actually see them.

 

It has gotten so bad that I'm seriously considering moving somewhere else, because it can't be good for you and the constant smell is annoying and aggravating, not to mention unhealthy.

[NamKangMan]

 

 

For anyone interested, next time you get your air conditioner serviced, have a look at what gets washed out of the filters.

 

That's what you are breathing in here, everyday. 

[DrDave]

22 hours ago, xylophone said:

Yes I agree with that, and I don't know if it's because I have a sensitive nose or not, but I am certain that there is some sort of smoke in the air, because I can smell it and when I look into the hills from my apartment, which is fairly high up, I can see that grey/blue haze and I can assure you it's not water vapour haze, because my apartment is just near these trees and I get to smell this smoke all the time and it's bloody annoying.

 

<snip>

Intermittently over the past few weeks, someone has been burning the hillside up above Soi 6, which has generated a lot of smoke and haze in the area.

Also, just a few days ago, there was a massive burning in the area of Prab's resort on Hasip Pii with huge clouds of choke-inducing smoke.

Like Chiangmai, the officials here don't seem to care about brush burning and air quality.  

[Old Croc]

On ‎3‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 8:59 AM, DrDave said:

Intermittently over the past few weeks, someone has been burning the hillside up above Soi 6, which has generated a lot of smoke and haze in the area.

Also, just a few days ago, there was a massive burning in the area of Prab's resort on Hasip Pii with huge clouds of choke-inducing smoke.

Like Chiangmai, the officials here don't seem to care about brush burning and air quality.  

Probably making a start on Prabs, Pisona Group's latest project.

 

http://www.phsproperty.com/project/patong-bay-seaview-cottages/

 

According to the blurb, 800 meters to the beach. On my map, twice that, as the crow flies.

[DrDave]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

Probably making a start on Prabs, Pisona Group's latest project.

 

http://www.phsproperty.com/project/patong-bay-seaview-cottages/

 

According to the blurb, 800 meters to the beach. On my map, twice that, as the crow flies.

The burning was quite a bit lower on the hill - closer to the staff quarters just off Hasip Pii Rd.

 

That link explains a lot of the new construction going on there, though. He's been building a steep road with switchbacks up the hill to where these cottages will be located. This is way, way, way above the 80 meter limit, so I'm guessing he's not going to be able to sell them. He's probably worked out some (dodgy) way to lease these structures built above the 80 meter height limit.

 

The time a few years back when Daddy unsuccessfully attempted to get the authorities in Bangkok to repeal the 80 meter limit comes to mind. Doesn't seem to have stopped Junior, though.

[NamKangMan]

Or, the other question could be, what's right with the air on Phuket????

[xylophone]

On 3/30/2017 at 3:17 PM, DrDave said:

This is way, way, way above the 80 meter limit, so I'm guessing he's not going to be able to sell them. He's probably worked out some (dodgy) way to lease these structures built above the 80 meter height limit.

Surely he shouldn't be able to BUILD them, let alone find a devious way to "sell/lease" them?

[Felt 35]

Your not implying that there could be a reason to no update for 6 months on the web to http://aqicn.org/map/world/ over Phuket

http://aqicn.org/city/thailand/phuket/municipal-health-center-1/

TAT probably have the answer..........

 

[xylophone]

The smell of smoke/burning has returned to Patong and it started about a week ago, then noticed a newspaper article that burning had started in Aceh, Indonesia, and the peat fires were burning again...........

[Jimi007]

The smell of smoke/burning has returned to Patong and it started about a week ago, then noticed a newspaper article that burning had started in Aceh, Indonesia, and the peat fires were burning again...........

No, hadn't noticed. It's been lovely on my end of the island. Nice ocean breeze and some rain showers. The wind is from the west, north west now so I rather doubt what ever it could be is not from Ban Ache. Plus it's monsoon season. The Indonesia smoke usually comes in late September and October from what I recall.


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[xylophone]

36 minutes ago, Jimi007 said:

No, hadn't noticed. It's been lovely on my end of the island. Nice ocean breeze and some rain showers. The wind is from the west, north west now so I rather doubt what ever it could be is not from Ban Ache. Plus it's monsoon season. The Indonesia smoke usually comes in late September and October from what I recall.


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Lucky man Jimi007, because I can certainly smell it here and I can see it in the trees as it seems to hang in them. Not only that a few people in town today (Thais) commented on it.

 

It would seem to be from Indonesia according to this. Now I'm not an expert on wind direction or whatever, however it would seem possible that a westerly would drag in some of the smoke from Aceh, but then again it's getting here somehow! 

 

July 27th 2017…………A state of emergency was earlier declared in West Aceh district, where fires on peatland expanded over 70 hectares within a week.

 

https://www.nst.com.my/world/2017/07/261183/indonesian-forest-fires-5-provinces-declare-state-emergency

[Jimi007]

2 hours ago, xylophone said:

Lucky man Jimi007, because I can certainly smell it here and I can see it in the trees as it seems to hang in them. Not only that a few people in town today (Thais) commented on it.

 

It would seem to be from Indonesia according to this. Now I'm not an expert on wind direction or whatever, however it would seem possible that a westerly would drag in some of the smoke from Aceh, but then again it's getting here somehow! 

 

July 27th 2017…………A state of emergency was earlier declared in West Aceh district, where fires on peatland expanded over 70 hectares within a week.

 

https://www.nst.com.my/world/2017/07/261183/indonesian-forest-fires-5-provinces-declare-state-emergency

Don't know about that, but this is the haze and smog map from the Singapore Government. I can usually feel it in my lungs and eyes when those fires start.

 

[xylophone]

50 minutes ago, Jimi007 said:

Don't know about that, but this is the haze and smog map from the Singapore Government. I can usually feel it in my lungs and eyes when those fires start.

 

Feeling and smelling it here as are others, damn those buggers that are starting these fires.

[happyas]

6 hours ago, Jimi007 said:

No, hadn't noticed. It's been lovely on my end of the island. Nice ocean breeze and some rain showers. The wind is from the west, north west now so I rather doubt what ever it could be is not from Ban Ache. Plus it's monsoon season. The Indonesia smoke usually comes in late September and October from what I recall.


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  Interesting that you have west,northwest winds.

Usually this time of year is from the south west .

It's a  monsoon climate all year round in Asia, ie, its always "a" monsoon season, not only now.

The south west monsoon now and the northeast monsoon about oct-april.

[Jimi007]

5 minutes ago, happyas said:

  Interesting that you have west,northwest winds.

Usually this time of year is from the south west .

It's a  monsoon climate all year round in Asia, not only now.

The south west monsoon now and the northeast monsoon about oct-april.

I actually have a compass. I just went outside and the wind is coming from about 300º at my house. But there are variables and micro climates around here.

[happyas]

36 minutes ago, Jimi007 said:

I actually have a compass. I just went outside and the wind is coming from about 300º at my house. But there are variables and micro climates around here.

I wasn't doubting your call on the wind direction, just that it is usual at this time of year to be from the SW.

Many variables and Phukets well known geographical micro climates can ,for sure change the bigger picture.

[Jimi007]

16 minutes ago, happyas said:

I wasn't doubting your call on the wind direction, just that it is usual at this time of year to be from the SW.

Many variables and Phukets well known geographical micro climates can ,for sure change the bigger picture.

Okay, then try this link: http://aqicn.org/here/

 

Current air quality in Phuket.