What I'd like to see develop in Chiang Rai

[canuckamuck]

What's with the animosity here, Boomer put up his ideas and started a good thread, and now the purses are out swinging.

Get over yourselves.

I want to see a Denny's open here, but not at Central because they can't get off their <deleted> to unlock the doors before 11:00.

[villagefarang]

Okay, force may not have been the best choice of words, if we are going there. I’ll retract my force comment and replace it with the following.

“Relentless nagging and ridicule of those who do not share similar beliefs and values, in an effort to badger them into submission.”

I am not saying there is no role for that type of behavior but I am not convinced that it is the most productive way to approach those one wants to persuade. That is assuming change is the goal and this is not just a rant.

And, as I have said before I like this topic and the free expression of a variety of views on the subject. We are only swinging our love-beads, not our purses, so no need to worry yet one thinks.

[DonaldBattles]

A Denny's would be a great leap forward and so would a Taco Bell. Chiang Rai needs some cultural diversity. The Russians and Chinese are coming. I think Thais would love to eat Tacos and Burritos.

[duanebigsby]

What's with the animosity here, Boomer put up his ideas and started a good thread, and now the purses are out swinging.

Get over yourselves.

I want to see a Denny's open here, but not at Central because they can't get off their <deleted> to unlock the doors before 11:00.

There's no animosity here, just that the things suggested like Burger King, dinosaur museum, bicycle paths, dennys, elevated super hiway over the King's monument, reintroducing monkeys, library full of faraang books, all seem a bit silly. As if we're wanting to mold Chiang Rai into our Western vision of a city. This leaves almost all of the Thais out of it.

Would I love it if a home brew shop opened to sell me specialty malts and yeast strains from around the world? Yes!

Wild sockeye from British Columbia? Bring it on!

Aged Armstrong cheddar cheese....Oh boy!

But I live in Thailand and none of those makes sense for a Thai person.

ps. what is a purse swinging?

[rijb]

I don't know about Russian food. But, a few Chinese restaurants would be nice. And maybe a 'cheap charlie' seating section.

[villagefarang]

Personally I would not eat at a Denny’s or Taco Bell but I am all in favor of choice and variety. If we need places like that to help develop a market for other things, then I say great. Just because someone doesn’t like something doesn’t mean they should block others from enjoying those things.

Food is not an issue for me since I am not encumbered with food fetishes but I did have to drive over 500 kilometers yesterday to shop for furniture in the Baan Tawai area of Chiang Mai. It might be nice to have some of the things Chiang Mai has but I understand that is not likely with our present level of development, so I’ll gladly make the trip when necessary.

Edited July 17, 2014 by villagefarang

[duanebigsby]

I also think locals would like Mexican food.

The issue is the prep is very labour intensive and might push the prices up.

Back home those chains have central prep kitchens sending food to the restaurants.

When people suggest fast food outlets, I can't help but cringe of the thought that there is a Pizza Hut overlooking the pyramids in Egypt.

I lived in Cairo for two years when the pyramids were deserted big relics in the desert.

All the suggestions are still about improving the lives of us farang.

[canuckamuck]

From my observation Thais do not actually like Mexican food. I thought it would be a natural, but I have tried on many occasions and generally the response is polite and no one goes for seconds.

[duanebigsby]

From my observation Thais do not actually like Mexican food. I thought it would be a natural, but I have tried on many occasions and generally the response is polite and no one goes for seconds.

Yes I thought it would be natural too. So many similarities to Thai food.

Any place in Chiang Rai trying to serve Mexican food has quit because of the labour intensive menu.

I make it at home a lot but only cause I love to cook it.

[boomerangutang]

ok, then I'll try to clear it up. Perhaps English is not some readers' first language.

suggesting = floating ideas that could or could not be acted upon.

enforce = using superior force to compel others to adhere.

I didn't look those words up (definitions 'off the top of my head') so anyone is welcome to articulate further.

I think you have subtly altered your semantics from suggest to enforce.

You suggested what you thought Chiang Rai needed. Fair enough. Villagefarang and myself disagreed and then

you strongly worded that your suggestions were right, needed, and strongly pushed those ideas.

To me that is getting pretty close to enforcing or demanding.

It can be called 'backing or re-phrasing an opinion.' Sorry if it was too forceful for some reading herein. If I put on a cop's badge and carry a baton, then you could more fairly call it 'enforcement.' More realistically, it's tapping out words on a computer keyboard, same as you. Do you need kid glove treatment?

Some people (like myself) mentioned environmental improvements. Others mentioned fast food franchises and/or foreign food. You can lump all suggestions together and attribute them all to me, but that would be inaccurate. Also, let's not run amok mis-representing things. I mentioned libraries and later added how they would be primarily for Thais with Thai language materials (not 'library full of faraang books' according to DB). Go ahead and join the conversation, but please don't misrepresent what others write.

Also, no one mentioned 'super hiway over the King's monument,' except DB. Earlier, I broached the idea of a two lane elevated roadway at C.Rai's busiest intersection, which would be in the vicinity of the statue. Currently, there are several giant billboards around the statue, all of which are yards higher than the statue's head. I don't care, but let's try to stray close to accuracy when referring to others' posts.

Edited July 17, 2014 by boomerangutang

[pomchop]

I don't see a Dennys or Taco Bell as being on my list of "improvements" to CR but to each his own.

What I would hate to see is for CR to copy the USA model where every city and town has gotten to the point that they all have pretty much exactly the same same look of fast food joints lining the roads.....same signs, same designs, same menus, ...to the point that it can be difficult to tell one town in one state from another thousands of miles away.

I find it interesting that apparently the Thais are not much into drive through takeaways which seem to be all the rage in the west. Maybe the Thais just aren't in such a hurry that they can't take a few minutes to sit down at a table and eat?

As for the Chinese coming does that really surprise anyone when you have 1.3 billion people living basically next door that many of those people want to visit another country?

So far I really haven't seen much if any Russians in CR ....seems to me the Russians prefer the cheaper beach destinations like pattaya and nah trang etc.

Anyway....we can all sit and voice our opinions of what is progress and what is not and what we like and what we don't and in the end what we all think will likely have very little if any influence on what the Thai people actually do or don't do.

I am just happy that so far at least CR still has a relatively small town feel to it.....but there is no doubt that it is growing and will continue to grow...compared to many Thailand towns i have seen I still find CR to be a pretty darn well run and attractive place to be.

[duanebigsby]

ok, then I'll try to clear it up. Perhaps English is not some readers' first language.

suggesting = floating ideas that could or could not be acted upon.

enforce = using superior force to compel others to adhere.

I didn't look those words up (definitions 'off the top of my head') so anyone is welcome to articulate further.

I think you have subtly altered your semantics from suggest to enforce.

You suggested what you thought Chiang Rai needed. Fair enough. Villagefarang and myself disagreed and then

you strongly worded that your suggestions were right, needed, and strongly pushed those ideas.

To me that is getting pretty close to enforcing or demanding.

It can be called 'backing or re-phrasing an opinion.' Sorry if it was too forceful for some reading herein. If I put on a cop's badge and carry a baton, then you could more fairly call it 'enforcement.' More realistically, it's tapping out words on a computer keyboard, same as you. Do you need kid glove treatment?

Some people (like myself) mentioned environmental improvements. Others mentioned fast food franchises and/or foreign food. You can lump all suggestions together and attribute them all to me, but that would be inaccurate. Also, let's not run amok mis-representing things. I mentioned libraries and later added how they would be primarily for Thais with Thai language materials (not 'library full of faraang books' according to DB). Go ahead and join the conversation, but please don't misrepresent what others write.

Also, no one mentioned 'super hiway over the King's monument,' except DB. Earlier, I broached the idea of a two lane elevated roadway at C.Rai's busiest intersection, which would be in the vicinity of the statue. Currently, there are several giant billboards around the statue, all of which are yards higher than the statue's head. I don't care, but let's try to stray close to accuracy when referring to others' posts.

Suggesting that English isn't someone's first language when it's quite obvious that it is, well....a little insulting.

I haven't attributed anything to you, I've always used the quote function so nothing's out of context.

I like some of your ideas , they just seem to have a Western perspective and I'm not sure this little town is ready for them.

You did say elevate the road past the King's Monument (Super Hiway) so yes, you suggested an elevated super hiway over the monument.

Clarifying what you said after I've responded doesn't make my response wrong.

I like the general gist of the OP, just think it's too western oriented. For example, I'd like to see no littering campaigns before the parks you suggest.

The two could go hand in hand.