Chiang Mai University to curb onslaught of Chinese tourists

[nomad127]

Don't they have security guards at all entrances to campus?

They do but they don't stop anyone. I'm thinking traffic is now going to get busy around the entrances as they'll need to stop anyone that looks remotely foreign (how they will determine that without stopping everyone and asking for ID will be interesting to see).

It's really unfortunate...I live near the University and enjoy taking relaxing walks along the lake. Now, because of the inappropriate actions of some ignorant people, I won't be able to. Chiang Mai is lacking green space for such activities so it's a real shame to lock it up. Especially as I've lived in CM for a couple of years, hardly a tourist.

What's wrong with Doi Suthep or the nice park between the uni and the mountain?

[Travel Dude]

Is this the University where a professor with a PhD said she HATED farang?

[ponder]

While I understand the problem I do not like the solution. Universities should be open. THe libraries should be a resource for all. CMU ever since its disgusting treatment of the students at CMU Language Institute seems a more and more xenaphobic place ( and I do not use that word in relation to anywhere or anyone else in Thailand).

I went back to visit my old university (Cambridge) last March. I had arranged to meet one of my Thai former students (who is doing a Masters degree in Nottingham) there, and he was looking forward to having me show him around. I was amazed to find the colleges on the river are charging fifteen to twenty-five pounds to tourists wishing to enter their grounds. I used to wander through Kings College three or four times a week to go my lectures, and in the three years that I was there it did not once occur to me to go and have a look around the chapel or listen the choir.

When I saw the price, I took my student to a pub instead.

[bonobo]

as a student, i found it very annoying having tourists (mostly americans) taking photos of everything while i was trying to go about my day

any uni in the world that is worth visiting should have strict rules on where / when visitors can enter, and should certainly charge for the privilege

if chiang mai university is really so picturesque, i'm shocked they allow tourists to roam around for free

My undergraduate degree was from the US Naval Academy. We would be regularly be inundated with tourists, all snapping photos. Even for routine events such as formations, there could be more tourists than midshipmen there. We just accepted it as part of being at the Academy, and when asked to pose for photos, we usually complied.

When I got married several years after my graduation, the ceremony was held at the academy chapel, and it was coincidentally at the start of June Week, the series of events leading up to graduation. The Navy Blue Angels were scheduled to perform, so the grounds were packed. My new bride and I exited the chapel under a 24-man sword arch, and as I looked down the steps, there had to be seven or eight thousand people packed around, seemingly all holding cameras. We had become part of the show. It was surprising, but I remember hoping that they all weren't going to show up at the reception!

For myself, as a tourist, I have visited West Point, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, Penn, U Chicago, William and Mary, Johns Hopkins, Penn State, tThe Air Force Academy, Chulalongkorn, and others, and not one charged admission.

[TinoThailand]

A bunch of blablabla but those Chinese are very rude compared to the Thai (on the outside because Chinese might not fake much lol). Eat Chinese food is acceptable but watch Chinese eat is not terrible...

[Bkungbank]

Mainland Chinese are not same with Taiwan and Hong KOng Chinese. Mainland Chinese tourist speak very loudly in public places even shouting to call thier friends since they have been communist rule. The government need to issue travel book guideline for them to follow with.

[Pops]

Chinese tourists are disruptive to public order at Chiangmai University and a hindrance to the students, but if they pay entrance fees all is OK !

Wow !!!

[quagmirefg]

Another fine example of "Quality Package Group Tours" brought to you by TAT promoting so called "Desirable Tourists".

Asian tourists on a group tour package seldom if ever venture out from their hotel very far on their own.

They are met at the airport and shuttled to their hotels in those Fish Bowl view from the inside Buses.

Most meals in the hotel or in a group near the hotel or go to eat together in another Fish Bowl Bus.

Go on Tours and Attractions in a Group on a Fish Bowl Bus.

Local sightseeing done on a Fish Bowl Bus.

CMU and Thailand can only blame TAT and the Group Tour Operators for the "Quality Desirable Tourists" visiting CMU.

Surely the Fish Bowl Bus Tour Operators park their Buses there or drop off their tourists and meet them at a designated spot.

Gals in School Girl Uniforms

Blub Blub I mean Giggidy Giggidy

Edited February 27, 2014 by quagmirefg

[mok199]

we have a similar problem ,but it is the russians ''urinating on bhuddist shrines) ''same same but different''

[Brevity]

"..the CMU administration has imposed visiting fees of 50 baht per one adult (20 baht per child) for those who wish to visit the university."

I know the Chinese tourists have a reputation for being very tight with their money, but will 50 or 20 baht be a deterrent? I think what will really put the tourists off is when they find out they are restricted to a 30-minute tram ride and unable to roam freely doing what they want. Once word of that gets around, the numbers should drop off substantially. In the meantime, it would be interesting to hear them as they try to talk the entrance fee down.

[harrry]

While I understand the problem I do not like the solution. Universities should be open. THe libraries should be a resource for all. CMU ever since its disgusting treatment of the students at CMU Language Institute seems a more and more xenaphobic place ( and I do not use that word in relation to anywhere or anyone else in Thailand).

Just curious, what are you referring to at the Language Institute?

search the forum and you will find out how they got all students visas cancelled and stopped their courses without refund (many got refunds through credit cards and a few through the courts).

[rickirs]

Any visitor (whether foreign or Thai) to a public educational institute should be expected to conduct themselves in a courteous manner and be respectiveful to the people who work and learn there. But they should be provided with sufficient guidance and direction on what that means on the property. This is especially important for people who, through a lack of cultural experience and/or freedoms in their own countries (eg., China), may have no little or no knowledge of proper conduct in other countries and their institutions.

The University's solution sounds reasonable without a heavy sense of security and a moderate fee helps cover the costs of visitors to the campus. I hope a handout is given to the visitors in multiple languages to assist in them in having a pleasant visit. There should be areas on the campus where students and faculty can intermingle with visitors for opportunities of informal cultural exchange and practice foreign languages. But such interaction should be done without numbers of visitors overwhelming the student population.

[qdinthailand]

Mr. Rome said disguising oneself in a CMU student uniform without proper reasons is punishable by a maximum penalty of 1 year in prison or 100,000 baht fine........hahahahaha, you should lock up the so called real students as well

So you're implying that the "real students" aren't really students? For Thais, CMU is a prestigious university - ranked 3rd or so in Thailand, in the top 100 - about 85 I believe - of Universities in Asia.. For Thais, it is a hard university to get accepted to attend.

OK, its not MIT or Stanford or Oxford or Dartmouth, but why you have to denigrate Thais, Thailand, University students like that?

[Sydebolle]

Wondering if this will really promote tourism further? Thailand managed to screw away Westeners and replaced them with rubel-paying Russians lingering in front of 7/11s with a bottle of beer trying to get access into restaurants and girlie bars not understanding, why drinks and food from outside are not allowed. Now the Chinese are threatened to be scared away; wondering what they do with the Indians and the Middle Easteners. Once all that has been achieved, then Thailand has only the Thai people left. Pathetic!

[rwhoov]

as a student, i found it very annoying having tourists (mostly americans) taking photos of everything while i was trying to go about my day

any uni in the world that is worth visiting should have strict rules on where / when visitors can enter, and should certainly charge for the privilege

if chiang mai university is really so picturesque, i'm shocked they allow tourists to roam around for free

And where, pray tell, is your photogenic schooll that tourists (mostly Americans) find so attractive that it disrupts your "day." I will certainly put it on my list of "no go" places in fear I will "annoy" you.

Are you for real?!

[Tywais]

Don't they have security guards at all entrances to campus?

They do but they don't stop anyone. I'm thinking traffic is now going to get busy around the entrances as they'll need to stop anyone that looks remotely foreign (how they will determine that without stopping everyone and asking for ID will be interesting to see).

I work at CMU and you are required to have a university sticker on your windscreen to enter uncontested else you have to hand over your ID card and get it back when leaving. So yes, they stop everyone in cars but not motorcycles if you don't have a sticker. A curious thing and that the cars in front of me with Thais in them and with stickers get waved through promptly but when they see this farang face they put their hand up to stop me and take a closer look at my sticker.

Having said that they, just last week, stopped the checks but for the entire school year had been enforcing it. Comes and goes but much longer period of time for the checks this year then before where it was only a couple of weeks after school term starts. The front gate off Huay Kaew road is pretty consistent with their checks though. I use the Suthep road main entrance.

And yes, the Chinese tourists have been a nuisance and a danger to themselves and others as they walk in the streets oblivious to their immediate surroundings and vehicles, both on foot and bicycles.

[NHT]

Wondering if this will really promote tourism further? Thailand managed to screw away Westeners and replaced them with rubel-paying Russians lingering in front of 7/11s with a bottle of beer trying to get access into restaurants and girlie bars not understanding, why drinks and food from outside are not allowed. Now the Chinese are threatened to be scared away; wondering what they do with the Indians and the Middle Easteners. Once all that has been achieved, then Thailand has only the Thai people left. Pathetic!

Not that this means, any nation would need to accept all rubbish thrown at them by any idiots. but -

- that's the whole point - they call that a "sustainable kingdom" !

I just wonder what they will use to try and sustain it?

[bigbamboo]

Photos like the one at the top of this thread could definitely damage the university's reputation.

I mean, no self respecting CMU student would ever wear a skirt that long.

[brit1984]

brit1984, on 27 Feb 2014 - 09:04, said:

as a student, i found it very annoying having tourists (mostly americans) taking photos of everything while i was trying to go about my day

any uni in the world that is worth visiting should have strict rules on where / when visitors can enter, and should certainly charge for the privilege

if chiang mai university is really so picturesque, i'm shocked they allow tourists to roam around for free

Your first sentence is ridiculous, you are only "distracted" if you choose to be. Many universities have "Photography" students, who simply by their course are out taking photos. Do these also "distract" you?

there were no photography students at my university and if there had been they would have been well out-numbered by the hoards of tourists...

how could i ignore them when they were blocking paths / walkways / tunnels / archways through which i needed to walk to go to my room / tutorial / lectures? even if they were not literally blocking the way, i would need to decide between crossing them and disrupting their photo (and then feeling guilty) or waiting for them to take their photo (and losing time)...

while i understand universities have multiple roles to play in society (aside from simply being places of learning) there needs to be a balance and the negative impact that visitors have on the students should definitely be controlled and / or compensated through extra revenue for the university

Edited February 27, 2014 by brit1984

[Briggsy]

CMU is a powerful "brand" within Thai society. Not easy to gain admission and there are advantages and obligations within Thai society. When Chinese start dressing up in the uniform, it damages the brand.

This is their concern.

[easybullet3]

I dont understand why a chinese tourist would dress up as a student to check out a university!

i'm baffled!!!

does it mean that they are trying to get into lectures and learn something?

or is there some sort of chinese game show where they have to dress up and pretend to be part of an organisation?

and why would a tourist camp on a university campus? hotels are pretty cheap in thailand!!

[BuddyPinkham]

as a student, i found it very annoying having tourists (mostly americans) taking photos of everything while i was trying to go about my day

any uni in the world that is worth visiting should have strict rules on where / when visitors can enter, and should certainly charge for the privilege

if chiang mai university is really so picturesque, i'm shocked they allow tourists to roam around for free

and how do you know they were mostly Americans? Not many Americans come here to take pictures at a university and not many American come here at all due to the distance.

[jerome2]

the most unpolite thing you can do in Thailand is disturb them when they're sleep-working....

that's why nobody use the horn even in emergency on the road,they prefer to hit the guy than to wake him up

sleep-living is the most important human right here

Edited February 27, 2014 by jerome2

[Briggsy]

I dont understand why a chinese tourist would dress up as a student to check out a university!

i'm baffled!!!

does it mean that they are trying to get into lectures and learn something?

or is there some sort of chinese game show where they have to dress up and pretend to be part of an organisation?

and why would a tourist camp on a university campus? hotels are pretty cheap in thailand!!

There was a famous movie. That is why the Chinese all flock to Chiang Mai.

[HaleySabai]

harrry, on 27 Feb 2014 - 07:15, said:

While I understand the problem I do not like the solution. Universities should be open. THe libraries should be a resource for all. CMU ever since its disgusting treatment of the students at CMU Language Institute seems a more and more xenaphobic place ( and I do not use that word in relation to anywhere or anyone else in Thailand).

Just curious, what are you referring to at the Language Institute?

search the forum and you will find out how they got all students visas cancelled and stopped their courses without refund (many got refunds through credit cards and a few through the courts).

CMU was not directly involved as I recall....it was in fact a Farang who ran the language course,collected the tuitions and then flew the coop.

[brit1984]

as a student, i found it very annoying having tourists (mostly americans) taking photos of everything while i was trying to go about my day

any uni in the world that is worth visiting should have strict rules on where / when visitors can enter, and should certainly charge for the privilege

if chiang mai university is really so picturesque, i'm shocked they allow tourists to roam around for free

and how do you know they were mostly Americans? Not many Americans come here to take pictures at a university and not many American come here at all due to the distance.

i'm british... i studied there, not in thailand... i think i can recognise an american accent but admittedly some of them could have been canadians

[NHT]

I dont understand why a chinese tourist would dress up as a student to check out a university!

i'm baffled!!!

does it mean that they are trying to get into lectures and learn something?

or is there some sort of chinese game show where they have to dress up and pretend to be part of an organisation?

and why would a tourist camp on a university campus? hotels are pretty cheap in thailand!!

Thai propaganda!

If it was Chinese in the photo, the Thai wouldn't white out their eyes. In fact, Thai would even name their names.

A farce, as so many times, to justify their move to charge entry fees. - AND - the Thai students may have complained not getting enough "photo taking" fees from the Chinese. And now, the university tries to retaliate ... hahaha

I wonder, what the Thai suckers (governors) are being told, next time they travel to China, trying to beg for more money, again. As far as I know Chinese, they will tell the Thai, gently and softly ... to f*** off. (not only because of that, but because of many other reasons, too).

[kamahele]

When I was a student worker at the University of Hawaii, we used to bus the Japanese tourists into the University to shop at our logo store. There was no need for any fees as we gladly gathered up their freely given money for products. Just a thought Chiang Mai U

[PiiPlaa]

As a foreign visitor who spends a month or two in Chiang Mai each year, I will be seriously put out by this. And, as a Canadian, I know of no similar restriction in Canada. University campuses often have lovely grounds, with ponds and flower gardens, interesting architecture, etc. CMU is no exception. I often go to one of the cafés there for a coffee, to one faculty or another to visit colleagues, to the public post office, bank, etc., etc. it's a great place to walk or ride a bicycle out of the insane traffic that otherwise clogs the streets in that end of town. This is a throw out the baby with the bathwater kind of response.

[mdmayes]

Ive been to that u and its not worth bt50 fee.