Southeast Asia’s brutal heatwave: daily life and agriculture endangered by rising temperatures
- After a sweltering April with record-breaking temperatures, Southeast Asia enters May with enduring heat and escalating concerns
- Thailand’s farms are buckling under the high temperatures, while Malaysia braces for ecological impacts like rising dengue cases
While the Bangkokians who can afford it huddle into malls to avoid the blistering sun, and tourists from Phi Phi to Pattaya lament water shortages spoiling their holidays, it is Thailand’s millions of farmers who are most acutely exposed to the climate crisis.
On his farm in Udon Thani, northeastern Thailand, Charawut says his pigs are suffering.
“I’ve been raising pigs for four years now and this year has been brutal,” Charawut said. “It’s the hottest year and my pigs have gone nuts. They are stressed and fight each other all the time. They don’t eat and they often get diarrhoea.”
That brings with it rising costs for medicine, vitamins and vets’ fees – all of which threatens to put smallholders like Charawut out of business.
“I have to get a fan with mist to keep them cool,” he said.