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/...63.2010.486623

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