Nights

by Taka

April in Southeast Asia has become progressively more challenging due to a relentless heatwave. In both April 2023 and April 2024, many areas in Southeast Asia experienced unbearable heat, leading to the closure of thousands of schools in the Philippines. Thailand has officially reported a concerning increase in heatstroke-related deaths, with 61 fatalities recorded since the beginning of 2024, compared to 37 throughout the entirety of 2023.

News often highlights extreme daytime temperatures or record-breaking highs, while the lowest nighttime temperatures receive less attention. This focus on high temperatures can sometimes overshadow the importance of understanding the full spectrum of temperature variations, including the cooler nighttime temperatures that also play a significant role in weather patterns and climate conditions.

I resided in Bangkok for a year in 2009 and returned in 2019, where I have been living since. Recently, April nights have become unbearable, prompting me to reflect on whether nights in 2009 were equally uncomfortable. Given the limited data available on minimum temperatures around 2009, making direct comparisons is complex. Nevertheless, it's evident that there has been a rising trend in Bangkok's minimum temperatures during April, reaching exceptionally high levels in 2024, approximately at 30°C.🥵

I acknowledge the need to defer the analysis of the rising trend to scientists rather than hastily concluding it as representative of global warming. What is clear, however, is that plenty of people find the nighttime discomfort quite pronounced. As a result, many, myself included, rely on air conditioners to secure their sleep quality. People often don't know the ideal air conditioner temperature, which is why I'm motivated to speed up our campaign; Stay Cool, Save Energy. Few realize that raising the AC temperature by just 1°C can save over 10% in electricity usage, resulting in significant savings on electricity bills🧾.