# Pollution in Thailand



## Guest

Some useful regularly updated pollution stats on this official Pollution Control Department website...

If anyone knows of other sources of info related to air and water quality in Thailand, please add them...


----------



## hydroman

frogblogger said:


> Some useful regularly updated pollution stats on this official Pollution Control Department website...
> 
> If anyone knows of other sources of info related to air and water quality in Thailand, please add them...


Not sure about official sources I live 25 mins from the city (air is good) better than the uk in the the city it gets bad some times


----------



## pinoy_expat

air in Bangkok is polluted. There's only grey sky. However, if you'll go to the provinces like in the north of Thailand (Chiang Mai), you will feel breathing the clean air seeing mostly greens and the clear blue sky.


----------



## jbeerda

*best area to live in bangkok (small family)*



hydroman said:


> Not sure about official sources I live 25 mins from the city (air is good) better than the uk in the the city it gets bad some times


Just wondering where you live. I am moving to Bangkok in August with wife and small 4 year old. What would be a good place to live nowadays taking into account the pollution, traffic and commute to work (Sukhumvit 33).

Is Bang Na an option? LadPrao?

Appreciate your expertise!


----------



## Merrill

Just my two cents on this topic. Having lived in LA, Chicago, Boston and visited places like Quito, San Jose, Mexico City, Ho Chi Minh City, I must say that Bangkok is making huge strides to clean up the air. Most cabs use LNG, many buses and more and more cars on the street are using LNG. I can be bad on days like today when the temp is 37 and the humidity is 97%, but it's getting better. Here we have the BTS and the subway, which can take people all over the city. The new airport link will open soon (???) and really decrease the amount of traffic from the Airport. More and more of the transport utilizes LNG. So, while my home country talks about greenhouse gases, the city of Bangkok is actually doing something about it. You want polution, go to Ho Chi Mhin City. I use to take a motor bike from home to work and I was covered with soot. Most wore masks. Even with my helmet on, I looked like a racoon. With millions of motorbikes in HCMC and Hanoi, polution is out of control. Breathing can be hazzardous to you health!!!! Yea, it's hazy, but at least there is a plan in place.


----------



## jbeerda

*question*



Merrill said:


> Just my two cents on this topic. Having lived in LA, Chicago, Boston and visited places like Quito, San Jose, Mexico City, Ho Chi Minh City, I must say that Bangkok is making huge strides to clean up the air. Most cabs use LNG, many buses and more and more cars on the street are using LNG. I can be bad on days like today when the temp is 37 and the humidity is 97%, but it's getting better. Here we have the BTS and the subway, which can take people all over the city. The new airport link will open soon (???) and really decrease the amount of traffic from the Airport. More and more of the transport utilizes LNG. So, while my home country talks about greenhouse gases, the city of Bangkok is actually doing something about it. You want polution, go to Ho Chi Mhin City. I use to take a motor bike from home to work and I was covered with soot. Most wore masks. Even with my helmet on, I looked like a racoon. With millions of motorbikes in HCMC and Hanoi, polution is out of control. Breathing can be hazzardous to you health!!!! Yea, it's hazy, but at least there is a plan in place.


So where do you think is the best place to live in Bangkok with a small family (Italian wife, small kid of 4)?


----------



## Merrill

*An area to live*

Hi,

Now that is a good question. If your company or husband's company will be paying for western wages, you can choose TongLor, which is where I lived when I first moved here. Many expates, great market (Villa) and the TongLor BTS is right there. It's more expensive! I think we paid about 13,000 Bht in 2006, which in USD it's about $250, but they prices have gone up. You can figure about 35,000 to ??? $1200 + USD for a 2 bedroom. Places are nice in TongLor and there are many western resturants, including Italian. If you look on Sukimvit Road the skys the limit. You want to be close to school, so you don't want to go to far outside the main area. I live on the way to the airport, but it's really Thai here and if your kids go to a private school you may have a long haul. There are a lot of expats on Rhamcum Haeng, which is not far from my area and the new BTS will open soon. There is a great place for Bufallo Mozerella and other dairy products. Really a bit of Italy smack down in the middle of the city. You can visit the farm where they have the buffalo and make the cheese in the north. A true touch of Italy that I miss. If your company is paying or your husbands, the skys the limit for proces and locations. Stay away from the inner core of the city where the protests took place. I have friends there who are Thai and they could not go home or to work many days. Now it's calm again. I think I like it where I am because they don't come out this way at all. So when you can your husband get here, let me know and I will take you to have great Buffalo and yes Italian wine. Not cheap, but a wonderful place.




jbeerda said:


> So where do you think is the best place to live in Bangkok with a small family (Italian wife, small kid of 4)?


----------



## JWilliamson

*small 4 year old?*



jbeerda said:


> Just wondering where you live. I am moving to Bangkok in August with wife and small 4 year old. What would be a good place to live nowadays taking into account the pollution, traffic and commute to work (Sukhumvit 33).
> 
> Is Bang Na an option? LadPrao?
> 
> Appreciate your expertise!


Most 4 years olds would be considered small compared to a 10 yr old. JW


----------



## wildfk

pinoy_expat said:


> air in Bangkok is polluted. There's only grey sky. However, if you'll go to the provinces like in the north of Thailand (Chiang Mai), you will feel breathing the clean air seeing mostly greens and the clear blue sky.



Firstly one might look up the situation at Mataphut - Rayong, where over 60 companies have had to suspend all operations - due to pollution regulation violations.

There are tracts of land there that no-one will buy and I heard that there have also been serious health concerns.


"Up North"?????????

- well it's fairly obvious that that poster hasn't been north when the crop-burning takes place and the govt advises everyone to stay indoors!


----------



## Paul Garrigan

I took my family to Bang Saen yesterday; there was garbage everywhere and the sea was slimy - no kidding. I had the same experience when I went there last year but I'd forotten how much pollution there is. The place is packed as well; it took ages to find somewhere to park. I always try and be positive about places I visit but I won't be going back to Bang Saen.


----------



## JWilliamson

*Pollution*



Paul Garrigan said:


> I took my family to Bang Saen yesterday; there was garbage everywhere and the sea was slimy - no kidding. I had the same experience when I went there last year but I'd forotten how much pollution there is. The place is packed as well; it took ages to find somewhere to park. I always try and be positive about places I visit but I won't be going back to Bang Saen.


Wow that information sounds like Hong Kong harbor. JW


----------



## wildfk

using litter and rubbish as your only yardstick for pollution would be highly misleading. Much pollution is invisible and odourless.


----------



## JWilliamson

*Pollution*



wildfk said:


> using litter and rubbish as your only yardstick for pollution would be highly misleading. Much pollution is invisible and odourless.


Thats another way but i aint got a meter to read that. im equipped with a nose and tongue and eyes


----------



## Paul Garrigan

All I know that when sea water is slimy it can't be a good thing.


----------



## JWilliamson

if a human can tell it slimy maybe its past the non smelling range and moved on to the touching range which seems bad


----------



## wildfk

how do you know "slimy" is bad?


----------



## JWilliamson

*slimy*



wildfk said:


> how do you know "slimy" is bad?


slimy would be considered bad if you are swimming and it feels like oil,jelly fish or it stinks.


----------



## neobee

thats the first sign to get the hell out of the water


----------



## wildfk

Many pollutants are odorless, invisible etc...it is far too simplistic to assume because the water looks or feels unpleasant that it is polluted or to assume the converse.

Many algae etc that are not a result of pollution but can be naturally occurring may feel slimy, cloudy water often indicates the presence of plankton, whereas a clear was can indicate that the micro-organisms that normally inhabit are all dead.
Jellyfish are not usually a pollutant either.


----------

