Tourism floods into Chiang Mai

[kamui]

Tourism floods into Chiang Mai

Birthplace of Thai prime minister threatens to burst from popularity

 

CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Reuters) -- With its myriad temples, green-flecked mountains and blossoming art scene, the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai has been a natural flocking point for tourists from all corners of the globe for years.

 

But Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's home town is threatening to burst at the seams as its native son pours billions of baht into huge projects to attract more tourism to Thailand's third-biggest city, 700 km (435 miles) north of Bangkok.

 

Local residents say projects aimed at luring more visitors to the city will also breed more pollution and traffic, threatening the very attractions that brought 3.8 million tourists last year -- a 17 percent increase from 2003.

 

"We are choking on these development projects, which will make us feel like we are living in a zoo," said Uthaiwan Kanjankamol, head of a non-governmental organisation which opposes the government projects.

 

"Throwing money into our home town does not make us feel good. They should consult us before they do anything. We need sustainable development, not short-term propaganda."

 

The tourism industry, which makes up around 6 percent of the economy, was hit hard further south by last December's tsunami that killed thousands and simmering unrest in the mainly Muslim south but is still a big money-spinner in Chiang Mai.

 

Tourism in the capital of the north alone generated 45 billion baht ($1.1 billion) in 2004, 10 percent of Thailand's overall tourism income of 450 billion baht ($11 billion), according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

 

Authorities entertain high hopes for the development projects, which are likely to run up a multi-billion baht tab.

 

"The TAT expects the number of tourists visiting Chiang Mai to grow by 5 percent every year, thanks to the many tourist attractions to be built in the next two years," said Angkana Pumpaka, a TAT assistant director in Chiang Mai.

'Chiang Mai world'

 

Situated on the banks of the Ping River in a valley crowned by green mountains, Chiang Mai was the last city to be conquered by the Siamese in 1774 and boasts its own "Lanna" culture.

 

It has long drawn foreign tourists with its mix of easy-going charm and photogenic scenery, even in the low season from May to October, when fierce heat gives way to unrelenting rain.

 

Chiang Mai's worst flooding in three decades did little to dampen the spirits of tourists wading through knee-high water in the city centre this month.

 

"It's not too high," laughed Verneita, a retired American nurse on her first trip to the city with her husband.

 

"You know, in my home town, in Florida, it is this high," she said, raising her hand up to her chest.

 

To build on Chiang Mai's success, the government is launching an initiative called "Chiang Mai World", which will develop man-made attractions such as a "Night Safari", an animal park built on the outskirts of town.

 

Authorities hope the night safari will attract 1.2 million tourists and rake in 400 million baht a year.

 

A cable line is also planned in order to ease the rigours of sight-seeing, connecting a station in the town centre with destinations like the night safari and areas near the mountaintop temple "Doi Suthep".

 

Also on the agenda is an elephant park and bird tunnel adjacent to the night safari, said Chiang Mai mayor Boonlert Buranupakorn.

 

"The elephant park and the bird tunnel could cost billions of baht and will be built later next year," Boonlert told Reuters.

 

But the tourism industry already threatens to overwhelm the city in mountains of litter left by more than 3 million visitors a year.

 

To tackle the estimated 700 tonnes of garbage left on city streets a day -- more than double Chiang Mai's litter-handling capacity of 250 tonnes a day -- officials hope to import garbage disposal machines from Britain worth around a billion baht.

 

"The machine will be fully installed by January 2006 and by that time we could manage more than 3 million tonnes of garbage a day," Boonlert said.

 

Three floods in the past month alone have also taken their toll, requiring authorities to dredge the river and main canals to drain floodwater from the city centre, said Sawat Tantipat, the Chiang Mai governor.

 

"We cannot deny that flood and garbage problems were caused by congestion in the city. More roads are needed to allow people to leave the city more easily," said Suwat.

 

But Chiang Mai retains its allure even as inevitable development threatens to erode its old-style charm.

 

"I love the way of living here," said Viola Franke of Munich, Germany, on her first trip to the city. "People smile more than people in Bangkok."

 

CNN.com

[Torneyboy]

"people smile more than people in Bangkok'"

[Dali]

Chiang Mai is OK, but not what I expected the first time I went there. Its a lot bigger, more crowded, dusty, etc. The traffic, noise and pollution around the main tourist area is a real turnoff. There are some nice places to go however and some good restaurants. Probably its biggest attraction though is getting 'out' of Chiang Mai to the surrounding areas. Seems to attract a lot of senior tour groups.