Originally Posted by
kokonutz
Chiang Mai IS undoubtedly the digital nomad capital of the world. In our first week there alone we went to 3 different DN meetups:
https://readyjetroam.com/2019/02/07/...eeting-people/
It's simply acknowledged that during burning season from early March til early June the nomads wander elsewhere. That's the beauty of being nomadic, after all!
Expats, otoh, are screwed and make do with face masks and air purifiers.
I don't think Joe Sixpack who doesn't even have a passport knows that CM is the digital nomad capital yet. That's what I was getting at when I mentioned being on the cusp of a breakout in terms of awareness.
I also don't see how it can stay the capital if it's got that kind of thing hanging over its head. Having better or worse seasons to go isn't unusual for places, but having a period of months where staying becomes a real hazard to health DOES make it more mandatory than optional that you leave for that time, and if there's no decent year-round option then it's hard to see how it stays the capital. It could be that this year was a wake-up call about that. Of course, maybe the Thai government cracks down effectively or gives the farmers some other alternative for disposing of refuse, but I'm not holding my breath there.