Chiang Mai Mayor Stops Working

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Let me tell you, it's going to be tough! I am not known for keeping my emotions and opinions in check, but will do my very best.

[Puwa]

...if we can ask her directly and she says no it would shut up people like me.

This possibility alone is a good reason to ask the question.

[Loaded]

...if we can ask her directly and she says no it would shut up people like me.

This possibility alone is a good reason to ask the question.

[thaino1]

How utterly immature can a discussion become ??!! There are serious but not very substantive or informative posts, but, as usual, too much bar chatter! A post pronouncing the now former mayor a "looker" with a photo is an example. Yes, she is a physically attractive person. So what?

Who should be mayor of Chiang Mai is not an idle matter. Have anything substantive to say? Say it. Not my wife's second cousin knows the family maid bs. What is her program? What are her policies? What is the situation regarding her position as mayor and that of the city council? Why has she been or not been a successful mayor? How does this fit into provincial or national politics?

There seem to be a few self-admitted old hands around here who spend enormous amounts of time enjoying and flogging their favorite restaurants! Do they have anything knowledgeable to inform us about regarding the current (and recent past) mayoral situation and the impact upon Chiang Mai's present and future welfare relative to who is mayor? Or are they just enjoying their carpacio?

The two policies I know are:

1. Widen many of the roads within the city. This policy was universally detested and the banners protesting the policy are still hanging along those condemned areas of the city. I think in Thailand most people when they associate developers and politicians assume the worst.

2. To solve the pollution problem of the city by placing 8 fans (yep, you read right) at the end of Nawarat bridge.

I saw the video and it is who it's supposed to be. She is with her bodyguard in a hotel room having sex. She is married to a different man. I know this happens in the west as well but this is far from acceptable in Thailand.

With respect.

As a person who have been joining the Mayor Talks on every month on her period of working, I have founded that she is honest and sincere to answer the questions and welcome people to join to develop CM City. There was no mayors of Chiang Mai had this before.

For your concern

1. Winding the road is the project from Central Government (Bangkok) to Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, Chiang Mai Office http://www.dpt.go.th/chiangmai/Question.asp?GID=962

Dr. Duendtemduang was the person who informed CM people to stop this project. You can check with with UDIF. http://udif.or.th/

2. Pollution, it is the national problem, not only in CM City. It is the unaware of humanbeings everywhere that think only using the natural facilities without caring for the result.

Mar and April last year, she was here all the time, facing the problem with CM people. Check it out on her news on Chiang Mai Mail Webiste.

This year, late April, she was in BKK during the court things.

It may be only your own attitude of not like her, but figuring from other people who post on this treat are quiet fair.

[lannarebirth]

How utterly immature can a discussion become ??!! There are serious but not very substantive or informative posts, but, as usual, too much bar chatter! A post pronouncing the now former mayor a "looker" with a photo is an example. Yes, she is a physically attractive person. So what?

Who should be mayor of Chiang Mai is not an idle matter. Have anything substantive to say? Say it. Not my wife's second cousin knows the family maid bs. What is her program? What are her policies? What is the situation regarding her position as mayor and that of the city council? Why has she been or not been a successful mayor? How does this fit into provincial or national politics?

There seem to be a few self-admitted old hands around here who spend enormous amounts of time enjoying and flogging their favorite restaurants! Do they have anything knowledgeable to inform us about regarding the current (and recent past) mayoral situation and the impact upon Chiang Mai's present and future welfare relative to who is mayor? Or are they just enjoying their carpacio?

The two policies I know are:

1. Widen many of the roads within the city. This policy was universally detested and the banners protesting the policy are still hanging along those condemned areas of the city. I think in Thailand most people when they associate developers and politicians assume the worst.

2. To solve the pollution problem of the city by placing 8 fans (yep, you read right) at the end of Nawarat bridge.

I saw the video and it is who it's supposed to be. She is with her bodyguard in a hotel room having sex. She is married to a different man. I know this happens in the west as well but this is far from acceptable in Thailand.

With respect.

As a person who have been joining the Mayor Talks on every month on her period of working, I have founded that she is honest and sincere to answer the questions and welcome people to join to develop CM City. There was no mayors of Chiang Mai had this before.

For your concern

1. Winding the road is the project from Central Government (Bangkok) to Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, Chiang Mai Office http://www.dpt.go.th/chiangmai/Question.asp?GID=962

Dr. Duendtemduang was the person who informed CM people to stop this project. You can check with with UDIF. http://udif.or.th/

2. Pollution, it is the national problem, not only in CM City. It is the unaware of humanbeings everywhere that think only using the natural facilities without caring for the result.

Mar and April last year, she was here all the time, facing the problem with CM people. Check it out on her news on Chiang Mai Mail Webiste.

This year, late April, she was in BKK during the court things.

It may be only your own attitude of not like her, but figuring from other people who post on this treat are quiet fair.

While I think local burning escalated this year, I am pleased to read your report of the Mayors stance with regard to street widenings. Thanks for your input.

[Mapguy]

Thank you, Khun Pim, for trying to dignify the conversation.

I have no questions to suggest for you to ask Khun Pang in your interview except to request that you focus on what she would like to do and what she has had difficulty doing in office. I think you will actually have to lay some groundwork for this because the general understanding of what a mayor can and can not do in Thailand with its highly centralized political structure is very, very germane. Most people in this discussion have absolutely no idea of what that's about, let alone what's involved in getting anything done when the city council is of very different political opinion.

I hope that you will appreciate that the video is immaterial to Khun Pang's performance as mayor and not even bring it up except to pass it off. To do more is just playing to the mob! There is no need for a "Barbara WaaWaa" (aka Barbara Walters) "interview." [The "WaaWaa" reference is credit to a devastatingly accurate funny satirical sketches of a few years back of Barbara Walters on the American television show, Saturday Night Live. You'll probably find some of the sketches on YouTube.]

To discuss a video that might or might not be genuine (Someone above suggested "timely," for heaven's sake!) and further discuss or ask questions about how it somehow was created (perhaps manufactured), obtained and distributed really is pure prurient fascination with "celebrity." It has nothing to do with what the mayor's goals are, the mayor's carrying out of her job, or the difficulty she has in doing so.

The preceding, curiously enough, is not a paid political message. I haven't even gotten any free tickets to sit in the grandstand for city parades!! Nor would I want any, thank you!

[ThaiPauly]

It's a great shame that she has been seemingly "stitched up"

I am sure that Pim will get a very good interview with her .

But as always in matters such as these we are just bystanders who can influence......... nothing.

[caf]

It's a great shame that she has been seemingly "stitched up"

I am sure that Pim will get a very good interview with her .

But as always in matters such as these we are just bystanders who can influence......... nothing.

You are absolutely right. The Citylife article will be done professionally and is aimed at an expat audience that does not vote in or influence Thai politics.

Most Thais won't read it. They already have views ( either pro or against) and have been tuned into the radar ever since the mayor was elected.

It will be an interesting read.

I thought Mapguy's post a little pompous in saying he had no questions and then proceeding to indicate how the interview should be conducted. He did however succeed in name dropping. Those of us with serious views on the situation knew that Pim is Sao Jiengmai and that the mayor was Mayor Peng but felt no need to refer to them in the forum as such. If a nom de plume is used by the poster, use it.

I had already made clear that the video is not material to her work as mayor. And I am sure Pim will deal with that and the result will be that it will be seen as a lack of judgment by a person in high office. But the Thais will never see it that way, though as I say this is all for a farang audience anyway

[Ulysses G.]

I thought Mapguy's post a little pompous

At least he did not include any secret references or messages to me or Priceless as he usually does in almost every single post - not even one.

Pompous is a lot better than obsessive-compulsive!

Edited July 3, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[Loaded]

Most people in this discussion have absolutely no idea of what that's about, let alone what's involved in getting anything done when the city council is of very different political opinion.

I think 99.99% of the readers of this board understand that if the opposition holds a majority in any voting/agreement process, there will be difficulties.

Edited July 3, 2009 by Loaded

[Puwa]

[The "WaaWaa" reference is credit to a devastatingly accurate funny satirical sketches of a few years back of Barbara Walters on the American television show, Saturday Night Live.

"A few years back" is actually 30+ years.

[caf]

"At least he did not include any secret references or messages to me or Priceless as he usually does"

Oh, ye of little faith. give him time. He will. He will

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Yes, cheers for all your ideas. I think she definitely wants to address the personal issue, but as was mentioned, she should be allowed to say her side, maybe correct some erroneous 'facts' and then move on to other matters. There are genuine grievances against her and I hope to address them too. It is interesting though that not many people know her actual role, responsibilities and duty. I have had requests by people to ask her about her education policy, for instance, but it's irrelevant to her job as she is only municipal, so it will be important to clarify all that. By the way, our latest survey showed that about 40% of our readers are Thai though...so that may help. I don't mind people calling me Pim. I tried to be Sao Jiang Mai for about the first month but everyone saw through me! So I haven't bothered being anonymous since. Just couldn't be bothered to change my name here. Have a lovely longish weekend all. Pim

[caf]

Yes, cheers for all your ideas. I think she definitely wants to address the personal issue, but as was mentioned, she should be allowed to say her side, maybe correct some erroneous 'facts' and then move on to other matters. There are genuine grievances against her and I hope to address them too. It is interesting though that not many people know her actual role, responsibilities and duty. I have had requests by people to ask her about her education policy, for instance, but it's irrelevant to her job as she is only municipal, so it will be important to clarify all that. By the way, our latest survey showed that about 40% of our readers are Thai though...so that may help. I don't mind people calling me Pim. I tried to be Sao Jiang Mai for about the first month but everyone saw through me! So I haven't bothered being anonymous since. Just couldn't be bothered to change my name here. Have a lovely longish weekend all. Pim

I know you don't mind being called Pim. It is after all your name!

My point was the pompous way Mapguy was posting and his unashamed name-dropping. I have met the mayor but would not dream of using her cheuh len in a public forum and I certainly wouldn't use her name to just name drop.

I look forward to your interview. From what you are saying it is going to be professional and fair.

Have a good weekend.

[anonymouse]

Thank you, Khun Pim, for trying to dignify the conversation.

I have no questions to suggest for you to ask Khun Pang in your interview

Story of your life madguy, lots of chat but nothing to say

to quote Resevoir Dogs -"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"

[PeaceBlondie]

No more personal atttacks. Thank you.

[caf]

...As to the road widening scheme, it has been stamped and approved decades ago, it was just brought up again for consideration.

Obviously it didn't pass.

She was voted in a landslide election but was stuck with municipal team which was run with a huge majority of her opposition. This has meant that she has been unable to do as much as she wanted to...

A few more questions for the magazine interview:

1. Was any member of her family involved in the original proposed widening scheme 20 years ago?

(Her family have nearly exclusively run Chiang Mai since 1774)

2. Did the lady mayor approve, or disapprove, of the scheme?

(You mention she wasn't able to do as much as she wanted)

3. Was it not approved because of her actions, or the oppositions'?

(Inferred from your comments)

4. How much time did she spend in Chiang Mai last March and April?

(She was thrown out of office due to residency discrepancies so it would be interesting to know whether she suffers along with her electorate during this period)

5. What did she do to tackle the pollution Chiang Mai residents suffer every year during March and April?

(I still see burning of rubbish and rice stubble outside of the city although it does seem to be less than previous years. Those fans on Nawarat Bridge are quite funny though)

I look forward to these answers. Let's wait for her replies next month.

[Ulysses G.]

...As to the road widening scheme, it has been stamped and approved decades ago, it was just brought up again for consideration.

Obviously it didn't pass.

She was voted in a landslide election but was stuck with municipal team which was run with a huge majority of her opposition. This has meant that she has been unable to do as much as she wanted to...

A few more questions for the magazine interview:

1. Was any member of her family involved in the original proposed widening scheme 20 years ago?

(Her family have nearly exclusively run Chiang Mai since 1774)

2. Did the lady mayor approve, or disapprove, of the scheme?

(You mention she wasn't able to do as much as she wanted)

3. Was it not approved because of her actions, or the oppositions'?

(Inferred from your comments)

4. How much time did she spend in Chiang Mai last March and April?

(She was thrown out of office due to residency discrepancies so it would be interesting to know whether she suffers along with her electorate during this period)

5. What did she do to tackle the pollution Chiang Mai residents suffer every year during March and April?

(I still see burning of rubbish and rice stubble outside of the city although it does seem to be less than previous years. Those fans on Nawarat Bridge are quite funny though)

Thanks Loaded. These are quite interesting questions. At least one of us did some homework!

[gatorhead333]

...As to the road widening scheme, it has been stamped and approved decades ago, it was just brought up again for consideration.

Obviously it didn't pass.

She was voted in a landslide election but was stuck with municipal team which was run with a huge majority of her opposition. This has meant that she has been unable to do as much as she wanted to...

A few more questions for the magazine interview:

1. Was any member of her family involved in the original proposed widening scheme 20 years ago?

(Her family have nearly exclusively run Chiang Mai since 1774)

2. Did the lady mayor approve, or disapprove, of the scheme?

(You mention she wasn't able to do as much as she wanted)

3. Was it not approved because of her actions, or the oppositions'?

(Inferred from your comments)

4. How much time did she spend in Chiang Mai last March and April?

(She was thrown out of office due to residency discrepancies so it would be interesting to know whether she suffers along with her electorate during this period)

5. What did she do to tackle the pollution Chiang Mai residents suffer every year during March and April?

(I still see burning of rubbish and rice stubble outside of the city although it does seem to be less than previous years. Those fans on Nawarat Bridge are quite funny though)

Thanks Loaded. These are quite interesting questions. At least one of us did some homework!

have i missed something here ...

She is no longer the mayor so WHO CARES! You all are just beating a dead horse..

so a big who really Cares!!

p.s. you will see the burning of rice stalks and garbage here until the cows come home and the little Baby J comes down from the clouds and spits nickels and dimes for everyone as he screams: yah who... cares!!!

Edited July 10, 2009 by gatorhead333

[Loaded]

have i missed something here ...

She is no longer the mayor so WHO CARES! You all are just beating a dead horse..

so a big who really Cares!!

p.s. you will see the burning of rice stalks and garbage here until the cows come home and the little Baby J comes down from the clouds and spits nickels and dimes for everyone as he screams: yah who... cares!!!

I care. I live here and I'm very concerned about the road widening plan and pollution. I would like to know whether we should be more worried now she's out of office, or less worried.

[gatorhead333]

have i missed something here ...

She is no longer the mayor so WHO CARES! You all are just beating a dead horse..

so a big who really Cares!!

p.s. you will see the burning of rice stalks and garbage here until the cows come home and the little Baby J comes down from the clouds and spits nickels and dimes for everyone as he screams: yah who... cares!!!

I care. I live here and I'm very concerned about the road widening plan and pollution. I would like to know whether we should be more worried now she's out of office, or less worried.

Mr.Loaded one, you are more worried - less worried ???

worrying about CM as a farang? How does this help anything or anybody...certainly not you? worry doesn't do anything except give you a good dose of early white hair, wrinkles and possibly an early demise

leave your worries behind,justs put them all away somewhere ...work on this

since you have no way to change anything relative to what you mention above. TV posting with list of questions for a woman that is no longer the mayor is futile,seems maybe a bit ridiculous... a road to nowhere.

work on things that you can change, maybe start with yourself, this you can do.

.

Edited July 11, 2009 by gatorhead333

[Loaded]

Mr.Loaded one, you are more worried - less worried ???

worrying about CM as a farang? How does this help anything or anybody...certainly not you? worry doesn't do anything except give you a good dose of early white hair, wrinkles and possibly an early demise

leave your worries behind,justs put them all away somewhere ...work on this

since you have no way to change anything relative to what you mention above. TV posting with list of questions for a woman that is no longer the mayor is futile,seems maybe a bit ridiculous... a road to nowhere.

work on things that you can change, maybe start with yourself, this you can do.

.

I knew I would need to clarify for you. I'm less worried now if she wasn't doing a good job as mayor; I'm more worried now if she was doing a good job as mayor.

Pollution causes cancers, asthma, chest complaints etc so we all should be worried especially if you have young children.

Road widening encourages more traffic to enter the city. If you are happy with this fine, I'm not.

If my questions won't change anything, why do you seem so 'worried' about them?

[gatorhead333]

Mr.Loaded one, you are more worried - less worried ???

worrying about CM as a farang? How does this help anything or anybody...certainly not you? worry doesn't do anything except give you a good dose of early white hair, wrinkles and possibly an early demise

leave your worries behind,justs put them all away somewhere ...work on this

since you have no way to change anything relative to what you mention above. TV posting with list of questions for a woman that is no longer the mayor is futile,seems maybe a bit ridiculous... a road to nowhere.

work on things that you can change, maybe start with yourself, this you can do.

.

I knew I would need to clarify for you. I'm less worried now if she wasn't doing a good job as mayor; I'm more worried now if she was doing a good job as mayor.

Pollution causes cancers, asthma, chest complaints etc so we all should be worried especially if you have young children.

Road widening encourages more traffic to enter the city. If you are happy with this fine, I'm not.

If my questions won't change anything, why do you seem so 'worried' about them?

oh loaded one,first this was a thread about the mayor stops work.This means she is no longer the mayor .

Once again , do not worry about things that can not be changed. i care about your mental health with all your pent up worries, but do i worry about it!

we all are going to die very soon, relative to the age of the earth ,does anybody other than mad hatters sit up nights worrying about this absolute ?No!

your question as mentioned before are absurb, ridiculous and completely pointless for us as farangs to consider .

now the above points are the same! but here is a senario to top off all the worried concerns...

the children! the children! watch out the roads are widening...the cars are pouring into CM..... oh my goodness ,...what about the children! the children!

What? Me worry?

Edited July 11, 2009 by gatorhead333

[caf]

Mr.Loaded one, you are more worried - less worried ???

worrying about CM as a farang? How does this help anything or anybody...certainly not you? worry doesn't do anything except give you a good dose of early white hair, wrinkles and possibly an early demise

leave your worries behind,justs put them all away somewhere ...work on this

since you have no way to change anything relative to what you mention above. TV posting with list of questions for a woman that is no longer the mayor is futile,seems maybe a bit ridiculous... a road to nowhere.

work on things that you can change, maybe start with yourself, this you can do.

.

I knew I would need to clarify for you. I'm less worried now if she wasn't doing a good job as mayor; I'm more worried now if she was doing a good job as mayor.

Pollution causes cancers, asthma, chest complaints etc so we all should be worried especially if you have young children.

Road widening encourages more traffic to enter the city. If you are happy with this fine, I'm not.

If my questions won't change anything, why do you seem so 'worried' about them?

oh loaded one,first this was a thread about the mayor stops work.This means she is no longer the mayor .

Once again , do not worry about things that can not be changed. i care about your mental health with all your pent up worries, but do i worry about it!

we all are going to die very soon, relative to the age of the earth ,does anybody other than mad hatters sit up nights worrying about this absolute ?No!

your question as mentioned before are absurb, ridiculous and completely pointless for us as farangs to consider .

now the above points are the same! but here is a senario to top off all the worried concerns...

the children! the children! watch out the roads are widening...the cars are pouring into CM..... oh my goodness ,...what about the children! the children!

What? Me worry?

Worrying about things one can not change is pointless.

But that does not mean farang can not make suggestions for interview questions when the ex mayor is interviewed by Citylife next month. She actually encouraged farang participation at her monthly meetings where both thai and farang were present

I trust that answers gator's points, though it is not always that easy to understand some of his posts. understand

[Sao Jiang Mai]

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.p...c1f2940d7d8877f

Interview with the ex Lady Mayor. I know it's an old topic, but you may be interested in her answers to some of the above questions.

[Mapguy]

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.p...c1f2940d7d8877f

Interview with the ex Lady Mayor. I know it's an old topic, but you may be interested in her answers to some of the above questions.

Good interview with the former mayor from several angles! Thank you. It did give her an opportunity to say her piece about a lot of issues, some major and some minor, as well as revealing the limits of mayoral authority regardless of political battles and simply dismissing some Chiang Mai urban myths.

A very sad thing, I suggest, is that the video snafu has cost her a lot of her core support among older Thai voters who have conservative views on how women should appear and behave. And there goes her political future. This isn't France or Italy.

In some ways, of course, the interview can be interpreted as giving her a very free hand. What are your editorial plans regarding the candidates generally leading up to the next election --- whenever that is to be ?!

[gatorhead333]

Mr.Loaded one, you are more worried - less worried ???

worrying about CM as a farang? How does this help anything or anybody...certainly not you? worry doesn't do anything except give you a good dose of early white hair, wrinkles and possibly an early demise

leave your worries behind,justs put them all away somewhere ...work on this

since you have no way to change anything relative to what you mention above. TV posting with list of questions for a woman that is no longer the mayor is futile,seems maybe a bit ridiculous... a road to nowhere.

work on things that you can change, maybe start with yourself, this you can do.

.

I knew I would need to clarify for you. I'm less worried now if she wasn't doing a good job as mayor; I'm more worried now if she was doing a good job as mayor.

Pollution causes cancers, asthma, chest complaints etc so we all should be worried especially if you have young children.

Road widening encourages more traffic to enter the city. If you are happy with this fine, I'm not.

If my questions won't change anything, why do you seem so 'worried' about them?

oh loaded one,first this was a thread about the mayor stops work.This means she is no longer the mayor .

Once again , do not worry about things that can not be changed. i care about your mental health with all your pent up worries, but do i worry about it!

we all are going to die very soon, relative to the age of the earth ,does anybody other than mad hatters sit up nights worrying about this absolute ?No!

your question as mentioned before are absurb, ridiculous and completely pointless for us as farangs to consider .

now the above points are the same! but here is a senario to top off all the worried concerns...

the children! the children! watch out the roads are widening...the cars are pouring into CM..... oh my goodness ,...what about the children! the children!

What? Me worry?

Worrying about things one can not change is pointless.

But that does not mean farang can not make suggestions for interview questions when the ex mayor is interviewed by Citylife next month. She actually encouraged farang participation at her monthly meetings where both thai and farang were present

I trust that answers gator's points, though it is not always that easy to understand some of his posts. understand

gee ... it seemed you had it in a nut shell ...

[Loaded]

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.p...c1f2940d7d8877f

Interview with the ex Lady Mayor. I know it's an old topic, but you may be interested in her answers to some of the above questions.

I read yesterday. Its a good read (CityLife always is) and addresses most of the rumours I've heard about her. She comes across as a nice woman, and I'm sure she is.

Who's next Pim? Boonlert would be nice. I have some questions for him.

[dave2]

mapguy.

quote .... the next election --- whenever that is to be ?!

er .. um ... fairly soon i think going by the numbers of this sign being put up all over chiang mai during the last week.

get ready for one or two dry days : (

enjoy .... dave2

[gatorhead333]

mapguy.

quote .... the next election --- whenever that is to be ?!

er .. um ... fairly soon i think going by the numbers of this sign being put up all over chiang mai during the last week.

get ready for one or two dry days : (

enjoy .... dave2

Yes, the election .. so important for us foreigners here .real relevant..

oh yeh almost forgot,the widening of the roads and then what about the children!!!