The Realities Of Burning Season in Thailand
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
- Is Chiang Mai worth it?
If you are planning on visiting or living in Chiang Mai, this video about the burning season is a must-watch.
#simplelifestyle #minimalistlifestyle #thailand
I created a 34-page guide (PDF) on living in Chiang Mai, including visa, places to live, cost of living, things to do, and more
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:52 What's the Burning Season
02:27 Why it happens
03:10 How bad is it
03:49 How to cope
04:47 Go to the islands?
05:38 Other options
07:04 3 Places (if not Chiang Mai)
09:09 Why Chiang Mai is home
10:11 Wrap up
Is Chiang Mai worth it? Should you still live here despite the burning season or smoky season?
This is something that many people ask about - if living in Chiang Mai is a bad idea or worth it.
So how bad is it during the smoky season? It is worse during March and April but starts going bad by Mid-February. It also depends on the weather and human activity.
Why does the smoky season happen here?
- Intentionally-set fires (burning the underbrush to promote the growth of rare and prized mushrooms)
- Naturally-occurring fires (wildfires)
- Burning crop fields
How to cope:
- Others sublet their homes
- Those with pets get a pet and house sitter
- Limit time outdoors, only go to places (restaurants, gyms, malls)with air purifier
- When going out, wear a KN 95 mask
- Get an air purifier at home, seal up the doors and windows with big gaps
- Go to the islands (Phuket, Samui, Lanta, Krabi, Phangan)
Should you leave CM during the burning season?
If you have an option or availability, yes. We left every year, as it also coincides with our visa expiration
It's gray and smoky most of the time, hard to breathe, bad for those with existing lung issues
Where we considered moving before:
Ubud, Bali
Hoi An,Vn
Dumaguete, PH
But although Chiang Mai has its downsides, this is home for now.
Why we decided to stay in Cm despite burning season:
- The good outweighs the bad
- It feels like home here no matter what
- We love the community here and many areas with a small town feel yet accessibility to the city when we want to
- Low crime rate, high safety index
- Affordable cost of living
At the end of the day, it is up to you where you feel most at home in. But to each their own. :) Thanks for watching this video!
Thanks!
Welcome!
Great info!! Thank you!!
Thanks 😊
Good info, thanks
Thanks!
EXCELLENT…. THANK YOU
Thanks for watching
I enjoy your video and perspective on Chiang mai. Thank you.
Thank you 😊
Thank you for doing this! I was the one asking your thoughts some weeks back about this. You did a brilliant job!
Thank you 😊
Thank you
🙏
It’s a shame for one entity got rich. But suffered the entire region.
Thank you for your video I just stumbled on to your channel. I am living in Nimman and finding the burning season unpleasant. Using similar strategies to mitigate incl limited time outdoors going back to (Manly Beach) Sydney then to Seoul for a few weeks. Cheers
I think that's a good idea. Wishing you a lovely time in Sydney and Seoul 😊
Nice video but I think you are a little understated as to just how bad it can be. Chiang Mai has often made number 1 on the list of most polluted cities in the world during this period. I’ve noticed it getting progressively worse in recent years sadly too (in Thailand in general also). Not to be melodramatic but at worst I fear living there long term and breathing such high levels of pollution could potentially have serious health consequences such as emphysema or lung cancer. You’re wise to take precautions as you suggest, N95 mask and air purifiers can help for sure.
I understand your sentiment. Thanks for your comment.
I am living about 70 km south of CM. You should show video of the actual smog ie. no blue sky, no mountains (not even the close ones). The smog can be very irritating to the eyes as well as the throat and lungs. Wearing a mask outdoors is recommended. At times I can barely make it a few km into town on a motorbike as my eyes are burning and I have a helmet with shield (need googles). Rains do not clear away the haze. Be aware that the haze you see in the distance is the haze you are in.
You are correct - the smog is bad. This video was filmed and posted in early February when the air quality wasn't as bad as now. But now, blue sky is a rarity even after the rain, unfortunately.
Omg! I didn’t know anything about this I booked my whole trip 😢to chiang mai and chiang Raí , I’m no going to be able to see the temples right now?
What happened. How was it?
Hi, how is the situation at the end of april?
Extremely helpful video with facts and solutions, I will do the same IF I come to retire from Toronto Canada. Please do a current cost of living video for single, couple...Thanks!!!
Thanks! I actually have a video on cost of living in Thailand for singles and couples. You can check the chapters in this video. Thanks! th-cam.com/video/cmWf4zv-dFo/w-d-xo.html
@@ASlowSimpleLife Thanks will check this out for cost of living info!!
The burning or smoky season is not an issue for me; the brutal heat and humidity is. I like to visit twice a year: during the rainy season and during high season. Works for me. 🙏🏼
I can understand that - the heat and high humidity can be quite intense. Rainy season and cool and dry season are the best times in Chiang Mai for sure. ☺️
Is the heat and humidity worse than Florida?
Hey, didn't quite know about this, and have already got the tickets, will be in Thailand for 15 days from the end of March, around 30th March to mid April. Planning to visit Chiang Mai just for 1-2 days, should I go during the end of the trip, like mid April?
March and April are usually the worst in terms of air quality in northern thailand, unfortunately. Gets slightly better near the end of April. With the smog, outdoor activities are not enjoyable. But if you are staying indoors with an air purifier, it is tolerable.
Hi! I’m going Chiangmai just next week. Is the situation getting better or for the worse? 😢
Not so good. Since it hasn't rained since last week or so, the air quality is pretty bad...
hello. thanks for the video . we are going to chiangmai in january 15 and stay until 23 january, do you think we should leave earlier ( we are going to Krabi after ) ?
or it still ok to go to Doi Inthanon and a journee in an elephant sancturary little far from Chiang mai ? or it's worse in moutain ?
thanks
The air quality varies but last year, we went to Doi Inthanon in early February and it was clear there. As for Chiang Mai, the air quality was not consistently bad in January. It usually gets worse mid or end February up to May.
What about the weather in mid May? Will it be good for a tourist who'll visit it for 2-3 days!
It should be better in terms of air quality but still hot and humid.
Does the burning season affect Bangkok as well?
Yes but not as much as in the North.
I lived in Duma for 3 years (Bacong). Interested to know why you did not chose Duma? You did not say why, just curious
Dumaguete is nice! How was your experience living there for 3 years? As for us, we prefer Northern Thailand for long term living, for now. I find the infrastructure here to be better, lower cost of living, and more bang for the buck.
@@ASlowSimpleLife I loved it, but the two big cons where the pollution and trash. Driving into town was like lung cancer waiting to happen 😂. I do enjoy the vibe and closeness to nature in Duma.
Pollution and trash is a bad combo, for sure! But I'm glad you enjoyed other things about living in Dumaguete. 😊
What about the middle or end of May?
It should be better than March and April.
@@ASlowSimpleLife Thanks
Pinay ka day
Yes 🇵🇭 ☺️
Chiang Mai is great & we lived there many years but....At the end of the day if your a healthy person or a parent with kids do you want to basically smoke for 3 months a year? Let your kids smoke for 3 months a year? Because like it or not your filling your lung with this stuff. We left & do the opposite. Instead of leaving Chiang Mai 3 months a year we now visit Chiang Mai 3 months a year Nov thru Jan 😉
Thanks for the input, that's one option for sure 😊
Hey hey, we're planning on travelling up to chiang mai 3-8 March, and only found out about this burning season!
Would you still recommend coming up for a few days only, or is it best to avoid entirely?
The air would be pretty bad during that time, so it's not exactly the best time to travel around Chiang Mai. However, if you cannot postpone your trip and you're only planning on coming here for a few days only, it's up to you. It's just pretty sad to see Chiang Mai looking dreary during the burning season, but rest of the year, (late summer, fall and winter) it's easy to love and appreciate the province's charm.
It is really crazy to think that a Filipino would choose Chiang Mai as a greener pasture .The Philippines has the best beaches and islands and a healthy air quality. (From Singapore)
To each their own 😊
@@ASlowSimpleLife Hi, could you please tell me if the burning season is worse or better for people living in Chiang Rai. It's very hard to find an answer to this online.
Chiang Rai is worse for air pollution. But you should know it's not just about seeing dirty grey smog skies. 2.5 particles can't be seen. The air is already not an acceptable quality way before you can see it with your eyes. In ChiangMai, air pollution is present for most of the year. But the dangerous levels s start in early December. The government bans burning in certain weeks in a month, so to get around the regulations, the farmers and associated burners start earlier..and it goes on rill the end of May. If it rains enough, otherwise they keep lighting until the rain makes it impossible. Air filters are one thing, but they can't cope with the high 2.5 numbers one gets in Chiang of the got 2 powerfully ones, and they can not get the levels down. Have to remember that one breaths C02 into the room; and after a while depending in how many people are breathing C02 levels become dangerous, and one has to open windows and doors to re-new oxygen. Only have to open for minutes for 2.5 to soar, and it's going to take hours for the air filters to reduce 2.5 levels, and by that time your going to have to open windows again. So you can not win. The expensive replacement filters and the noise over months and months will wear on anyone. You can get 2.5 3 M air filter paper from Home Pro. IF one fastens this extra protection sheet to the air filter, it will protect the rest of the replacable air filter for longer. But one is forever cutting to size and replacing. Honestly, there's no good solution for what amounts to half a year of one's life.
@@derek7495 Thanks, I've been looking everywhere to try and figure this out. I'm hoping to go to Chiang Rai, but that is a major turn-off. How do people function in their day-to-day lives like working and taking the kids to school?
@downswingplayer9712
Well, most of the Thais haven't got enough money to change their circumstances. This applies to a lot of expats, too. also, they got generations of family ties where they live. could add ignorance is bliss, too. Chiang Rai is very bad, but Pai and Mae Hong son are usually worse. In fact, the whole of Northern Thailand is a blaze and very bad. You have to go a long way south to escape from the pollution.
There is no penalty for causing this when it can be avoided.?Does'tn the Thai government have ANY responsibilty? Tourists avoid Chiang Mai and thousands of people travel outside the area every year. HELLO?!It's your economy you know.
I'm in my late '70's.I now have lung problems that are affecting my heart. Thanks a lot.
I'm sorry to hear that. It's a complicated issue, and I honestly don't have the answer.
Isn't this a good example of where the government should put a stop to it ,if for no other reason like,the economy of Thailand
Your videos are brilliant. I have been to Chiang Mai many times and plan to retire there this year. Keep up your wonderful videos.
Thank you and wishing you a happy retirement here in Chiang Mai 🙏