Air quality in Pattaya and respiratory infections

[poshglasgow]

Having just returned from Pattaya this week after a month's stay I am still wrestling with a chest infection that I contracted in Pattaya two weeks ago. I have been visiting Thailand for 30 years (mainly to the Pattaya area) and have long had thoughts about the quality of air, particularly with possible pollution coming from neighbouring industrial/chemical processing areas. I recall flying into the old Don Mueang airport in the nineties, for example, and looking out of the aircraft window at the yellow hue/smog hanging ominously over Bangkok. This was in the days before the Skytrain, which has done much, I believe, to improve the quality of air in the capital.

The reason for a month-long visit this time was to test whether I would feel as happy living in Pattaya after four weeks than two. I'm pleased to say that I was sad to leave Pattaya on Tuesday morning BUT.... before I entertain any thoughts of spending periods of time in Pattaya longer than a month, I feel I have to research further and see whether the air quality is worse than 'moderate' or - as one ex-pat suggested - the cause of my cold and ensuing chest infection may have been caused by the effects of the air conditioner in the room or frequent exposure to sudden temperature change when going in and out of 7-11s, shopping malls, bars, hotels etc.

It's interesting to note that when I embarked on the ferry to Koh Larn (which I did on many occasions during my most recent stay) I noticed a marked reduction in the frequency of coughing as we hit the sea. Upon my return to Bali Hai quayside the coughing frequency increased. I mentioned this to a friend who runs a bar in Pattaya and he informed me he knew of others displaying similar symptoms.

It's not so much the usual pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone) that concern me, as the potentially very harmful fine particulate matter.

Anyone else harbouring the same concerns or symptoms if your are in Thailand? Any thoughts about air quality in Pattaya (brought about perhaps from pollution emanating from industrial areas)?

Mind you, I have noticed the body is having to work harder at fighting off a spate of recent (over the past 4 months) upper respiratory infections, particularly since I had the 4th Covid jab (booster). There again, at 69 years of age it could well be that getting older means more of a fight to get rid of these critters and to keep them at bay!!

Some interesting data here: https://aqicn.org/city/rayong/
Interesting articles: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01944363.2010.486623

[christianpfc]

I had some unspecific respiratory issues and swollen eyes in Bangkok. A Thai friend in Bangkok has allergies and said his condition improved considerably after buying an air purifier. So I bought one as well (Xiaomi, 3199 THB), but there is no clear improvement. However from the built-in humidity sensor I now know that humidity in my room ranges from 60-70% which is above the recommended level for living rooms. I guessed so before, because I have issues with mold.

You would think the air in Pattaya is better, at least wind from the sea would bring clean air. What is the average wind direction in Pattaya? You might want to try out an air purifier.

[cdnmatt]

Did you test for Kovid? There must be those home tests you administer yourself available in your home country, and good chance same as Canada, and free.

I still managed to get Kovid after 3 vaccines. I didn't get overly sick, but it was a bloody nuisance and took a good five months to get it fully out of my system. Was a little sick for about a week, then it just lingered around for ages while I constantly felt a slight chest infection.

[Gaybutton]

I live permanently in Pattaya. I don't know anyone, farang or Thai, including myself, having any kind of respiratory problems due to the air. Before blaming the air, if you are having respiratory problems have you seen a pulmonary specialist to try to find out the actual cause and what you can do about it? Maybe whatever it is has nothing to do with air quality. I would check it out rather than guess.

I don't know many places in the world where the air quality is all that great anymore.

[francois]

I live in Pattaya and have not noticed any particular air quality issues. I don't even recall having a cold here. However I live close to a crematorium at a Wat and there is fine, black particulate matter that gradually settles on flat surfaces, perhaps from the deceased.

[Dodger]

When I was making plans for retirement in 2018 "Clean Air Environment" was one of the factors I was interested in when making my final decision where to live. I always liked Pattaya but during that year the PM2. 5 concentration in Pattaya was four times higher than the WHO annual air quality guideline value. That meant the population in Pattaya was breathing in air that was too polluted, and which will affect their health. This was one of the reasons (there were others) that I picked Bang Saray over Pattaya.

Jai and I frequently see a cloud of smoke and dust hovering above Pattaya when we're sitting out on our balcony looking across the bay- and during the evenings we get a crystal clear view of the stars...what a concept!

Upper respiratory diseases and other complications caused by breathing in polluted air often goes undetected - but don't be fooled by thinking your health isn't at risk when consistently breathing in polluted air.

[gerefan2]

I stay in Pattaya for 3 months at a time, every year, and although you can sometimes see pollution I have never had any problems. Today is actually quite clear.

Are you a smoker or ex smoker?

[poshglasgow]

I stay in Pattaya for 3 months at a time, every year, and although you can sometimes see pollution I have never had any problems. Today is actually quite clear.

Are you a smoker or ex smoker?

Never been a smoker, gerefan. I live on the coast in the south east of England where, in this part, the air quality is excellent and I never have any respiratory problems in this part of the UK, although quite a number of colds after all the Covid jabs (may, of course, be entirely unrelated). Maybe the jabs have made the body's natural defences lazy!

Interesting reply from Dodger.

[Dodger]

I stay in Pattaya for 3 months at a time, every year, and although you can sometimes see pollution I have never had any problems. Today is actually quite clear.

Are you a smoker or ex smoker?

I never had any problems during my holidays either - but find myself a bit more health conscious now that I'm retired.

I'm an ex-smoker.

[Oliver2]

In trying to understand such problems, I'd be tempted to consider the impact of spending twelve hours enclosed in a metal box, surrounded by two hundred passengers who, between them, must be carrying all sorts of infections.

[gerefan2]

In trying to understand such problems, I'd be tempted to consider the impact of spending twelve hours enclosed in a metal box, surrounded by two hundred passengers who, between them, must be carrying all sorts of infections.

On a previous flight to Thailand in August I asked the Chief Purser how many passengers were on board as the flight appeared to be full.

I was staggered when he replied 610…..yes 610!

550 in Economy and 60 in Business.

Airbus A380, Emirates.

[Moses]

It maybe just "a problem of dirty aircon filters". I'm sure owners of small hotels and apartments don't clean filters in aircons yearly as it is recommended by manufacturer, so filters collect a lot of dust and also bacterias from pev. guests.

[gerefan2]

It maybe just "a problem of dirty aircon filters". I'm sure owners of small hotels and apartments don't clean filters in aircons yearly as it is recommended by manufacturer, so filters collect a lot of dust and also bacterias from pev. guests.

You are 100% correct.
Now I remember a few years ago in a rented condo I had to ask the landlord to clean the aircon as i was sure it was making me feel sick.
Afterwards all the symptoms disappeared.

[Armando]

On a previous flight to Thailand in August I asked the Chief Purser how many passengers were on board as the flight appeared to be full.

I was staggered when he replied 610…..yes 610!

550 in Economy and 60 in Business.

Airbus A380, Emirates.
Emirates started reducing its first/business class only upper deck on some A380s quite a few years ago. It got rid of first and cut about 20 seats from business. So the first rows in the upper deck now have around 100 economy seats in front of the smaller biz class cabin. At least they kept the stand-up bar at the back.

[Dodger]

MFAS made a good suggestion a while back when he recommended that expats get a home air filtration system.

I never got one myself...maybe this year.

[Moses]

MFAS made a good suggestion a while back when he recommended that expats get a home air filtration system.

I never got one myself...maybe this year.

For comfort life at home you should have 2 systems additional to aircon: first will pump and filter fresh air from outside, second one in bedroom will just nonstop to filter air. Optional third system will humidify air when necessary. All 3 +aircon is better to connect to smart home - they will work only when it is really necessary - fresh air will be pumped only when carbon dioxide will be too high in home, humidifier will work only when air is too dry.

I have all all of them installed and am happy with such setup of climatization, controlling that from my phone, but in general smart home does almost 95% of control.

PS: all this climatization is now quite cheap, for example Xiaomi 2 purifiers, humidifier + smart home itself costs less than $1000.

[poshglasgow]

In trying to understand such problems, I'd be tempted to consider the impact of spending twelve hours enclosed in a metal box, surrounded by two hundred passengers who, between them, must be carrying all sorts of infections.

Definitely a consideration!

[christianpfc]

I found my room too wet (my air purifier shower water content in air), and now run the aircon on dehumidify mode.