Parking In Chiang Mai

[PostmanPat]

This is an old topic but felt it needed a new airing. If you are a car driver in Chiang Mai life is becoming increasingly more frustrating if you need to park in the vicinity of downtown/ the moat area. It has always been something of a problem throughout my seven years here, but now a combination of many more cars on the road plus a more awkward attitude from retailers is making life a real pain in the ass.

Right now, there are fewer off road parking type areas due to a combination of more strict attitudes from car park owners, combined with more building developments using several open space type areas where at one time you could sneak your vehicle in. To be honest and fair, whenever I can, I will sneak my car into zones off road where I can get away with it, because there are almost literally no public parking areas, but now thats more difficult, owners/ security getting more zealous all the time. Combined with this, retailers are increasingly taking over road areas which should be available by placing home made blocking devices such as stools, rope etc right outside their places, and woe betide anyone who drfies them because letting down tyres, keying of vehicles etc very common if you do.

I dont have an answer. Many Western Cities making downtown areas compulsory park and ride. In the UK for example, it is now literally impossible to drive into York, an old walled City "similar" in spirit to Chiang Mai, park and ride is the only choice unless you are a resident. Many other Cities ( I know Birmingham and Nottingham well) are restricting access by exorbitant parking fees if you insist on driving right into the city centre.

If things continue the way they are, Chiang Mai will become impossible. I suppose the onset of out of town shopping malls may eventually take pressure off, but right now, the City fathers, whoever they are have a real issue on their hands. Every time I go to Airport Plaza, or Kad Suan Kaew, yes I can find a slot, but again, its getting much more difficult, and at weekends almost impossible.....those who know Chiang Mai well will also have noticed that the big car park just across the road from Airport Plaza ( where the driving range is), one of my "sneak in" places is also chock full now every day. At most shopping places, what happens now is that the staff arrive early, obviously, and are permitted to have first grab at the car park, leaving a lot less for customers. Have you tried to park in Pantip Plaza car park in the last year or so? Impossible! Its now a private car park exclusively for staff!!

OK, there we have it....discuss....please, oh, and PLEASE dont anyone say get a motor bike. I never have and I never will, way too dangerous, look what happened to poor old Marco recently, and many others not so well known.

[LJW]

Downtown, life is tough for car drivers

[kalbo123]

You got to be more flexible, its clear that you cannot park where you have to be in most places.. but if you are willing to walk a bit there is always a spot to be found.

You gave the Pantip plaza example, well opposite, where the carwash is there is a big parkingplace, with always place, because thais don't like to park in the sun, or

behind butter is better, always place...and also walking distance.

For the moat, also if you are willing to walk a bit there is always a place to be found, be creative.

[Thailand]

Most of the time when going downtown/airport plaza wherever, we are early birds and rarely have a problem parking.

But then we do not often venture too far in the late afternoon evenings old age and concern about the driving in darkness. Danger factor daytime x10?

But in the 9 years we have been here the number of cars on the road seems to have doubled so obviously a potential problem.

Airport plaza seem to have gone backwards, the new area under the exhibition centre is almost always reserved for exhibitors(whether or not there is an exhibition) and very often is almost empty. Also on the ground floor the 30 min and exec parking also seems to be little used. The management need a rethink.

[venturalaw]

For me it's simple. I never seek service from establishments where I am unable to park. So far I have always located alternative establishments. Restaurants is a prime example. Some have parking, some do not. If they want my business, they will have parking.

[mesquite]

An individual's parking problem can be solved by taking air conditioned taxis. They can drop you off and wait for you. Private drivers with cars are also an option.

Let me guess. "That's too expensive!"

Chiang Mai is an incredibly cheap place to live, so paying more for convenient transportation should not be a problem.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I have to laugh a bit at this topic (well, a bemused smile I suppose)..

Compare Chiang Mai with absolutely any town in Europe and it's just incredible how easy it is to find a parking spot.. And then you realize it's completely free to park too! (Or if not free there is an almost insignificant fee.).

Keep in mind you don't have to park on the main roads, most sois have enough space to park, except for the narrowest ones. I hardly ever pay for parking, or walk more than 30 seconds because parking is so easy, and plentiful.

Maybe the only area that qualifies as somewhat of a challenge would be the big market (Kad Luang). I don't really go there because I know parking will be difficult, but if I do need to go I can easily choose to either walk 5 minutes, or grab a red bus.

To be honest if I did need to go to Kad Luang often then I would probably find a good area somewhere. Like across the footbridge, in one of the sois off Chang Moi, at the Siam Commercial bank near Nakorn Ping bridge, etc.. You'd have to be pretty... <let's find a nice word> to have trouble finding parking around town, sorry.

Edited September 4, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[IanForbes]

My younger sister has lived in London, England for the past 30 years. They have a car but only use it when traveling OUT of the city. Chiang Mai is getting the same if you want to venture into the heart of the city. It is a trade-off when living in the country or living in a city. There are advantages to both. I try to stay OUT of cities when I can. For the very reasons mentioned I ride a motorcycle in Thailand, and if I had a car I would only use it in the country. Even with motorbikes there is a problem. I have a big bike and a smaller, 125 cc scooter. It's MUCH easier parking the scooter.

[naboo]

Simple solution - don't drive a car into the city. If you don't want to ride a motorbike, take a songtaew, tuktuk or air conditioned taxi. If these aren't available near your house, drive somewhere where they are available and park there. All major routes into the city are serviced by extremely regular songtaews.

If you don't want to change your habits, don't moan about it. You've made your decision to drive into the city in a car, knowing full well its a pain to park. Personally I have only ever driven a car in the city once. Once was enough to teach me not to bother again.

[mcgriffith]

I second naboo's view.

I can't comprehend even attempting to drive a 4 wheel vehicle in this town.

Every day on Huay Kaew Rd. I pass literally hundreds of cars and pickups, stopped with engines idling and spewing out noxious pollution.

These poor buggers wait for 2 or 3 traffic light changes, just to get across one intersection.

Takes them 30 or 40 minutes, and ungodly amounts of wasted fuel- to accomplish what a scooter rider does at 1/100th the cost, in 5 minutes.

[sunnyhor]

I always parked in a nearby temple!

[Semper]

I second naboo's view.

I can't comprehend even attempting to drive a 4 wheel vehicle in this town.

Every day on Huay Kaew Rd. I pass literally hundreds of cars and pickups, stopped with engines idling and spewing out noxious pollution.

These poor buggers wait for 2 or 3 traffic light changes, just to get across one intersection.

Takes them 30 or 40 minutes, and ungodly amounts of wasted fuel- to accomplish what a scooter rider does at 1/100th the cost, in 5 minutes.

Try Wualai RD. (sp?)

[kalbo123]

I second naboo's view.

I can't comprehend even attempting to drive a 4 wheel vehicle in this town.

Every day on Huay Kaew Rd. I pass literally hundreds of cars and pickups, stopped with engines idling and spewing out noxious pollution.

These poor buggers wait for 2 or 3 traffic light changes, just to get across one intersection.

Takes them 30 or 40 minutes, and ungodly amounts of wasted fuel- to accomplish what a scooter rider does at 1/100th the cost, in 5 minutes.

Thing is the OP mentioned that he does not want to use a motorbike into town, of course a motorbike is much faster.

He is looking for a place to park his car.

[Semper]

I second naboo's view.

I can't comprehend even attempting to drive a 4 wheel vehicle in this town.

Every day on Huay Kaew Rd. I pass literally hundreds of cars and pickups, stopped with engines idling and spewing out noxious pollution.

These poor buggers wait for 2 or 3 traffic light changes, just to get across one intersection.

Takes them 30 or 40 minutes, and ungodly amounts of wasted fuel- to accomplish what a scooter rider does at 1/100th the cost, in 5 minutes.

Thing is the OP mentioned that he does not want to use a motorbike into town, of course a motorbike is much faster.

He is looking for a place to park his car.

There is a car park at Kat Luang. Obviously he must do some walking if this market is not his favourite place to buy stuff. As some other posted already. Park the car somewhere where he can get a rot daeng, or just use a mc.

Edited September 4, 2011 by Semper

[bristolgeoff]

use or ride a scooter is way.if u can,t do what the others say taxi or other transport.do you want to drive in bkk,i think no is the answer.

[mccw]

Duangamon book centre is a handy spot to park and walk to places round that side of town.

Kadsuankeaw central car park you can easily walk to nimainhim and all that side.

Parking is really just an issue if you've got family in tow, buggies or something else wich means you literally just want to step out at your destination; but plenty of places do have parking.

[uptheos]

Parking Meters but don't follow leaders.

[hellodolly]

If the poster does not want to ride a motor bike it is pointless to point out to him the benefits of it. For myself tuk tuk, song-tel or taxi will take me any place I want to go and I do not have to worry about parking.

for myself the cost of a vehicle upkeep and insurance is more than what I spend on public travel in a year. As a bonus I walk to some places that if I had a vehicle I would drive to. Exerciser is a bonus.

[Greenside]

The general lack of planning for this city is truly woeful. Many of us come from places which have had come to terms with the inexorable rise of the car (usually painfully and too late) and to witness all the same things happening in front of our eyes is frustrating and saddening, to me at least. Access to the city centre and the availability of parking in town for those who really need to use a car can only continue to get worse until some serious imagination and funds are applied to the problem. There is no shortage of examples that could be followed: York, Cambridge, Norwich and even London provide ideas that could be adapted for use here but what we get is Band Aid mentality projects - widening a section of road here or building an underpass there, often without any thought as to where the traffic will end up. How many times do you see a brand new section of four lane highway suddenly revert to two or even one lane for no apparent reason?

For reasons of status, convenience and safety (and probably in that order) cars are on the increase and motorbike use will more and more be relegated those without the means to choose. For those who can. bike riding in Chiang Mai is simply too dangerous given the level of driving skills and lack of law enforcement - so much so that in the face of impending parenthood I've given up completely and sold the bike.

The political will to put some serious changes in motion looks a distant prospect at best, but ease of access to the city centre and its attractiveness as a tourist destination (not to mention a place to live) isn't going to improve until some kind of holistic thinking is applied and that's in pretty short supply.

Edited September 5, 2011 by Greenside

[Greenside]

......and while I'm ranting, I notice that development of the Inner Ring Road on the stretch between Big C Hang Dong and Global House is continuing apace but apparently with no allowance for off road parking, thus transforming a reasonably safe, convenient three lane highway serving a real purpose into two lanes and a strip of hugely expensive private parking for vendors who are starting to enforce it with the two stools and a bamboo bar technique.

Crazy is the kindest word I can think of....

[mcgriffith]

For reasons of status, convenience and safety (and probably in that order) cars are on the increase and motorbike use will more and more be relegated those without the means to choose. For those who can. bike riding in Chiang Mai is simply too dangerous given the level of driving skills and lack of law enforcement - so much so that in the face of impending parenthood I've given up completely and sold the bike.

Tell me it ain't so, Greenside.

You mean you're giving up this:

for this?

In all seriousness, I guess the OP's answer is to take public transport....

[hedonist44]

For me it's simple. I never seek service from establishments where I am unable to park. So far I have always located alternative establishments. Restaurants is a prime example. Some have parking, some do not. If they want my business, they will have parking.

Agree 100%.

[mic6ard]

I think that some people have missed certain points about CM.

1. There have been project proposed to enlarge the roads, it was stopped by the residents rejecting/ refusing to move.

2. CM is an old/ancient city. Like most city in asia, it isn't design for cars, especially SUV.

3. it's the LOS, since when do gov't project make sense.

4. Make the inner city a 'walking zone' would kill the business there. plus many people use it as a short cut across town. Well, I know I do.

Anyway I totally agree that they should buil parking structures once in a while. But then we have to figure out how to pay for it. Typically those are pay to park, therfore most thai won't use it.

Heck I hear grumbling eveytime my friends go to KSG and that;s only 10 bht, maybe because there's not much there.

And on a personal note, I use a car when going out of town, or shopping, But for going into town, a little scooter is a wonderful thing, which is the reason why I got it.

Edited September 5, 2011 by mic6ard

[LivinLOS]

I second naboo's view.

I can't comprehend even attempting to drive a 4 wheel vehicle in this town.

Every day on Huay Kaew Rd. I pass literally hundreds of cars and pickups, stopped with engines idling and spewing out noxious pollution.

These poor buggers wait for 2 or 3 traffic light changes, just to get across one intersection.

Takes them 30 or 40 minutes, and ungodly amounts of wasted fuel- to accomplish what a scooter rider does at 1/100th the cost, in 5 minutes.

Dirty clothing, wet from rain, doused in fumes and baked in the sun..

I am a rider, I like bikes, but they are not the solution to all problems.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think that some people have missed certain points about CM.

1. There have been project proposed to enlarge the roads, it was stopped by the residents rejecting/ refusing to move.

Right, that insane idea involved bulldozing houses (including some very nice historical ones) on roads such as Thapae, in order to cram even more cars into the city center. Don't think too many people are sad to see that bright idea dumped in the bin.

2. CM is an old/ancient city. Like most city in asia, it isn't design for cars, especially SUV.

3. it's the LOS, since when do gov't project make sense.

4. Make the inner city a 'walking zone' would kill the business there. plus many people use it as a short cut across town. Well, I know I do.

Yes, exactly. Stopping traffic to the old town == killing the old town. And to be honest, the biggest problems aren't even in the old town, it's most severe during rush hour at intersections such as Rin Come, Khuang Singh, Airport, some main roads in/out of town during rush hour, etc.

Anyway I totally agree that they should buil parking structures once in a while. But then we have to figure out how to pay for it. Typically those are pay to park, therfore most thai won't use it.

Right, and neither will I. Also because it's not necessary right now. Figure this, and keep the OP in mind: Yesterday was the Sunday walking street market. I actually went there (well, to Wat Chedi Luang which is in the middle of it) and parked just 40 meters away from where the market starts on Phrapokklao Rd. I had the choice of 3 parking spots, AND there was paid parking available too, which I didn't need of course. This was around 7pm. Then later I went to have a drink on Loi Kroh. Keep in mind that's still very near the Sunday market. Again I easily found parking without having to try, I went straight to my usual spot which is 180m from Loi Kroh. Again plenty parking available there.

Edited September 5, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[PostmanPat]

Thanks for all comments, a sensible and interesting debate! As I said in my original post, biking is not for me...too many sad stories and bad accidents. I suppose one of the issues which infuriates me the most is the example from Saturday. I was going to Fontana Restaurant, top end of Rachamanka near the moat, and as I drove up Rachamanka towards the moat, there were actually loads of street parking spots, but unfortunately all were blocked from use by the nearby retailer with chairs, ropes, bamboo poles etc.

I know it doesnt work that way here, but everywhere else in the world, the shop is the shop, and the street outside the shop is fair place for parking, the space outside the shop on the street doesnt belong to the shop. That practice here is expanding, and in effect causing a fair amount of the problems for cars. I sometimes used to take the risk and nudge in next to some chairs, but not any more. Two people I know did it recently, one had a key or sharp object right across his front wing, and the other had a screw driver or something pushed into his radiator leaving his car drained of liquid and undriveable!! And in each case, by the way, the drivers hadnt been confronted in advance by the shop owners, it just happened.

[true blue]

ive never really had any proplem parking in c/m suppose if youve lived here long enough you have sussed out the best parking spots.

[cmsally]

I think the post before pretty much summed it up. What essentially happens is that people want to go to a particular business (without parking) but park in front of another business.

Basically what happens in the city is that if you don't become a bit proactive, you basically become the parking lot for another business down the street.

So if people need the space for deliveries/customers whatever, its always being taken up by someone elses customers. Not hard to see why people get pissed off about it.

Actually I don't agree that this is based to Thailand, it happens in many other places too where its difficult to park. That's why some in cities you have residents parking permits.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

ive never really had any proplem parking in c/m suppose if youve lived here long enough you have sussed out the best parking spots.

Finally, someone who agrees with me!

[MESmith]

ive never really had any proplem parking in c/m suppose if youve lived here long enough you have sussed out the best parking spots.

Finally, someone who agrees with me!

I imagine the silent majority who can't be bothered to post agree with you. Always somewhere to park close to where you want to go. Might have to walk a couple of minutes. Big deal.