Chiang Mai sure has changed

[LaosLover]

I hear they don't favor Nimman, so I'm good.

 

As I recall from touring many a 100% pure latex pillow store, they really, really like Tapie Gate. 'Had a nice schezuan meal over there.

[jak2002003]

On 12/18/2022 at 4:10 PM, Postmaster said:

Lacrimas  CM  what about the pollution and the smokey atmosphere from the burning fields, CM not the best City in my opinion but I not put up another candidate except to say that anyone with a chest condition should give CM

a wide birth.  Far better to live by the Sea. Not all resorts are polluted.

No pollution in CM yet.  Have you been looking at the data for this year or are you just guessing?  

 

Bangkok has worst air pollution now. 

[Burma Bill]

8 hours ago, findlay13 said:

Now it seems highway 2 is full on 24/7.

Yes indeed even when I lived in Issan pre-pandemic. Much was International business traffic heading for the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai to cross into Laos, Vientiane and beyond.

[BobBKK]

Don't like it?  don't come. It's changed for sure but so has the whole world - you don't think London has changed?  Moscow?  Paris?  as we get older we simply get sentimental about the 'good old days'. Chiang Mai is a wonderful place to live compared to nearly every other place I know - where is better?  there are prettier places for sure but not many want to live out in the sticks with no hospitals, cinemas or shopping malls etc. It's all about balance and on balance Chiang Mai is pretty good but its mostly subjective opinion obviously.

[JimmyJ]

On 1/1/2023 at 6:30 PM, jak2002003 said:

No pollution in CM yet.  

Wot?

 

 

[jak2002003]

57 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Wot?

 

 

Is there?  Send us the link and compare with  Bangkok. 

[motdaeng]

12 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Is there?  Send us the link and compare with  Bangkok. 

if bangkok is more polluted than chiang mai, chiang mai has no pollution?  ????

 

your wrong, the north has most of the year pollution problems. some months

are unhealthy, some moderate and only few months (rainy seasion) are really good ...

 

https://aqicn.org/station/thailand/chiang-mai/ชุมชนวัดเกต-ต.วัดเกต-อ.เมือง-จ.เชียงใหม่-จุดที่-3-indoor/

 

 

[seedy]

1 hour ago, motdaeng said:

if bangkok is more polluted than chiang mai, chiang mai has no pollution?  ????

 

your wrong, the north has most of the year pollution problems. some months

are unhealthy, some moderate and only few months (rainy seasion) are really good ...

 

https://aqicn.org/station/thailand/chiang-mai/ชุมชนวัดเกต-ต.วัดเกต-อ.เมือง-จ.เชียงใหม่-จุดที่-3-indoor/

 

 

Do you live in Chiang Mai ?

[Dcheech]

1 hour ago, motdaeng said:

your wrong, the north has most of the year pollution problems.

It has hot season (non rain season) pollution, not "most of the year". That pollution buildup occurs across  mainland south east asia from Vietnam to Myanmar, & the subcontinent for that matter. Always has. 

 

[Bill97]

26 minutes ago, seedy said:

Do you live in Chiang Mai ?

Do you?

[motdaeng]

1 hour ago, seedy said:

Do you live in Chiang Mai ?

i did, from 2004 to 2005 ... after that i moved, it was the right decision for myself and my family!

Edited January 5, 2023 by motdaeng

[BananaStrong]

23 hours ago, BobBKK said:

sticks with no hospitals, cinemas or shopping malls etc.

Who goes to cinemas anymore?  I'm not a teenager, I don't need shopping malls.  I'm not over 60, I don't need "good" hospitals.

 

I need some peace and quiet, good people, no traffic, clean air, normal prices and real smiles.  That's NOT Chiang Mai anymore, no way.........  

 

When you need 1000000 pages to defend a place, guess what, that place is in the past and it's time to find a new best place.

 

sorry, can't reveal my location.   

[mjakob007]

On 12/17/2022 at 1:40 AM, sqwakvfr said:

“Chang Klan road? What happened? looks like so many places boarded up now & the whole road basically in a state of disrepair”

 

Many part of the city have grown but the area where Pantip Plaza starts down to the Astra Condo looks like a zombie battle has occurred.  At night it is very quiet.  I am moving next year and the Astra Condo is impressive but the neighborhood does not offer much.  

For those living around chang klan, we find it nice. quite a few restaurants, new italian (after georgio passed away), choei, curry place, bella goose, the food market has come back to life in the square across from the korean. 

 

The Peaks Soi has always been exquisite. The 3 condos there are still some of the best in town, Down CK road, you have shine condo & quite a few restaurants there. Astra is not always the go to, for most of the long timers.

 

unfortunately, in early 2021, they did some roadworks between pantip & @ curve. very poor patch up. 

 

[mjakob007]

On 12/17/2022 at 6:03 AM, Lee65 said:

On a positive note, the ever-worsening air pollution (Feb - April, minimum) propels CM residents to travel each year.

 

 

not sure if this was a covid benefit, but 2021 & 2022 had minimal air pollution

[mania]

Just now, mjakob007 said:

not sure if this was a covid benefit, but 2021 & 2022 had minimal air pollution

Yes I think that covid benefit was true in most of the world

[orchis]

On 1/1/2023 at 6:30 PM, jak2002003 said:

No pollution in CM yet.  Have you been looking at the data for this year or are you just guessing?  

 

Bangkok has worst air pollution now. 

depends on where you're looking.
https://aqicn.org/map/chiang-mai/

[mania]

On 1/4/2023 at 9:04 AM, BobBKK said:

Don't like it?  don't come. It's changed for sure but so has the whole world

555 yeah sure there is always the "don't like it don't come poster" ????

 

We loved it owned & lived many years in CM & as you said medical facilities are quite good.

 

Problem is these days if you are in an emergency situation you will likely die before reaching those fine facilities in a traffic gridlock somewhere????

 

Due to lack of planning/space for emergency vehicles to pass

also lack of education where Thai me first drivers refuse to move.

 

Also Yes as you said for sure the whole world changes...always BUT

Some places change for the better but some places like CM changed for the worse due to lack of a planning department/corruption/ education yada yada yada

 

But good you have a place your happy with...carry on enjoying

Edited January 5, 2023 by mania

[seedy]

7 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Do you?

Yes. Wanna see my ATM slip from BKK Bank from today ?

[seedy]

7 hours ago, motdaeng said:

i did, from 2004 to 2005 ... after that i moved, it was the right decision for myself and my family!

So ... 17 going on 18 years and you are STILL moaning about the AQI

[BobBKK]

25 minutes ago, mania said:

555 yeah sure there is always the "don't like it don't come poster" ????

 

We loved it owned & lived many years in CM & as you said medical facilities are quite good.

 

Problem is these days if you are in an emergency situation you will likely die before reaching those fine facilities in a traffic gridlock somewhere????

 

Due to lack of planning/space for emergency vehicles to pass

also lack of education where Thai me first drivers refuse to move.

 

Also Yes as you said for sure the whole world changes...always BUT

Some places change for the better but some places like CM changed for the worse due to lack of a planning department/corruption/ education yada yada yada

 

But good you have a place your happy with...carry on enjoying

Well... it's  fair comment? I say the same to others who criticize other parts of the world including London where i come from. I loathe Mumbai - I don't go, I dislike Indonesia (expect Bali)  I don't go etc.  I have been coming to Chiang Mai for over 25 years and have seen improvements as well as some things getting worse as you say. For me OVERALL Britain is a far worse country than 25 years ago as is the whole of the USA. I'd rather be here in Chiang Mai than anywhere else in the world -great for travelling to other parts of Asia and much better than BKK. Anyway whatever works for you - best wishes.

[Bill97]

1 hour ago, seedy said:

Yes. Wanna see my ATM slip from BKK Bank from today ?

Post it with pp photo page

[mania]

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

Anyway whatever works for you - best wishes.

Thanks & yes while we sold in CM we do have a home in Thailand & that works part time for us each year.

Enjoy!

Edited January 5, 2023 by mania

[suzannegoh]

20 years ago there were people griping that Chiang Mai wasn't what it used to be.  And 20 years from now there will be people reminiscing about the 2020s as if it was Chiang Mai's golden era.

Edited January 9, 2023 by suzannegoh

[Bassosa]

On 1/1/2023 at 6:30 PM, jak2002003 said:

No pollution in CM yet.  Have you been looking at the data for this year or are you just guessing?  

 

Bangkok has worst air pollution now. 

Having a laugh? What's that thick layer of black soot every day on my white car then?

[BananaStrong]

Keep up updated with 1 million new visitors soon to arrive ……cant wait to read the complaints 

[Bassosa]

9 minutes ago, BananaStrong said:

Keep up updated with 1 million new visitors soon to arrive ……cant wait to read the complaints 

Won't lie.

It'll be fun to see the whole city go into gridlock at one point. Not just a few areas, but the whole town just completely going nowhere.

It will happen in the next few years, guaranteed.

 

[jak2002003]

1 hour ago, Bassosa said:

Having a laugh? What's that thick layer of black soot every day on my white car then?

Hmmm. Dust, as we have no rain for weeks and everywhere is dusty and dry and it's windy to blow it about.  

 

 

The sky is clear, there are white clouds in the sky and the mountains are clearly visible on the distance.   

 

Last night, bright white moon and lots of stars.  You could not see all these things if the air pollution was so severe as some posters are making out.

 

Im not saying these is no air pollution, but it is far from the thick choking smog some posters seem to think it is.  Its also only for a few weeks a year.  

Edited January 9, 2023 by jak2002003

[Bassosa]

2 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Hmmm. Dust, as we have no rain for weeks and everywhere is dusty and dry and it's windy to blow it about.  

 

 

The sky is clear, there are white clouds in the sky and the mountains are clearly visible on the distance.   

 

Last night, bright white moon and lots of stars.  You could not see all these things if the air pollution was so severe as some posters are making out.

 

Im not saying these is no air pollution, but it is far from the thick choking smog some posters seem to think it is.  Its also only for a few weeks a year.  

It's diesel soot. It's in the air. I breathe it and so do hundreds of thousands like me. Daily, whether there's a fire in the hills or not.

[ChaiyaTH]

Love CM and had amazing years from 2012-2016, it only became worse by the year after that. Now it is just a dump if you ask me, they ruined the old city entirely too. Lots of traffic jams but few actual customers in most places, except perhaps nimman area.

Too many bureaucrats, cops and nagging people too. Too many 1 person car driver BKK style.

 

We left for the south of Thailand aside of some breaks in Bangkok during covid, I never look back to it. Only thing I still love is visiting Chiang Mai during the winter months as it's so nice. But can't miss the super hot months, pollution months, rain months.

On the Islands down south just with not needing aircon, saves me over 45,000 baht per year, already. School less too. Food not more expensive, not sure where those fake stories came from too. I can get 1.5 portions from 50-60 baht at plenty places. In CM hard to find.

 

Nothing is forever in life and we have to embrace changing I guess, but wow, it still hurts to know CM is not longer this magical diamond up north. Can't be fixed anymore either, as it was really about those old businesses, their owners and the vibes.

Edited January 9, 2023 by ChaiyaTH

[ChaiyaTH]

2 hours ago, suzannegoh said:

20 years ago there were people griping that Chiang Mai wasn't what it used to be.  And 20 years from now there will be people reminiscing about the 2020s as if it was Chiang Mai's golden era.

I disagree entirely, sure that worked if comparing to the first possible days of Tourism in TH. But the way the world changes from the old days to today, and then 20 years from now, is a completely different game.

In fact, most young people I meet down south, did visit CM and even told me often they cut it short, as they were bored by it. People down south also used to visit Pai a lot, now not.

Edited January 9, 2023 by ChaiyaTH