Slash and Burn effect on Luang Prang & Siem Reap
Jun 16th, 2010, 03:19 PM
#1
Original Poster
Slash and Burn effect on Luang Prang & Siem Reap
Trying to organize our trip to SEAsia. I have been reading about the slash and burn that takes place and the potential impact of the smoke on visitng LP. Would we be better off visiting LP at the beginning of the trip Feb 15 then later in the trip during mid March? About when does the burning start? What about Siem Reap? Is that area also effected by the smoke? Thanks
Jun 16th, 2010, 04:50 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Feb would be better for LP, less likely to run into smoke. I can't remember any accounts of Siem Reap being affected. But Chaing Mai and Chaing Rai are affected.
BTW, this isn't slash and burn (this term is usually meant to indicate the clearing of jungle or forest land for farming), but is the burning of agricultural fields for the purpose of preparing to plant the next crop.
BTW, this isn't slash and burn (this term is usually meant to indicate the clearing of jungle or forest land for farming), but is the burning of agricultural fields for the purpose of preparing to plant the next crop.
Jun 17th, 2010, 01:09 AM
#3
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 9,367
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We got a boat downriver from Chiang Saen to Luang Prabang in early April 2007 and the smoke was really appalling. It was so bad that at times it was difficult to see across the river. That said the timing and severity does vary tremendously from year to year depending, I suppose on the timing of the dry season etc. I have visited that part of the world several times, usually around that time of year and it has never been as bad before or since. In the end we gave up on LP and got the earliest flight we could out to BKK
As Kathie says, Feb would be better but you could well be ok in mid March. You can check out historical and current data on air quality at
http://www.pcd.go.th/airquality/regional/default.cfm - Chiang Rai would be the best location as it is not too far from LP.
I don't think that Siem Reap is affected
As Kathie says, Feb would be better but you could well be ok in mid March. You can check out historical and current data on air quality at
http://www.pcd.go.th/airquality/regional/default.cfm - Chiang Rai would be the best location as it is not too far from LP.
I don't think that Siem Reap is affected
Jun 17th, 2010, 05:59 AM
#4
Original Poster
Thanks -- until I read some blogs I didn't realize how bad it could get. It's really putting a twist in our trip. We can't leave the US until mid Feb and it appears we could hit either Laos or N Thailand or both no matter how we try to arrange things. I understand that it varies from year to year, but looking at the data on the air quality often Feb is bad too. I'd hate to travel that far and be caught in it. Its making me rethink doing this trip another time.
