Chiang Mai Night Safari To Open During Songkran Fe

[Ajarn]

From http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/current/news.shtml#hd14

Nopniwat Krailerg

Plodprasop Surasawadee, chairman of the committee for planning the Night Safari checked the readiness of the Night Safari on March 19. Col. Boonrit Lert-wattana-ruangchai, commander of Thai Army Engineers Department, revealed that the basic structure of Night Safari was almost 98 percent completed. The safari routes were almost ready, including Lanna style buildings, decorated with elephant figures, and there was just some decorative work left. Cages were also almost completed, and the jaguar trail was expected to be operational when the park opens.

Plodprasop Surasawadee, Night Safari Chiang Mai planning and processing committee chairman.

Plodprasop Surasawadee said, “The Night Safari is surely ready for visitors on April 13; however, some parts remain uncompleted and therefore will be closed, but we will invite the PM to see for himself. The construction will be finished, but electrical systems and the overall atmosphere is probably only 50 percent. The jaguar trail is the first part ready to be visited and there will also be other animals around that area such as kangaroos, jackals and water animals. The first opening is also for testing the management within the Night Safari.”

However, Plodprasop admitted that processing animal imports from Australia was delayed, but local animals were ready. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had assigned Zoo Thailand Organization to take care of this issue but it was transferred to be under the management of Night Safari office on March 15. The Night Safari reassured that 60 percent of imported animals would be arriving soon, except koalas which would arrive within the next three months. All parts of the safari would be 100 percent ready and open on January 1, 2006.

“The benefit of this project is not from selling tickets but from increasing tourists visiting and spending more time in Chiang Mai. The safari confirms it will sell tickets at 200 baht for Thais and 400 baht for foreigners,” said Plodprasop. Presumably foreigners will be seeing twice as much as the locals for twice the local fee.

[ThaiPauly]

Hi Ajarm,

where on earth is the night safari, it says it is in MY tamboon in the Bagnkok Post, but I have never seen or heard anything nore about it than I read in the papers!!

I need to know its exact location so that I dont wander into it by accident and get eaten by a Lion or a Croc. I was not born to be part of a "Food Chain"

[ThaiPauly]

Sorry Ajarn for incorrectly spelling your name, 200 baht for Thais 400 baht for Farang, dont really care, I will only be going ONCE. Its no different for most of the local attractions is it.

Its a 2 teir system. I used to live near Blenheim Pailsce in Oxfordshire, I could get in for free, but if you did not live within the feudal boundaries you had to pay, not a lot of difference really

[The_Moog]

Joe Cummings of Lonely Planet - I know you post on Thaivisa.

How about omitting venues from the next edition that have entry-pricing disequilibrium.

(I believe the way to attack this anomaly is not to write letters to Bangkok Post, or TAT, (who are actively disinterested), but go directly to Lonely Planet, Rough Guide etc)

[ThaiPauly]

Not quite with you Moog, would you care to expand on your reply, however looking at your Avatar I certainly do not want to offend you!!

Your Servant,

TP

(however what I said was in the Bangkok Post) Gulp!!

[The_Moog]

TP

I don't usually find dual pricing too objectionable.

.....but I felt compelled to voice seeing this photo of "PLODPRASOP"...looking like a smug prize-git.

"They can pay twice what we do heheheheheheheh"

The Singapore Night safari is really a favourite of mine - as is Blenheim Palace (and don't forget Churchill's grave nearby) . I shall save my B400 and go there instead.

[Ajarn]

I feel a bit like a troll now, by bolding the price differences..

I did that, thinking more about the fact that the price was cut from the originally planned 800 baht for all. I wasn't attempting to dredge up other stuff...

Personaly, I feel the difference is justified purely by the fact that this is not a private business, but a 100% Government-sponsored Program using money from taxes. Yes, tourists pay VAT, which should count, but people living here are gonna pay a LOT more in taxes to built the park, overall.

It would be great if pricing could be based on showing how much tax you paid in Thailand, but there's no sensible way for tourists and Thais to do that.

It's easy to see the only sensible and reasonably fair way in such issues is to divide local citizens and other residents from those just visiting. As long as that's the intent of the government, I'll not complain. I have always paid the local price at such venues, and I've never been hassled beyond proving I live here.

What I'm wondering now is, is this place even worth 200 baht? From the way it sounds in the media, there are only elephants there, it seems to me. I haven't been out to take a look, so I have no idea what it's like now... It's not my cup of tea, and neither is any other type of zoo except the human kind...

[The_Moog]

It would be great if pricing could be based on showing how much tax you paid in Thailand, but there's no sensible way for tourists and Thais to do that.

On the rationale that if you've already contributed more tax to buy the koalas and monkeys, you get a cheaper ticket.

Nice, but that would mean I got a cheaper ticket than the garland sellers outside my apartment. That doesn't seem right also !

[ThaiPauly]

Ajarn, you know you will go and see it when its open ,just out of curiosity, you are so so knowledgable on so many subjects surely you would not miss out on your principles. Leave them in the toilet for a day, sure as heck I will be going (When I find it)!!

[Ajarn]

Ajarn, you know you will go and see it when its open ,just out of curiosity, you are so so knowledgable on so many subjects surely you would not miss out on your principles. Leave them in the toilet for a day, sure as heck I will be going (When I find it)!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

TP, the toilet might be the least of the stinks there, in my book.

On various levels.

I do hope there are some real improvements for the locals, but captive wild animals, other than humans, have never been my scene, as I previously said. C’est la vie, na'?

[jackr]

From http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/current/news.shtml#hd14

“The benefit of this project is not from selling tickets but from increasing tourists visiting and spending more time in Chiang Mai. [b

What a load of crap! If the benefit is not from selling tickets and making cash, why the **** are they shafting farangs again? Unless I'm charged as a local, they can swivel.

[Rinrada]

Cages were also almost completed.......

Plodprasop Surasawadee, Night Safari Chiang Mai planning and processing committee chairman.

Plodprasop Surasawadee said, “The Night Safari is surely ready for visitors on April 13; however, some parts remain uncompleted and therefore will be closed, but we will invite the PM to see for himself.

Agree........Wild animals in cages now are a NO-NO in the 21 st Centuary.(LOS 25th)however put this bunch of T***ers behind them bars and I might be tempted to come and chuck a couple of bananas

[ThaiPauly]

Holly Sh##e I ve just been told where it is you can see it from my bedroom window, thats it I am selling up tommorow, nothing much between the escaped Lions and Tigers and a good dinner (me) about 1k of over farm land then its my back garden!!

Call me a scary cat if you will but its the escapy cats that bother me

Anybody want to buy a house in a wonderful location just on the Outskirts of CM?

[The_Moog]

Cages were also almost completed.......

Plodprasop Surasawadee, Night Safari Chiang Mai planning and processing committee chairman.

Plodprasop Surasawadee said, “The Night Safari is surely ready for visitors on April 13; however, some parts remain uncompleted and therefore will be closed, but we will invite the PM to see for himself.

What a cretin this Plodprasop is - Rinrada's Avatar summarizes it all perfectly.

Of course no cages on a Night Safari - Moats between visitors and animals.

How typical that if the PM approves, then its okay. Fools, every single one of them.

[chanchao]

> Anybody want to buy a house in a wonderful location just on the Outskirts of CM?

Yes! I'm kind of looking in that area. I assume you sell cheap?

Cheers,

Chanchao

[ThaiPauly]

> Anybody want to buy a house in a wonderful location just on the Outskirts of CM?

Yes!    I'm kind of looking in that area.  I assume you sell cheap?

Cheers,

Chanchao

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I assume you are joking Chancho, if you are not PM me, and yes it would be a steal at only 8m, considering I virtually built it myself. Nice Pool though!

[Sojourner]

I drove past the site of the Night Safari last Sunday and couldn't believe how much is left to be done. It looks like a giant sandbox with half filled ponds surrounded by boulders. No fence yet. Suggest the best view is from Wat Doi Kham if you want a bird's eye view. My guess is another year before all's complete.

[ovenman]

I drove past the site of the Night Safari last Sunday and couldn't believe how much is left to be done.  It looks like a giant sandbox with half filled ponds surrounded by boulders.  No fence yet.  Suggest the best view is from Wat Doi Kham if you want a bird's eye view.  My guess is another year before all's complete.

We certainly would not want Mr. Big to lose any face if the Night Safari did not open for Songkran this year as promised, even if it is only 75 complete.

[jomama]

It was reported yesterday that the Night Safari will not open until August because most of the animals have yet to arrive

[PeaceBlondie]

I love those percentage figures, as if they are carefully measured statistics using proper parameters. Then you glance through and see that only the domestic animals are there, 50% of the animals aren't there, no koalas, trouble with import permits. But the best one: a night safari with only 50% of the electricals installed! Maybe they'll issue candles at the front gate!

I went to the zoo recently. Okay, so it was Atlanta, Georgia, not even "Soviet, Georgia." But - go by yourself! No kinfolks, no Thai lover to slow you down or speed you up. Go by yourself and enjoy what you wish. You may save money that way, even with the dual pricing system. It's all happening at the zoo.

Funny thing, too. Atlanta zoo has two pandas - no additional fee to see the pandas, and they let you get closer than Chiang Mai zoo does.

Now I'm wondering what other venues would be fun to visit alone. The Night Bazaar?

[Rinrada]

It was reported yesterday that the Night Safari will not open until August because most of the animals have yet to arrive

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know a guy who is selling a couple of ferrets...that would get them out of trouble

[suntan]

Sorry Ajarn for incorrectly spelling your name, 200 baht for Thais 400 baht for Farang, dont really care, I will only be going ONCE. Its no different for most of the local attractions is it.

Its a 2 teir system. I used to live near Blenheim Pailsce in Oxfordshire, I could get in for free, but if you did not live within the feudal boundaries you had to pay, not a lot of difference really

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote

I don,t know how long that you have been living in Thailand, complaning.

If you show your Thai Drivers Licence, you pay exactly what the Thais do.

suntan

[ThaiPauly]

Sorry Ajarn for incorrectly spelling your name, 200 baht for Thais 400 baht for Farang, dont really care, I will only be going ONCE. Its no different for most of the local attractions is it.

Its a 2 teir system. I used to live near Blenheim Pailsce in Oxfordshire, I could get in for free, but if you did not live within the feudal boundaries you had to pay, not a lot of difference really

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote

I don,t know how long that you have been living in Thailand, complaning.

If you show your Thai Drivers Licence, you pay exactly what the Thais do.

suntan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry Suntan not with you