Maya, Central Festival, Promenade

[KRS1]

Which do you think will be the busiest and why?

My money is on Central Festival because of the location, population density, ease of access and anchor shops. A bit harder to get there by tuk tuk or red truck but possible.

I think it's going to be a nightmare to go to Maya for you car drivers and Rincome market is just down the road for cheaper items. 2 out of 3 red trucks wont go to Nimanheimin. But everyone on Niman can walk to it.

Promenade, well ...i dont see the point of it. Theater perhaps? Almost impossible to get to unless you have a car or bike, or pay a tuk tuk or red truck a larger than usual amount.

Or will Airport Plaza continue to be the busiest?

[Jobo]

Maya will be a disaster for them simply because of the location.

From any direction it will take ages to get into it by car.

Thais don't like walking so parking somewhere and walking will not do.

Personally I will avoid this place like the plague.

But Thais do like getting stuck in traffic jams (a la Bangkok) so that is the weak link in my argument.

Airport Plaza will continue to be my favorite as easy to get to and park for me.

I can't imagine the new ones are going to offer much of a difference anyway.

Central Festival will succeed if not only because it is CPN and perceived to be Thai and the biggest in the land.

Promenada more of the same it seems. If it fulfills its plans this could be number 2 once it's finished and parking and "public transport" improves.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Yes, not only will Maya be near impossible to reach and get out of, it might actually be the thing that tips the whole area over in terms of access. I still go to Nimman sometimes for some coffee and a sandwich, but not if traffic increases further.

(Slight paradox there of the 'nobody goes there anymore, it's WAY too busy'-type, but okay.)

And Kad Suan Kaew will also die, of course.

[PostmanPat]

Whenever, and wherever anything is built in Chiang Mai, parking and access is it seems never seriously considered. Condo blocks always maximise their size, yet conversely, always provide the minimum of parking they can get away with. Airport Plaza very busy, car park always full, so what have they done? Sold off half the car park for some kind of other store!!

The real classic in many ways is Big C/ Home Pro, Hangdong Road. There are two entrances/ exits. If you try to get out onto Hang Dong Road you are just at the place where the traffic on Hang Dong Road is queing for the traffic lights. If you take the other exit onto the middle ring road, you have to drive about three kilometres before the first U turn. This place is just about manageable in the weekdays, but a complete nightmare at weekends!!

I guess concepts such as traffic flow, access, infrastructure etc are still not a factor for those who build malls, condos etc, and now that the Thai Government has very generously put another 50,000 cars onto the roads of Chiang Mai the problem is even worse than 12 months ago!!

[KRS1]

Is it me or does Maya have a weird design? It seems to be built 'up' more than spread out. It reminds me of Terminal 21 in BKK.

[baywatch82]

Did anyody seen any Maya plans/projects ?

Maybe they have some kind of idea how to make access road system that will not increase traffic in that area. Hard to believe that they did not think about it, and they had project approved without it. I know, this is Thailand... but as businessmen you don't want to kill your own business.

Anyway, even if this will be nightmare to get there, I think it will never be empty in that area.

[KRS1]

There is some kind of development happening across the street from Maya also, saw a crane operating there before.

If you know how to get to Maya by taking the back route from Canal road it isnt so bad. But i dont think many people know how, sheep mentality and all.

[butterisbetter]

Did anyody seen any Maya plans/projects ?

Maybe they have some kind of idea how to make access road system that will not increase traffic in that area. Hard to believe that they did not think about it, and they had project approved without it. I know, this is Thailand... but as businessmen you don't want to kill your own business.

Anyway, even if this will be nightmare to get there, I think it will never be empty in that area.

Maya approached us about renting space there and showed us plans. I didn't see any proposed changes to the roads or access to them in the plans.

[L&J]

I believe that Central will be the most successful but of course Airport Plaza will not suffer much as it will get the bulk of the business from the south of the city.

Promenada will probably do well within its narrow design as a shopping and entertainment complex. Without an anchor department store it was obviously never

designed to compete with Central & Airport.

Maya will survive on the walking/motorbike traffic but it will effectively destroy the Nimman Road business and make Kad Suan Kaew nothing more than a poor

shell of what little it is now.

I do believe that Central Festival will alter the whole orientation of Chiang Mai away from the city itself to the suburbs-East-North and South. The shopping will now

be dispersed around the city and that might prove to be a real positive factor as far as city traffic is concerned, except for the absolute gridlock that will be taking place

around the Maya.

[Greenside]

I believe the the lot across the junction where Think Park was is about to become a building housing 70 or so condo's.

Access is really going to be a problem there, no doubt about it. The most useful thing they could do (as has been said more than once before) is to build foot bridges across both Huay Kaew and the superhighway to maximise the chance of pedestrians reaching the mall in one piece.

[KRS1]

Poll results dont look too good for Promenade so far, walking around there last week I felt really sorry for some of the shop owners.

[KRS1]

I believe the the lot across the junction where Think Park was is about to become a building housing 70 or so condo's.

Access is really going to be a problem there, no doubt about it. The most useful thing they could do (as has been said more than once before) is to build foot bridges across both Huay Kaew and the superhighway to maximise the chance of pedestrians reaching the mall in one piece.

Id really like to see how/if they plan on taking on this problem.

Someting inside tells me there must be a solution and the other side tells me, hmmm probably not.

CMU is close by and alot of students will be going by motorbike (no problem), but do students have the buying power to sustain Maya, where the real estate is the most expensive in the city?