Where To Find Most Accurate Published Gov/public Chiang Mai Growth Related Forecasts?

[OldChinaHam]

Driving around Chiang Mai, we all see the construction sites and the newly complete buildings. Seeing this it makes one wonder how much of the building construction will be fully utilized during what time frame.

Residents wonder what Chiang Mai will look like, and feel like, in 5 years, 10 years, and when they retire.

Are there any reliable sources of published information which can answer questions relating to the many aspects of increasing growth in Chiang Mai?

What about information produced by universities for government planners and urban planners?

What information do commercial real estate brokers rely on to make educated guesses when buying and selling property in Chiang Mai?

How much does this information cost when not freely available?

This seems like a topic that most people in CM often discuss.

But where can we find the reliable data which makes a discussion about growth relevant, and not just speculation based on how CM "looks" or "feels" today?

City planners require this information to plan for the future. But a search of the internet in English does not show much.

Where do we go to find this information?

[rubberduck]

Try a search in Thai instead ?

[OldChinaHam]

Yes of course. Your point is well taken. Please feel free to post a translated into English copy of any good sources you find in Thai.

It is not the translation which is difficult, it is the finding of the reliable and accurate information which is the challenge, and this is why it costs money to find sometimes.

But I am wondering mostly about information which is freely available and the sources for this information.

Next of interest would be the paid sources, but these are not necessarily any more reliable or trustworthy, just because they cost money.

[jaideeguy]

I doubt that you will find out any 'real' figures or planning as IMHO most of the development is done within a few select families/investors/mafias/politicians that would never let an outsider know the real story. And Thais are not the best planners......they just 'do it' and either it works or not. Look at Khad Suan Keau that has never been fully occupied and never will be......who planned that??

[OldChinaHam]

I think I know what you mean, never provide any information to anyone that does not need to be provided, just on general principles. This is different from many western cities which will open up their research and planning studies to anyone in order to encourage investment, because who wants to invest in a black box. Also there are commercial real estate firms which routinely pay for research to make their own forecasts in other cities, such as ShangHai, that I have seen. And these reports were useful for those who wanted to buy commercial office space, starting around 1998 in a big way. Much of this was available just by contacting the a commercial real estate firm, if one was actively seeking to buy. I recall getting quite a bit from Knight Frank (I think) about 15 years ago when ShangHai was really just beginning to boom. Much of the information was collected and supplied from outside ShangHai and China. So it is surprising that the same service and information is not available here. When we look at the building which is happening in Chiang Mai, it seems rapid, but does anyone really know what part of the curve we are on, if we are just at the top of a building curve and already coming down the other side, or even with such a relatively low population will the building continue or increase in rate.

Where is the information that might tell more about what is really happening and the trends for the next 5 and 10 years.

[jaideeguy]

OCM....'They' don't reveal these secrets until it benefits them the most and we will always be the last to know. I once was looking at some land up above Mae On [cautiously as I have learned to be here] and suddenly all the available land on this road got bought up by a certain politician and his friends and was immediately put back on the market @ double the price and it sold.

It turned out that the people with the money and connections knew that they were going to improve and extend the road.

[worgeordie]

Thailand + long range forecasts, your joking right.

regards Worgeordie