PM TO PROMOTE LOEI AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has plans to promote PHU KRADUNG (ภูกระดึง) National Park in LOEI (เลย) province as a tourist spot.

After visiting the Natural Park with Environment Minister YONGYUT TIYAPAIRAT (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช), Dr. Thaksin suggested Loei governor to increase the publicity of LOEI province as the premier believes that environmental conditions such as weather, airport, and tourism are better than other provinces.

Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister PLODPRASOB SURASSAWADEE (ปลอดประสพ สุรัสวดี) also referred to the 5.5-meter cable car project of PHA TAM (ผาแต้ม) and YEABMEK Cliff (ผาเหยียบเมฆ) where the route can be used for construction.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 09 January 2006

PM TO PROMOTE LOEI AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has plans to promote PHU KRADUNG (ภูกระดึง) National Park in LOEI (เลย) province as a tourist spot.

After visiting the Natural Park with Environment Minister YONGYUT TIYAPAIRAT (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช), Dr. Thaksin suggested Loei governor to increase the publicity of LOEI province as the premier believes that environmental conditions such as weather, airport, and tourism are better than other provinces.

Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister PLODPRASOB SURASSAWADEE (ปลอดประสพ สุรัสวดี) also referred to the 5.5-meter cable car project of PHA TAM (ผาแต้ม) and YEABMEK Cliff (ผาเหยียบเมฆ) where the route can be used for construction.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 09 January 2006

Who does he want to build the cable car for? A lot of locals don't want it and it will ruin an area of unspoilt natural beauty!

Why doesn't Thaksin build something as tacky as that up Doi Inthanon - oh yeah, he's from there

GOVT WELCOMES OPINIONS ON PLANS TO CONSTRUCT CABLE BASKETS AT PHU KRADUENG

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Yongyuth Tiyapairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) welcomes opinions from all sides concerning a plan to construct cable baskets at Phu Kradueng (ภูกระดึง).

Mr. Yongyuth said that administrative agency for special zone and private sector in Leoi (เลย) have conducted a study on the appropriateness in developing tourist destinations in Loei. He said that the construction of cable baskets is one of the development projects. However, the study on the plan is not completed yet, adding that the government will listen to opinions from the private sector, the general public, and other study groups, to collect information to be submitted to a committee again. He said that the development of tourist destinations will not be carried out to the extent that they will cause damage to nature.

As for the study to boost national parks’ capability in accommodating tourists, he said that heads of national parks and the director-general of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department have been ordered to study the ways to manage all national parks. He said the study has begun since last year.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 January 2006

The Bangkok Herald-Examiner reports that the local population has issued a challenge to PM Thaksin. If he can successfully make the climb to the top of PHU KRADUENG unaided, then they would stop any protests against the construction of the planned cable car.

GOVT WELCOMES OPINIONS ON PLANS TO CONSTRUCT CABLE BASKETS AT PHU KRADUENG

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 January 2006

Ok, Mr. Jai Dee, I am prepared to give my opinion.

Please forward this to the persons involved.

With kind regards,

Limbo.

GOVT WELCOMES OPINIONS ON PLANS TO CONSTRUCT CABLE BASKETS AT PHU KRADUENG

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 January 2006

Ok, Mr. Jai Dee, I am prepared to give my opinion.

Please forward this to the persons involved.

With kind regards,

Limbo.

Sorry Limbo, Khun Yongyuth didn't leave me his forwarding address...

Different groups have been trying to put cable cars here for years. The opposition has always been able to block them. I feel the cable cars would increase tourism a lot. I have not been to the top because it is a LONG walk up hill. If I remember correctly it is nine kilometers. There are already concrete steps and if the pylons were put along the same path nothing would be damaged. It is a beautiful area. Loei is quite laid back and they apparently wish to remain that way. In Loei city there are no malls even though Tesco Lotus has been trying to put in a store.

Different groups have been trying to put cable cars here for years. The opposition has always been able to block them. I feel the cable cars would increase tourism a lot. I have not been to the top because it is a LONG walk up hill. If I remember correctly it is nine kilometers. There are already concrete steps and if the pylons were put along the same path nothing would be damaged. It is a beautiful area. Loei is quite laid back and they apparently wish to remain that way. In Loei city there are no malls even though Tesco Lotus has been trying to put in a store.

Well I don't know about cable cars but it has long been a great day trip for us Udon motorcycle riders, like anywhere else to many tourist will change a very beautiful part of Thailand. Progress I suppose.

Have you been to the top? I'm afraid that if the cable cars are not built I will never be able to see the top of the mountain. One big objection has been pretty well eliminated. They have many porters who carry supplies up the mountain. They have been told that only people will be taken up and no supplies.

Different groups have been trying to put cable cars here for years. The opposition has always been able to block them. I feel the cable cars would increase tourism a lot. I have not been to the top because it is a LONG walk up hill. If I remember correctly it is nine kilometers. There are already concrete steps and if the pylons were put along the same path nothing would be damaged. It is a beautiful area. Loei is quite laid back and they apparently wish to remain that way. In Loei city there are no malls even though Tesco Lotus has been trying to put in a store.

Well I don't know about cable cars but it has long been a great day trip for us Udon motorcycle riders, like anywhere else to many tourist will change a very beautiful part of Thailand. Progress I suppose.

Different groups have been trying to put cable cars here for years. The opposition has always been able to block them. I feel the cable cars would increase tourism a lot. I have not been to the top because it is a LONG walk up hill. If I remember correctly it is nine kilometers. There are already concrete steps and if the pylons were put along the same path nothing would be damaged. It is a beautiful area. Loei is quite laid back and they apparently wish to remain that way. In Loei city there are no malls even though Tesco Lotus has been trying to put in a store.

Well I don't know about cable cars but it has long been a great day trip for us Udon motorcycle riders, like anywhere else to many tourist will change a very beautiful part of Thailand. Progress I suppose.

It is indeed quite a trek to the top... but well worth the 5 hours it took. The concrete steps are few and far between and a lot of the climb seemed like it was straight up (although it really isn't ).

I would be COMPLETELY opposed to the construction of the cable cars.

It would be a real shame for a Starbucks to obstruct this view from our first evening on top of this absolutely fabulous place:

Loei is quite laid back and they apparently wish to remain that way. In Loei city there are no malls even though Tesco Lotus has been trying to put in a store.

Well, they don't want to remain that way in Loei city for much longer. They are building a dirty, big Big C right in the middle of town.

It'll be right next to the KFC.

I'm not against a Big C though, it'll make a change from the rip off mother and father shops.

I have walked up (and down!) Phu Kradeung twice before, once with my 5 year old son! (He’s now 14 so that was a while ago). It is very nice on top – the views, the pine trees, the cool air (except for the people who stay awake ALL NIGHT at the campsite playing music and singing songs). I agree with Sriracha John that it would be a real shame to build a cable car. If anybody desperately wants to go to the top but cannot walk it, they can pay those porters to carry them up on a type of chair/stretcher – I saw someone doing that before.

I would be COMPLETELY opposed to the construction of the cable cars.

It would be a real shame for a Starbucks to obstruct this view from our first evening on top of this absolutely fabulous place:

I would be quite happy to see a Big "C" store. I was actually quite surprised to see a KFC built in Loei. Over a year ago I made a comment that Loei had no superstores. Some posted that there was a Tesco Lotus being built and it would be open within a month. It DIDN'T happen.

Loei is quite laid back and they apparently wish to remain that way. In Loei city there are no malls even though Tesco Lotus has been trying to put in a store.

Well, they don't want to remain that way in Loei city for much longer. They are building a dirty, big Big C right in the middle of town.

It'll be right next to the KFC.

I'm not against a Big C though, it'll make a change from the rip off mother and father shops.

Different groups have been trying to put cable cars here for years. The opposition has always been able to block them. I feel the cable cars would increase tourism a lot. I have not been to the top because it is a LONG walk up hill. If I remember correctly it is nine kilometers. There are already concrete steps and if the pylons were put along the same path nothing would be damaged. It is a beautiful area. Loei is quite laid back and they apparently wish to remain that way. In Loei city there are no malls even though Tesco Lotus has been trying to put in a store.

Well I don't know about cable cars but it has long been a great day trip for us Udon motorcycle riders, like anywhere else to many tourist will change a very beautiful part of Thailand. Progress I suppose.

It is indeed quite a trek to the top... but well worth the 5 hours it took. The concrete steps are few and far between and a lot of the climb seemed like it was straight up (although it really isn't ).

I would be COMPLETELY opposed to the construction of the cable cars.

It would be a real shame for a Starbucks to obstruct this view from our first evening on top of this absolutely fabulous place:

It is a beautiful area. Loei is quite laid back and they apparently wish to remain that way. In Loei city there are no malls even though Tesco Lotus has been trying to put in a store.

Keep it like this please