Chiang Mai changes.

[chuckwoww]

Luxury tourism boom worries Chiang Mai locals

 

by Charlotte McDonald-Gibson Fri Aug 11, 10:30 AM ET

 

CHIANG MAI, Thailand (AFP) - Foreigners who ventured to Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai in the backpacker heydays of the 1970s found a sleepy city dotted with temples and a handful of homely guesthouses.

 

Fast forward thirty years and the old temples remain, but sprouting up around them are five-star hotels and extravagant resorts, leaving locals divided over the benefits for the historic city.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060811/lf_afp/thailandtourism_060811143001

[Flashermac]

Backpacker heydays of the 1970s??? The term wasn't even known then. The few scruffy folks who found their way up there were called hippies! (Thais didn't think much of them. Said they were dirty and smelly.)

 

And I don't remember any guesthouses either. They were ordinary upcountry hotels. Very nice town though. May those who have effed it up burn forever in hell!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[samak]

the majority of the deluxe resorts are pretty far away from the city center and the guest, who frequent them stay there.

for me Chiang Mai has not changed much between the first time i was there (around 10 years ago) and the last time (last year).

[Flashermac]

It's still much nicer than Bangkok, but a far cry from the quiet little city I first visited in 1973.

Then again, I lived in Phitsanulok from 1973 to 1978 -- and hardly even recognise the place anymore.

 

For one thing, when I came here there were 45 million Thais. Now there are 63 million. That's a helluva lot more people!

 

 

[Khun004]

Foreigners who ventured to Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai in the backpacker heydays of the 1970s found a sleepy city dotted with temples and a handful of homely guesthouses.

 

Fast forward thirty years and the old temples remain, but sprouting up around them are five-star hotels and extravagant resorts

Thanks ... that's good news about Chiangmai.

 

"Homely guesthouses" populated by even more homely (and smelly) backpackers, would never tempt me.

But a clean resort, with delicious meals prepared in a clean kitchen, with air-con rooms and fresh linens, with well-trained staff providing efficient service, now that's attractive.

.

[Flashermac]

 

 

 

[cardinalblue]

I don't agree with the article...

 

Sure things change but one needs to look at it in proportion..

 

I would say all other tourists spots in LOS have changed much more than CM has over the last ten years...

 

The same type of tourist that came 10 years ago still comes today. Probably a few more family types as there are better accomodations but the guesthouses still rule with the backpacking, adventuresome single or couple...

 

very little falang nightlife so one doesn't see the lonely single male much. Many ex-pats but with either thai wife or family so the urge to re-live bkk days doesn't seem evident...

 

Prices are still cheap in relative terms so i could easily write an article to counter the above story...

 

yes, CM has added some luxury resorts but because they are spread around and mainly out of the city, there is no dense concentration of rich people nor an expensive area to see....

 

When walking/driving around CM, one sees a nice blend of casual tourists types. There is no miracle mile, rush street, hollywood blvd, the vegas strip, fisherman wharf, etc yet in CM...

 

CB