Every December and January in Chiang Mai the one topic you can’t seem to avoid is the burning season.
Having experienced my first burning season in 2013, I’ll try and help you out with this post.
TL;DR
Unfortunately, both of these masks are not going to help block yucky particles.
If you suffer from any allergies or asthma, the smoke and pollution will be an irritant. If you’re in good health, you should notice the smells and may feel the odd effect but you’ll be fine (though your long term health may suffer (no research).
Everyone reacts differently, many people have spent years in Chiang Mai throughout the burning season with zero side effects so there’s no way to know if you’ll suffer.
If you’re a backpacker, don’t let burning season turn you off right away (if you have even heard of it)!
Burning Season Resources 2017:
- AQICN.org has live readings on the quality of the air.
- Air Quality Index app – Google Play Store (updated hourly)
- Air Quality Index app – Apple Store (updated hourly)
- With the last rain usually happens in November (it did rain in Jan 2017 this year which has believed to delay the burning season)
- The high season for tourists is December/January adding more pollution into the air from tuk-tuks and songthaews which gets trapped under the smoke. It’s not pretty
When Is The Burning Season In Chiang Mai?
The view from my apartment in March 2015
Theres no official dates of the start and finish of burning season. Towards the end of January you hear a few murmurs of people feeling the effects of the burning. It’s not until March when the heat and burning kicks in that you’ll no longer see the Doi Suthep, the mountain overlooking the city.
The unofficial end of the burning season is during the Thai New Year, Songkran. It’s still mighty hot in April though so there will be smog around for another week or so, but the worst of the burn over.
What Causes The Smokey Season?
The Thai farmers have a traditional practice of burning (interesting Nat Geo article) their land to start preparing for the following year. This is a norm for them, without consideration of the larger consequences. 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.
Note: the burning is ‘illegal’ and the Government says they’ll hand out cash rewards for any burning reported, though that didn’t do much last year.
Another couple factors don’t help:
How To Survive The Burning Season
1. By A Ticket To Southern Thailand
Many of the expats will leave Chiang Mai as soon as they start noticing the smog. Domestic flights in Thailand can be cheap at the last minute. I’ve only been to Koh Samui, but you’ll find people going all over southern Thailand, Bali and a few to Malaysia. You can book a flight back for Songkran in mid-April.
2. Wear N95+ Masks
You will see a lot of people wearing the masks brought for 10 baht. They will help a tiny bit, but the little particles in the air won’t be filtered out. The general recommendation is to get a mask at least N95 grade (meaning 95% of particles larger than 0.3 micrometres/microns in diameter).
You can check the prices on Amazon (or get a badass looking one), they’re affordable and a positive life investment overall.
You can get them in shopping malls I believe (or try Lazada online for Thailand delivery). R100 is the highest grade.
3. There Are Indoor Filters
These are self-explanatory, you install them on your air conditioning unit and they filter out all the bad stuff. You can pick them up in malls (haven’t got any experience with this).
4. Stay Indoors
Exercising outdoors is asking for trouble during the burning season (it doesn’t stop me). It’s so hot anyway, you’ll be happy enough staying indoors during the hottest parts of the day. Start venturing outdoors first thing in the morning and the evening.
My Personal Experience
Personally, I don’t take any precautions. I still play tennis a couple times a week and go on scooter powered tiki tours around Chiang Mai. I have noticed my eyes will burn when I am not wearing my sunnies, but that’s more likely to be the scorching 38+ degree heat.
Yo! from Yok! hahaha. As a Thai, my perspective is that seasonal burning practices of Thai farmers definitely affects the health not only of farmers but us in the cities. I noticed this year that the government had a marketing campaign in the countryside against burning and the level of smoke throughout the winter was much less than years in the past.
Thanks for writing about this na kha.
Yo, Yok (haha that’s fun to say!)
Thanks for the local perspective. It is interesting to see the Government is putting an effort in to preventing the burning. Hopefully the burning continues to decrease over the next 3 – 5 years and we can all live a long, healthy life 🙂
Thanks for your thoughts, khrap.
Hi! Can I know when does the burning season ends? Like which month? Thank you!
Hey Z, there’s no definitive time but it’s generally considered to be mid-April 🙂
Hey! Trying to plan a trip to Thailand and was hoping for February including a stop in chiang mai. It is in full swing in February? Should I aim closer to January?
Thanks!
Hey Emily, the first half of February ‘should’ be fine, closer to Jan the better 🙂
Where do you play tennis? I’m hoping to do lots of that when I get there 🙂
Hey Matt,
Play at the 700 year old stadium, like 15 mins drive from downtown. Lots of courts.
Check out the CM Tennis facebook group too: https://www.facebook.com/groups/726984117400829/
Enjoy
Hi, thanks for the info. I am going to C.M. on 01/02/2018 for a couple of months. I am in my late 50s and a little worried about the burning. Is it really best to stay in doors during the day and is it less smokey after dark? i should imagine that if the farmers are burning continually it would be pretty bad all of the time? i’ll invest in a mask anyway.
Thank you.
Hey Dave, sorry for the delayed response.
I think you’ll figure out pretty quickly what suits you best. The reason for the difference between nighttime and daytime is the heat and more cars on the road just add more pollution to the whole scene.
Let us know how you get on. CM rocks! Cheers, Jub
Will be in Thailand for all of May. I was planning on doing the north near Chiang Mai, first and then heading south. Would you think it might be better to switch the order of the trip?
Hey Don,
I would say there’s no need to switch the trip for burning season purposes to be honest. Actually, it’s probably best to stick with this route. You might catch the start of the rain season in the north, but that’s better than the middle of it 🙂
ENJOY, Jub
Hi, I’m planning abike trip through the Mae Hong Song loop the first week of March. Is it burning season during rhis time?
Hey Clarence, you can do the Mae Hong Song loop then. But it will be the burning season. You’ll most likely see some of the fires burning roadside (no risk of getting swept up in them etc)…I wouldn’t say not to do it, just wear a mask at least 🙂
Enjoy, Jub
Hi Clarence, I have just completed the Mae Hong Son loop. It’s real smoky out there at the moment. Best time for countryside pics is early morning. Sunset &’Sunrise is awesome from the mountain pagodas in Mae Hong Son. The roads are amazing, so many corners. I did trip this time on a Yamaha MT07 I rented from CP Big Bikes, ask for a discount.Paid 1300 baht per day. Didn’t see any fires as such.
Hey Adam,
Thanks heaps for the feedback. SO many corners right? So fun!
Cheers, Jub
Hey I’ll be arriving in bangkok on Saturday and was thinking to start in bangkok for a week before I go north to Chiang Mai Chiang Rai and Pai . Pretty bummed to find out that there’s something called burning season . I was looking forward to the north because it seems to be less party focused and a lot more mindful,chill,culture focused. Seems to have more self development opportunities as well.
Bad idea to go there at this time ? What if I land and go straight to Chiang Mai ? Or wait 2 weeks after bangkok and Krabi/islands then go up north ?
Thoughts? Thanks for writing this up!
Can you buy those masks you’re talking about in Thailand ? If so where ?
How is Chiang Mai mid June?
Hi Pat,
In terms of the burning, it’ll be long finished by then (touch wood)
Cheers, Jub
Hi Jub, we are meant to be heading to Chiang Mai in a few days time (30th March) & have prebooked flights from Chiang Mai to Laos on the 10th April. We where looking forward to the scenery. But are now a bit worried, how has it been there? Cheers from 2 Kiwis ☺
Hey Morgan and Thomas,
You’ve probably been in Chiang Mai already! I left on the 1st April and didn’t find the burning so bad this year…a lot fewer people were wearing masks outside. Hope you guys enjoyed!
Kiwis represent!
Cheers, Jub
Hello,
I will be im CM 5 days after Songkran. We are planning to spend some time in an elephant camp. I was now reading the first time about the burning and the smog and the heat – surprisingly as April was indicated as a good travel time in my travel guides. Am a bit worried now as I am traveling with a six year old. When I read it right, the burnings must be over after Songkran? Would it be okay to go there?
Thank you for a reply, much appreciated.
Hey Ren,
I’ve just been back in Chiang Mai last week and didn’t find the burning too bad this year (avoid Pai though). There’s no official end date to the season…I think the two of you should head to Chiang Mai and see how you go. If you start to suffer, head south to Sukothai or something!
Enjoy Songkran 🙂
Cheers,
Jub
I was there in the end of Feb to early March. I had to leave early as the burning really got to me. It ruined my trip. I had to sleep with a wet cloth on my face while I was on a retreat.
Hey Bonnie,
Thanks for letting us know your experience. That sucks that it got to you…can’t imagine the discomfort of having to sleep with a wet cloth on your face!
Cheers,
Jub
will i get away with it from Late December to late January??