120 Km Long Cable Car Route For Chiang Mai Proposed

[sriracha john]

120km cable car for Chiang Mai

A cable car style project has been proposed in order to bypass 1,000 curves on the route between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son.

The project, proposed by a foreign investor, is to build a 120-km-long cable car system from Chiang Mai to Pai, the top tourist destination in Mae Hong Son, and to the town of Mae Hong Son, the provincial governor Direk Konkleep revealed in a local radio broadcast yesterday.

"The province is a popular tourist destination, but transportation is too inconvenient. This project would help tourists and be good for the province's economy," Direk said.

The system would transfer passengers to Mae Hong Son town with a fare of Bt500-700 per person. If approved, the construction would be started this year and take three years to finish. The investor is sending engineers to survey the route this week, Direk said.

"We are making the improvement of transportation a high priority because tourism in the province is growing as is cross-border trade."

Poonsak Soonthornpinijkij, president of the Mae Hong Son Chamber of Commerce said he agreed with the idea, as it would ease transport problems in the province.

However, the project has to be eco-friendly so that it does not have any harmful effects on the environment and natural surroundings.

"If the benefits exceed any drawbacks, I will support the project."

Visutr Buachum, head of Mae Hong Son's tourism coordination centre, also supported the idea, saying that it would attract more tourists to the province as cable cars would be a better way to transfer passengers than for them to travel by aeroplane.

Previously, the province, together with the Highways Department, had pushed for the construction of a 175-km-long road between Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai Samoeng. But the project did not materialise because a study found the project would cost around Bt15 billion.

- The Nation

[jackr]

That would still be a fair amount of time even if the thing managed 30kph. What happened to the 100-km proposed series of road tunnels from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son? What next, a 'Time and Relative Displacement in Space' type of transportation system to MHS?

[chanchao]

LOL!!!

Thanks for posting that, very entertaining. Those governors, TAT & Chamber of Commerce presidents would make a wonderful Thai standup-comedy train.

To point out, as they say, the bloody obvious, if a mere road would be too expensive then a cable car with enough capacity to serve the same purpose would NOT be too expensive? Consider that roads can handle cargo trucks, how about cable cars?

And then, people who rely on public transportation currently pay around 100-150 or so baht for a bus ticket right? Bet they's a' gonna be queueing up all the way around the block to go for 500-700 baht.

True gem: "If the benefits exceed any drawbacks, I will support the project."

"If the mass of air exceeds the mass of pigs, I will support them to fly."

Edited February 7, 2007 by chanchao

[PeaceBlondie]

Of course the foreign builder would love to make profits building this thingamajig. What's the price, by the way? Who builds the cars - Siemens or Hyundai? No, wait - maybe one of our current leaders has a brother-in-law who knows somebody who repairs tuk-tuks; let him recondition 989 tuktuks and we'll put them on the tracks, atop a flatbed rail car built by Somchai's cousin.

The charm of Mae Hong Son is that it's not a suburb of Chiang Mai.

[cmsally]

Do 100km cable cars even exist?

I can't think of anything as long offhand.

I would of thought that something that only carries tourists would hardly have any benefits for cross border trade.

Who on earth came up with this idea?

This is about as crazy as the tunnels!

[highonthai]

I feel the remoteness of some of thease locations, Is the attraction...

[ThaiGoon]

That foreign investor must be on crack.

[meadish_sweetball]

The longest passenger carrying cable car route is the Teleferico Merida, which runs from Merida City, Venezuela (altitude 5,379 ft.), all the way to Pico Espejo (altitude 15,629 ft.). Passengers change cars three times on the 8-mile ascent.

So... we are only talking about a system roughly 10 times as long as the longest one in the world.

[ovenman]

Questions: is this cable car project going to get built before or after the subway system is completed in Chiang Mai? Will there be a link-up between the two systems (a transportation hub if you will)?

[pumpuiman]

The thousand curves in the road are half the attraction. The remoteness of the area is what attracts people.

Maybe they should ask tourists why they go there....before ruining it's charm.

[chanchao]

>> Passengers change cars three times on the 8-mile ascent.

> So... we are only talking about a system roughly 10 times as long as the longest one in the world.

No more, if passengers change cars three times then I think it shouldn't be counted as a single cable car, but rather as 3 connecting cable car systems each covering 2.67 miles.

So that would mean that while going to Mae Hong Son, you'd ....

Oops, sorry, have to change cars, gotta go.

Edited February 7, 2007 by chanchao

[ThaiGoon]

Questions: is this cable car project going to get built before or after the subway system is completed in Chiang Mai? Will there be a link-up between the two systems (a transportation hub if you will)?

The subway system in Chiang wai was scrapped about a century ago. Anyway, I read it about a few days ago that they are now going with BRT....but still waiting to get an approval from the central government as usual. IMO, BRT could become a reality in a few years.

[meadish_sweetball]

The thousand curves in the road are half the attraction. The remoteness of the area is what attracts people.

Maybe they should ask tourists why they go there....before ruining it's charm.

Well, now that the Thai media elite have 'discovered' the place, the farang numbers will soon start to dwindle until they open charter flights - at which point they will pick up again, but with a different crowd.

Pai Prognosis:

Expect more signage, bratwurst, bangers and mash, footie on the telly, true blue kangaroo stew at prices that makes you go boohoo (not to mention Swedish meatballs), and ladyboys in hill tribe costumes selling trinkets; more somtam stands, Black Canyons and sushi bars.

Expect less artists, rice fields, waterfalls without easy road access, didgeridoos, musicians and herbalists.

[Puwa]

I've been working on my own transportation solution. I don't want to give away the whole thing yet, but yes, as many of you have already heard, it does involve a large number of highly trained hamsters, precision ball bearings--I have a Chinese supplier--and refitting some of the Ping River's "scorpion-tail boats" to go amphibious, using wind power and biodiesel.

By my calculations, this will allow a tourist staying at the Sheraton to enter the lift, stop at the buffet lunch; float, sail, and scurry through to the dog show in Mae Rim; and then continue on to Pai, arriving just in time for the hippie calisthenics in front of the Amphur office at about 6pm.

I'm presenting it to the cabinet next week--wish me luck!

[PhilHarries]

The longest passenger carrying cable car route is the Teleferico Merida, which runs from Merida City, Venezuela (altitude 5,379 ft.), all the way to Pico Espejo (altitude 15,629 ft.). Passengers change cars three times on the 8-mile ascent.

So... we are only talking about a system roughly 10 times as long as the longest one in the world.

And the passengers have to change cars three times in 8 miles. That gives us around 30 changes in 120 km!

Either something's got lost in the translation and they don't mean a cable car or somebody's been at the lao khaw again.

The last cable car I travelled on was from Singapore to Sentosa. I would think the distance was between one and two km and took around half an hour (this is based on faded memory so correct me at will). So for 120 km we are looking 30 hours minimum. Will they provide "in flight " entertainment and what about toilet facilities? Oh, forgot about those 30 p1ss stops.

I really hope it's a translation or terminology error.

[PeaceBlondie]

The longest passenger carrying cable car route is the Teleferico Merida, which runs from Merida City, Venezuela (altitude 5,379 ft.), all the way to Pico Espejo (altitude 15,629 ft.). Passengers change cars three times on the 8-mile ascent.

So... we are only talking about a system roughly 10 times as long as the longest one in the world.

I went on that cable car system! January, 2003. It resembles the cable car that ascends to Wat Doi Suthep. Keep in mind that cable cars don't have side windows; they're open to the elements. Like a tuk tuk without the side curtains, during the rainy season.

First, we need a skytrain from Satun to Mae Sai. Then, a tunnel that parallels the same route. Then, a scenic cable car to Pai, to gawk at all the hippies.

[Maejo Man]

I really thought the Thais had the monopoly on hair brained schemes!! Not withstanding all that has been posted so far, has anyone stopped to think of the ecological disister this would become? Building pylons, and way stations every few kilometres through some of the most beautiful jungle and national parkland in Thailand. The logistics of freighting all the materials in by helicopter on account of no access roads!

On the plus side, if ever it gets off the ground, which is unlikely, the views from all these converted Tuk-Tuks would be breathtaking......

[meadish_sweetball]

The longest passenger carrying cable car route is the Teleferico Merida, which runs from Merida City, Venezuela (altitude 5,379 ft.), all the way to Pico Espejo (altitude 15,629 ft.). Passengers change cars three times on the 8-mile ascent.

So... we are only talking about a system roughly 10 times as long as the longest one in the world.

I went on that cable car system! January, 2003. It resembles the cable car that ascends to Wat Doi Suthep. Keep in mind that cable cars don't have side windows; they're open to the elements. Like a tuk tuk without the side curtains, during the rainy season.

First, we need a skytrain from Satun to Mae Sai. Then, a tunnel that parallels the same route. Then, a scenic cable car to Pai, to gawk at all the hippies.

Actually most of the cable cars I have ridden in do have side windows, including the Doi Suthep one.

I do agree the skytrain from Satun to Mae Sai would be nice, although a motorized walkway such as those used at airports would be nicer.

[chanchao]

> a motorized walkway such as those used at airports would be nicer.

Only if it runs at 150 km/h.

> Expect more signage, bratwurst, bangers and mash, footie on the telly, true

> blue kangaroo stew at prices that makes you go boohoo (not to mention Swedish

> meatballs), and ladyboys in hill tribe costumes selling trinkets; more somtam stands,

> Black Canyons and sushi bars. Expect less artists, rice fields, waterfalls without

> easy road access, didgeridoos, musicians and herbalists.

So.... it's a GOOD Thing then...?

It'd be like Pattaya without having to go to Pattaya...

[cdnvic]

See? This is indisputable evidence that the air polution around Chiang Mai can be hazarous to proper brain function.

Edited February 7, 2007 by cdnvic

[sriracha john]

*geez... this chiang mai crowd is tough*

[Puwa]

I know some of the Thai environmentalists who successfully shot down the proposed cable car for Doi Luang Chiang Dao and, earlier, Pu Kradung in Loei province. I asked what the obsession with cable cars seems to be. The answer was that there was a cabinet member with an interest in a foreign cable car company, and has been seeking a government contract in Thailand for some time. Of course, these days it's a new cabinet, etc, but perhaps it's the same person behind the latest idea. Can't say for sure though.

[Ricardo]

Wait up - I've got an idea.

Put streamlined boards on each side of the stretch-fuselage tuk-tuks, add an engine & propellor to pull them along, and dispense with the pylons and 120km-long piece-of-string.

Get Thai Airways to sponsor them, make the termini at Chiang-Mai, Pai & Mae-Hong-Son airports, and set a 20kg bagage-limit.

If only Orville & Wilbur Wright hadn't beaten me to it - I might get a patent and become unexpectedly rich. Or perhaps not.

Maybe I need to think this out, over some more Changs, any volunteers to assist in the design ?

[Ajarn]

I know some of the Thai environmentalists who successfully shot down the proposed cable car for Doi Luang Chiang Dao and, earlier, Pu Kradung in Loei province. I asked what the obsession with cable cars seems to be. The answer was that there was a cabinet member with an interest in a foreign cable car company, and has been seeking a government contract in Thailand for some time. Of course, these days it's a new cabinet, etc, but perhaps it's the same person behind the latest idea. Can't say for sure though.

Perhaps this entire story is fiction.. Can't say for sure though..

[Maejo Man]

*geez... this chiang mai crowd is tough*

Well what did you expect SRJ posting a contentious thread here? By the way, nice link on the submarine thread... thanks

[Ta22]

take the money . and build a train track drilling hole in the mountian - this way . have that town grow faster . with good logistic transport a town grow fast . cable car have it limit in transporting goods .

and the idea of a touristic style cable car seem to be another way to juice money from thai

maybe some bigshot uncle father brother son had a a cable making factory started in china and want to supply the cable

cos his Uncle father brother son is minister

whahahah about funny idea.

why not build a extra large CatapuT ( how you spell it one of that long arm weapon in old wa that throw rock )

and maybe use 10 rai of land to build a gaint NETS .

so traveller can sit on the Cataput . and then be slingshot over the 120km .. and be caught by the 10 rais of gaint net .

would be a super fun ride and create more touristic gain with smaller cost .

Edited February 7, 2007 by Ta22

[p1p]

Floyd's Pig may be available. Useful if the wind is right.........

Phew these magic mushies seem to have had some wierd effects lately.

Cable car might be more useful between Don Muang & Cobra Swamp, assuming the latter is not washed away in the next rainy season and can still land something bigger than a Cessna, or a Huey.

[sriracha john]

*geez... this chiang mai crowd is tough*

Well what did you expect SRJ posting a contentious thread here? By the way, nice link on the submarine thread... thanks

quite welcome... and actually, when posting the rather ridiculous idea... I didn't expect all that much and I was interested in reading about all the reasons why it wouldn't work. I know Chiang Mai-ites are an intelligent and thoughtful group..... errrrr... with an exception or two, but I see now they also an have an assertive edge, which is not a negative thing, btw. They have also showed some brilliant senses of humor which is definitely a very positive trait.

Now then... speaking of subs... is there anyway to navigate a sub up the Ping?

[sceadugenga]

When I get back to Australia next month I'll approach Peter Foster, former financial adviser to Cherie Blair and formerly of Fiji and Vanuatu who is at present unoccupied in Australia if he's interested in forming a company to manage this project. Sounds like he's just the man for the job.

[Billfo]

> a motorized walkway such as those used at airports would be nicer.

Only if it runs at 150 km/h.

That would be the best walkway ever! Imagine trying to get on it, or watching others trying to. Genius.