How bad is burning season in chiang mai

Chiang mai is charming, with architectural relics mixed in alongside many modern buildings. The severity of the pollution problem can vary greatly from yeartoyear and daytoday within any single year. The severity of the pollution problem can vary greatly from yeartoyear and daytoday within any single. Burning season in chiangmai thailand lonely planet forum. Chiang mai is 41% cheaper than bangkok and substantially cheaper than the dollarized phuket 10%. Avoid if air pollution is a concern for your health. The problem gets severe during the peak seasons october february when travelers flock in millions from all across the globe and traffic on the roads increase. The best time to visit chiang mai the blond travels. At the time the sky was hazy and the air smelled like a campfire but we werent overly affected by the dry heat or the smoke at the time.

Most people who know me know that i have pretty bad asthma, so i bought an omron compressor nec28 nebulizer from lazada for 2000 baht usd 60 just in case the air got to be too much to handle. When does it start, how bad is it really, and what the solution to ending it is. How to deal with chiang mais smoky season tieland to. Seasons of chiang mai you should know when planning your visit. People werent kidding when they said burning season in chiang mai is bad.

Chiang mai wasnt anywhere near that, so we decided to don face masks and suck it up. I have been away for three weeks and noticed as i got back this evening the air is filled with burning rubbish particles and haze. The period of january to march is infamously known as the smoky season in chiang mai. There are good days and bad days, some nomads skip town during this period. Im going to be in thailand from the 10th of feb to the 1st of march in 2016 and was really excited to go to chiang mai and issan. Jan 22, 2014 if living in chiang mai, where are the best places to go during the burning season to get away from the smoke and how long would i need to be gone kind of stinks to think you would have to loose your apt.

We are a couple traveling to thailand and really want to go to chiang mai. We are in bangkok feb 2528 and then are planning to head to. I was told that the season is only during the month of march, but it actually starts in midfebruary and goes all the way until songkran thai new year in midapril. The smoky season otherwise known as chiang mai s burning season is an annual phenomenon many expats and travelers concern over. Getting towards the end of february here in chiang, mai, thailand and burning season is getting underway. And whilst the air quality is bad, its still a lot better than it was a month or so ago when the readings zoomed up to 300400, and somedays, even higher. Burning season in chiangmai thailand lonely planet. Everything you want to know about burning season in chiang mai.

Burning season in chiang mai when is it, how bad is it. Pollution and smog in chiang mai and northern thailand. It was not as a comment about how to improve things or anything political. As an outdoor enthusiast, life is quite unpleasant during the burning season in chiang mai. The best area is nimman, but its also the most expensive. Chiang mai still struggling for some fresh air the thaiger. Apr 05, 2019 our experience with chiang mais smoky season we first arrived in chiang mai in march 20 right as the burning season was kicking into high gear. In 2014 the burning season really started getting bad on march. Then we got some rain and wind over two days and it cleared. The early effects of burning season in chiang mai, thailand. Luckily the burning didnt start until mid march and since i didnt have any options i sat through it just as i did the year before in 2012 when i was training and living at a muay thai gym. It is the time when the air gets in northern thailand. A large forest fire or cropburning can spike the pollution level overnight, while a strong rainstorm or shift in wind currents can clear much of the dust from the air just as quickly. I like the idea of chiang mai but bangkok seems a bit too large of a city to me.

Is burning season really bad in february in both chiang mai and issan to the point where i shouldnt go. When does the chiang mai burning season start and how long does it last. It is not peking or shanghai, but there are days when the sky is grey and you cannot see the surrounding mountains. My first experience, last year, was that it was tolerable in february, me thinking this is not so bad, and then it really hit in march and i was saying, i will never be living in chiang mai during march again. Smoke pollution makes march the worst month to visit chiang. If so, are there other places within thailand or perhaps cambodia that we can go to escape the smoke. This time should definitely be avoided by people suffering from asthma, or other breathing difficulties. Before i moved to thailand friends of mine with their two kids flew out for a jungle trek in chiang mai during the burning season and the smoke was so bad they couldnt see where they were going. Instead of the government spending money on refreshing chiang mai by spraying water, they should simply enforce exhaust emissions on cars and motorbikes especially the songthaews and tuk tuks. Burning season in chiang mai chiang mai burning season. Personally, i thought it was awful, and now have to figure out where to go, what to do, in march 2014. The burning season gets going at the end of february and will usually last until midapril.

Its hard to say how bad it is because some people dont even notice it and others are howling about it from february to may. The smoky season taking over chiang mai each dry season is a complex issue with no clear cut solution. We have considered chiang mai but have heard this is during the burning season. It is the time when the air gets in northern thailand, especially. Burning season in chiang mai all you need to know holidify. The chiang mai burning season, should you avoid it. Her question was about the quality of the air in late february. The burning season affects all of northern thailand chiang mai, pai. Until yesterday i was having serious doubts about my ability to stick it out in chiang mai during the burning season. Chiang mais smoky season becomes apparent when its typical robin egg blue skies are replaced by a dingy yellow haze, lack of visibility, and a lingering campfire smell in the air. As the cool season gives away to thailands burning season, travelers and expats alike are met with the same dilemma they face every year. So you could get from bad to saying what is all the fuss about last year would have had a late start as there was good wet season after two years of drought. On occasion i will simply ignore the pollution and go for a bike ride or a hike and just suffer the consequences after.

Jan 10, 2020 burning season is the time of year when the air pollution in chiang mai is at its peak. As our flight from bangkok descended into the muck of chiang mai we noticed a change in the cabin air quality, as if some longlost smoking sign had turned on and the first twenty rows obliged. Seasons of chiang mai you should know when planning your. Burning season 2016 chiang mai message board tripadvisor. Ken, many tourists dont realise the burning problem until they fly into chiang mai. Feb 12, 2018 everything you want to know about burning season in chiang mai. Burning season chiang mai 2019 thailand message board. In 20 i was just starting my first online business and was too broke to leave chiang mai. Im really not trying to do too many touristy beaches.

Air quality plummets during the burning season in northern thailand. Having experienced my first burning season in 20, ill try and help you out with this post. How to deal with chiang mais burning season one cup of tee. The normal co2 emissions and black smoke from cars is always bad for you, but during burning season it gets trapped under the blanket of smoke, making the air poisonous. Jun 10, 2019 chiang mai wasnt anywhere near that, so we decided to don face masks and suck it up. Starts in january but the worst of it is in march, when you cant even see the gigantic mountain of. Whilst the high value of the thai baht has kept westerners away, the virus has lead to almost know chinese tourists since late january. A survivors guide to chiang mais burning season iglu. Not only is it the cheapest way to prepare for the new planting season, but after burning the fields, a particular type of mushroom. Mar 27, 2018 as the cool season gives away to thailands burning season, travelers and expats alike are met with the same dilemma they face every year. Chiang mai burning continues, despite the assurances of the government that it will be stopped. How to deal with chiang mais smoky season tieland to thailand.

Hi im going for a month in thailand in february, i was planning to visit chiang mai and the north part of the country for treks mainly. What other area would you suggest if chiang mai air quality is too bad. Resources for burning season in chiang mai chiang mai burning continues, despite the assurances of the government that it will be stopped. Im in chiang mai now and the air pollution has been worse than usual about half of the days this last 3 weeks, most of which seems to not be smoke from burning but vehicle pollution, etc. Best and worst time to travel in chiang mai the travel brief. We first arrived in chiang mai in march 20 right as the burning season was kicking into high gear. Mar 31, 2019 during the months of march to may, the air quality of northern thailand takes a turn for the worse. That generally means about 67 weeks of the year where chiang mai is best avoided. Last year, chiang mai governor prawin chamniprasart led a 60day blanket ban on all burning. Your date feb 22 stands at the cusp of the hot season smog season. Smog in chiang mai often reduces viability to just a few hundred metres.

How bad is burning season and if its that bad should i look elsewhere to teachwhere. Its a far more complicated problem than simply banning the burning. You can stay in the old city thats very nice but that gets noisy during the weekend for the night markets. Unfortunately for chiang mai it is trapped in a valley surrounded by mountains which hold the smoke in more that some. The reality of visiting northern thailand during the. I posted an article to show that it is not only my opinion i have spent time in chiang mai during the burning season that the air is bad at that time. An early start to burning season, and a drop in tourists in january and february, has had a bad effect on chiang mai s tourism industry. Wouldnt recommend staying there during the burning season. May, 2019 resources for burning season in chiang mai. Officially burning season in chiang mai is from march 1st april 12th. Burning season in chiang mai when is it, how bad is it really.

The period of january to march is known as the burning smoky season in chiang mai. Would you even want to survive thailands polluted north. Many travelers arent aware of this and thus have to face multiple problems. Chiang mai has a thriving digital nomad community of younger americans working predominantly on tech projects. Although a number of different brands of facemaskrespirator are represented locally, by far the most popular for everyday use during chiang mais crop burning season are the sundry disposable 3m particulate respirators, in particular the n95 and p2 graded models. The real hazy smoky season hasnt even started yet and the worst part of that usually runs from march thru may. Smoke pollution makes march the worst month to visit. It is really that bad and yes you should consider rescheduling your trip. The rainy season which typically runs from june to october isnt anything like as bad as it sounds, and its actually a surprisingly good time to visit chiang mai. Its my least favorite month along with september, when it rains a lot. The reality of visiting northern thailand during the burning. Feb 06, 2017 every december and january in chiang mai the one topic you cant seem to avoid is the burning season. A view out the window revealed sporadic fires spewing various shades of gray on into the horizon.

Last year wasnt too bad, but this year, along with thousands of others, im suffering. So we have decided to stick around chiang mai but to leave during the burning season. How do you deal with your first burning season in chiang mai, thailand. The air in chiang mai during burning season is bad. Burning season chiang mai forum thailand visa forum by. I personally avoid chiang mai during march and april but the burning is not confined to chiang mai or even just to northern thailand it also happens in laos cambodia myanmar in fact anywhere where there is a lot of farming. The name burning season comes from the act of northern thais burning the old crops to make way for the new planting season. Day time temperature is not too bad, in the low 30s around 90f. The bad news is that the smog is prevalent as early as january and extends to midmay. Burning season in chiang mai chiang mai forum tripadvisor. Seems this is just the reality of most people living here the rest of the year is so nice and all the other checkboxes are checked, it is just a bad winter. The medicine for the nebulizer only costs 400 baht usd 12 for a pack of 20.

Also known as the burning season, this is a time when the air quality in northern thailand, especially chiang mai hits an alltime low due to several reasons. If you are concerned, why not make plans now for an alternative. This is the time when air pollution spikes dramatically and the entire city is hazy all the time. Lets just say its not the best time to be in chiang mai. Chiang mai burning season thailand lonely planet forum. We are bringing our family to thailand the first 10 days of april. Chiang mai is like the center of a bowl with surrounding hills and mountains, the smoke floats down into the bowl and settles on the city, creating the burning season kerfluffle. Nearby hills and buildings are difficult to see and often disappear entirely on bad days. Burning season chiang mai 2019 thailand forum tripadvisor. We are also planning to go to bangkok and phuket area. The air quality is indeed very bad during the dry season from late february until the end of april, and when the rains return things clear up nicely.

I want to teach english in chiang mai starting around february. I heard the burning season just started and i was wondering how bad is the situation on the ground. How bad is the air during chiang mais burning season. In 2014 the burning season really started getting bad on march 15th. Burning season in chiang mai chiang mai message board. In this unbiased portrait series, i am interested in looking at the problem from a human who benefits and who suffers and factual point of view health and environmental impact. My partner and i were really excited to go to chiang mai at the end of february, but only learned about burning season after booking our trip were doing 3 weeks in total in cambodiathailand. Northern thailand is manageable during the burning season but it is miserable for those last few weeks before songkran if youre a tourist and you want to do things. Nov 12, 20 smoke pollution makes march the worst month to visit chiang mai and northern thailand posted on november 12, 20 by ryan zander you would have to be crazy to intentionally plan a trip to chiang mai during the month of march. Heres why the smoke gets so bad, and how you can avoid getting sick. In an attempt to reduce the amount of smoke and smog pollution in chiang mai, the local government have announced a 51 day no burning period where burning in an open air space will be illegal. Heres a complete guide that will prepare you to face the worst of the burning season in chiang mai.