A NOTE ABOUT THE WEATHER IN CHIANG MAI

                                                            January 2nd, 2025

     We are now nicely into the Dry or 'Cool' Season, a great relief.

     The Dry Season  began toward the end of October this year, bringing cool nights and perfect days. There's usually no rain at all at this time of year, but recently the  mornings have been a bit misty, which we very much enjoy. There have also been a few overcast days with occasional light showers, and everybody revels in the cool nights. On the other hand, by March the  "dryness" of the Dry Season will cause the  temperature to rise, and we will enter the hottest period of the year which continues until the rains settle in May or the beginning of  June. The rains clean the air and the sky is blue again between puffy white cumulus clouds, and the sunsets are brilliant. And of course when the air is clean we feel the heat much less.

     Like everywhere else in the world it is certainly hotter here in Thailand than it used to be, and we're doing as much as we can to deal with that. We have not only installed high pressure water sprays around all our open dining and social areas, we have built a beautiful new Training Sala called  Baan Rom Yen -- that means 'Cool House' in Thai, with all the same special feelings the word 'cool' has in English. In addition to air-conditioning, Baan Rom Yen has an air-purifying system that brings in fresh air from the outside, so the inside 'conditioned' air never grows stale. We use it whenever it is necessary, regardless of the season.

 

             Some background on the Heat and Smoke in Chiang Mai. 

     We have two advantages over the local weather reports. The first is that we are 9 kms outside the city in what is still an agricultural area that uses lots of water for irrigation. The humidity not only brings down the temperature but also purifies the air.

     Another important factor in our favor is that there is no heavy industry in the North of Thailand. The people are largely farmers, and they are the ones who make the smoke  as they traditionally  burn the rice paddies after the harvest in February and March. In addition, the Hill Tribe people  burn parts of the forest to prepare new areas for cultivation, an ancient practice called 'slash-and-burn agriculture.' The smoke and dust in March, April and May is a  problem, but it's not the perennial 'smog' that hangs over most of the urban and industrial centers in more developed parts of the world.

     Burning anything in public is now illegal in Thailand. On the other hand, the farmers have always used burning to improve the fertility of the soil, and neither the rice farmers nor the Hill Tribe people are convinced that the authorities know the soil better than they do -- which is very much an unresolved issue.

     The Rainy or Monsoon Season is from May to the end of October, and begins with short but fierce thunder storms. Almost over night the whole South-East-Asian weather system changes from a hot 'Northerly' flow of air passing over the great deserts of Mongolia and China to a 'Southerly' ('Monsoon') flow full of water drawn up from the Indian ocean. Though intense, the rain bursts are short, just for 20 minutes or so, after which the sun comes out again – big, white and very clean clouds with the sun shining strongly between them. Beautiful.

     Flooding does sometimes happen toward the end of the season, but it has never before overwhelmed Baan Hom Samunphrai (we have been here for 30 years!). In October this year the water in the Ping River reached the highest level ever recorded. The torrent  went right over the top of the Rainbow Bridge in Koh Klang, with tree stumps and debris shattering the  'Rainbow' guard rails (those of you who have been here will be able to imagine the height and force of the torrent!). And yes, it went over the top of the new flood-retaining wall we had just built a year ago. Had we been 3 inches higher we would have stayed dry (we have started to work on that already, don't worry!).

     Our sincere feeling is that this is unlikely to happen again, that is that another freak Typhoon will arrive right on top of unrelated lows of an intensity and duration the region had never experienced before!!! Yes, we take note -- and yes, we will be raising our flood wall substantially, and making other significant modifications too. We'll be ready!

     Chiang Mai will also be completing the last major concrete dyke on the lower Ping  River this winter -- which is precisely the weak point from which the flood waters overwhelmed us this year! With that job done (just 300 metres to go!!!) our District will be able to handle anything the Weatherman can come up with!    

    Our own priorities are simple. We do not have air-conditioning in our bedrooms, but the ventilation is very good and there are overhead fans. Our rooms are in old unpainted teak houses with lots of windows with shutters, white cotton curtains and screens -- but no glass! They're beautiful and healthy and most people love them – and we sleep very well.

    We hope you will come and see what it's like here sometime soon, and hope that you will agree with us that where we live is as near to a perfect environment as human beings deserve!
                                                                              C. & H.