It pains us to have to write this post. We love Chiang Mai and it’s been our home for a long time. We have taken care of many expats in the years Chiangmai. care has been around. Many expats move to Chaing Mai when they retire. Many of them are aware of the smoking situation, and can leave Thailand and stay elsewhere while the air is bad, and return when things has improved. For them the situation is manageable but costly.
However, our main concern relates to the following scenario
An elderly parent is being cared for in Europe which is very expensive and the weather can be a little cold. Therefore, the family start to look for alternative cheaper accommodation in warmer countries. After researching for foreign care facilities along with costs they decide that amazing Thailand ticks all the boxes. In a lot of cases, they choose beautiful Chiang Mai.
Its these elderly expats that we are very concerned about as they end up being almost in lockdown for months during the smokey season. They don’t have the luxury or good health to escape. What tends to happen is that they end up stuck in the care center almost like being in prison. The care center can’t organize days out like they can during the rest of the year as the air is too dangerous to breath.
If you think we are exaggerating
If you think we are exaggerating you only have to look at the amount of people being treated in Thai hospitals this year 2023 to see the extent of the problem.
You just have to type into a search engine “Thai air pollution 2023 how many people in hospital”
this is what you will see
About 2.4 million people in Thailand have sought hospital treatment for medical problems linked to air pollution since the start of 2023, health officials said, as toxic smog chokes parts of the country.
Conclusion
In conclusion we just want to bring it to your attention that the air pollution is extremely bad for three months of the year normally during the whole months of February, March and April.
Please seriously consider the pros and cons of moving an elderly relative to Chaing Mai
To end we have summarized the latest article we could find from a news site. Maybe one day we will be able to summarize a news article that outlines what was done to resolve this issue once and for all.
A Swiss air quality firm reports that Chiang Mai, Thailand, is the world’s most polluted city due to the hazardous levels of smog caused by field burning, which accounts for half of the smog. The smog, which occurs between February and April, reduces visibility to a few hundred meters and results in respiratory problems, such as bronchitis and asthma attacks, among thousands of people. Chiang Mai, a cultural and tourist hub, also suffers from an acute environmental crisis that affects the lives of citizens and visitors alike. The smog contains fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, which is 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can penetrate deep into the lungs.
Stop Press News: At this point I got too emotional and couldn’t continue summarizing the article as it got too upsetting but have left the link below for you to read