LatASIA

Thai boys swimming in the filthy canal in their underwear. The winter weather in Bangkok has temporarily stopped this type of fun!Well, it is Wednesday evening and I am not pleased to be able to report that it is STILL cold here in Bangkok. 

The morning temperature is not pleasant and you do need a sweater to stay warm! 

Yes, I know, you folk in Japan, Korea, Europe and Canada are having to put up with a very cold winter!

But here in Bangkok we expect it to be warm at this time of year.  Usually it is just the humidity that vanishes in December/January.  We should be having what you Europeans refer to as a 'super summers day" at this time of year.  Instead, we see street vendors wearing a light fleece to shield themselves from the cool air.

What's worse is that the offices and Skytrain's have got the aircon set at a very cold setting, which feels uncomfortable when you step into it from a cool outdoors.

To be serious for a moment, Thailand is a large country and the weather in Bangkok is not representative of the rest of the nation.  In the Northern and North Eastern provinces they have cold weather at this time of year.  It is a hard job to stay warm in normal winters.  So this severe cold snap that the country is experiencing at the moment is hard for many to cope with.  Sadly some people have already died, with their deaths being attributed to the cold weather. 

Here in Bangkok we will soon have our warm weather back.  The Thais in the north will have more bad weather to cope with.  Let's hope that they get enough support and care from the government so that no-one else has to die as a result of the cold climate.