No swimming at the quarry (Chiang Mai "grand canyon")

[SS1]

Went to the quarry yesterday with some friends with plans for a fun day swimming and cliff jumping.

When we arrived to the other end, some locals immediately announced that swimming not allowed. When we went further to the main bit, there were big signs saying that no swimming, which was a real pity!

This is obviously to do with the Korean guy who died there a couple of weeks ago (http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=4227) but from what I understood the place was completely sealed off from access until the body was found, but then opened again. Condolences to the victims family..

I hope this is just temporary - what do you people think? Would be pretty stupid to restrict access to such a nice place just because a few people have died there. I mean it's not the place itself as the cause of their deaths.

We went for a coffee to the restaurant on the other side, and the lady there told us it'll probably remain closed for a while and was wondering why anyone would want to swim there since people have died.. tried to explain to her that there are probably some underlying reasons for these type of deaths, perhaps unability to swim, cramps or some health condition rather thatn the quarry itself. In comparison to other places where people do cliff jumping this one actually looks very safe. She was nice to give us her business card though, so we can check with her before riding all the way there again with plans to go swimming.

For those with no idea about this place, see picture and map coordinates: 18.697595, 98.891756

Edited July 27, 2014 by SS1

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Got to have bad Mojo to people in the area.

Superstitious natives Do have to wonder why bad things have happened there consistently over the years.

Maybe they can purchase a high power protection amulet for the Canyon?

Edited July 27, 2014 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[MESmith]

Another unenforcable rule?

[CMSteve]

Personal Space = Private Property.

This is not a public space. Some person is getting a call from the police like once a month saying "another person died on you property. Please come by the police station so we can make a report"

[SS1]

Another unenforcable rule?

Perhaps, but there seemed to be one person there specifically for making sure people don't swim in there. My guess is maybe the police has told the locals to check that people don't swim there at the moment, so they probably feel responsible to make sure they don't in case something bad happens again.

[daoyai]

Thainess, do nothing, then overreact.

[mccw]

It is private property.

If they don't want people swimming there and killing themselves just leave the place alone.

Going to be a nightmare to sell now all them ghosts hanging around.

The owners have been trying to sell for a while apparently. They are asking too much anyway in my view but this certainly won't help. Maybe serves them right for destroying the land like that- the spirits must be mighty upset and pull the occasional swimmer down in vengeance.

Another thing is erosion from all waves from the horizontal motion from splashing / swimming won't help the stability of the cliff faces either much will it. Compared to rain it's a different movement. The whole thing is just mud - not rock. Crazy they allow this kinda digging / quary around residential areas. The one next to the street on the way up to the tuang tong restaurant looks like it could swallow the road up at any moment in places.

[mccw]

Btw the tuang tong restaurant has a rock protection for erosion, ie many rocks to stop the waves eroding the cliff. None of the other sides have any protection.

The master monk who named the restaurant and did the ceremonies to protect it advised us not to buy the land opposite because of this.

I thought the owners of the whole thing are the same family as the restaurant. They dig out the land for get the money to build the house and restaurant.

I prefer not eat there now because of this - terrible greedy to dig out the land like this I think. Could have sold it as building land - useful and not risk the lives and land value of the people living around you. Selling it as it was could have made plenty money to buy a house and make a restaurant some other place with out needing to destroy like this. Maybe one day the restaurant will fall in to the lake. But the monk did a strong magic to protect it and make it prosperous- so maybe not.

If the OP wants to trespass for cliff jumping kicks then there are many other such quarries around the area- just explore around by bik and you'll see them.

They are all privately owned land/ areas though- so up to you.

Btw Some people stock them with fish and might get a bit defensive over them.

Up towards the obkarn national park there is one on the left. Just next to a big red shirt boss mans house. Big sign out front of the house declaring his love of red side. Maybe you should try there.

Knock on his door and offer him a few bht to make cliff jumping party 55

Careful the dogs though. Another sign of selfishness - gate always open with aggressive dogs on the loose.

[cardinalblue]

ignore this second one..

Edited July 27, 2014 by cardinalblue

[cardinalblue]

I find it funny these types of land owners who abuse their land by selling its dirt and creating a hole and then turn around and try to sell the hole as land like nothing happened...

This is the apex of greed...

CB

Edited July 27, 2014 by cardinalblue

[PostmanPat]

I find it funny these types of land owners who abuse their land by selling its dirt and creating a hole and then turn around and try to sell the hole as land like nothing happened...

This is the apex of greed...

CB

Agreed! And presumably if the purchaser wants to use the hole as land they have to pay a fortune to fill it in again with the same type of stuff thats come out!

Living nearby, seeing the size of the hole, the only future I can see for it is as some kind of aquatic centre but it would have to be professionally managed with lifeguards etc, and somehow you cant see that happening.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I think they are mostly Laterite mines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laterite

There are countless deep pits in that area.

I am sure they have claimed many animals and children who have fallen in over the years.

What a man made hazard.

[Sparkles]

Sadly an accident waiting to happen. People who are not strong swimmers should never frequent these places.An attack of cramp or the realisation you cant touch the bottom sends many into panic mode resulting in a fatal drowning.

In Australia many lifeguards are on the beaches to protect people from themselves.Rescues are commonplace

Asians are not renowned for knowing the danger they put themselves in its just a lack of education in water safety.

[mccw]

If one drives out on the smourng road and turns left as if towards the bamboo house - but turns right just before it at the fork- then follow this road baring left and over the top of the hill as it turns to dirt road - the other side of that hill ,,,,, some one has dug out an entire mountain and going down deep; huge operation , trucks in and out constantly , giant diggers at it all day long. Terrible. Check it out.

Maybe the folks at chiang Mai mail or another paper should get up there / some of these places and ask the NCPO, or new governors opinions on the wanton destruction.

It's definately just dirt for filling up the low lying land. I know it needs to come from somewhere but I don't see why they can't just cut a hill to flat rather than keep going down so deep and leaving risks of land slides etc. obviously money ; which is why some laws are needed. Apparently right now the law is can do as you like with in 1 meter up to the boundary of your neighbour.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Sadly an accident waiting to happen. People who are not strong swimmers should never frequent these places.An attack of cramp or the realisation you cant touch the bottom sends many into panic mode resulting in a fatal drowning.

In Australia many lifeguards are on the beaches to protect people from themselves.Rescues are commonplace

Asians are not renowned for knowing the danger they put themselves in its just a lack of education in water safety.

Just to point out "The Canyon" is almost exclusively used for swimming by white tourists.

Thais avoid it because of the ghosts. I've seen Asian tourists there, but not swimming.

[MESmith]

If one drives out on the smourng road and turns left as if towards the bamboo house - but turns right just before it at the fork- then follow this road baring left and over the top of the hill as it turns to dirt road - the other side of that hill ,,,,, some one has dug out an entire mountain and going down deep; huge operation , trucks in and out constantly , giant diggers at it all day long. Terrible. Check it out.

Maybe the folks at chiang Mai mail or another paper should get up there / some of these places and ask the NCPO, or new governors opinions on the wanton destruction.

It's definately just dirt for filling up the low lying land. I know it needs to come from somewhere but I don't see why they can't just cut a hill to flat rather than keep going down so deep and leaving risks of land slides etc. obviously money ; which is why some laws are needed. Apparently right now the law is can do as you like with in 1 meter up to the boundary of your neighbour.

You cannot, by law, excavate a hole to 1m from your boundary. You have to keep a distance from the boundary relative to the depth you dig. It's either half the depth or two times the depth. We checked this with the orbortor when there were rumours of excavation next to our land. Turned out it was another plot, further away.

"Mountains" are not removed to provide fill for housing developments. They are removed for rock. And we have quarries in the west. Holes are excavated for fill. If they didn't, everybody's house would be the same level as the rice fields & flood....

What is wrong with someone excavating their land to provide fill for housing developments & then trying to sell that land with a hole in it, as long as they keep the lawful distance from neighbouring plots?

[Sparkles]

Sadly an accident waiting to happen. People who are not strong swimmers should never frequent these places.An attack of cramp or the realisation you cant touch the bottom sends many into panic mode resulting in a fatal drowning.

In Australia many lifeguards are on the beaches to protect people from themselves.Rescues are commonplace

Asians are not renowned for knowing the danger they put themselves in its just a lack of education in water safety.

Just to point out "The Canyon" is almost exclusively used for swimming by white tourists.

Thais avoid it because of the ghosts. I've seen Asian tourists there, but not swimming.

The guy that drowned there recently was a Korean tourist,how would you classify his colour ?

Many Asians swim there including younger Thais and they will continue to do so unless they erect a sign in many languages explaining the danger but doubt that will stop them.

[mccw]

If one drives out on the smourng road and turns left as if towards the bamboo house - but turns right just before it at the fork- then follow this road baring left and over the top of the hill as it turns to dirt road - the other side of that hill ,,,,, some one has dug out an entire mountain and going down deep; huge operation , trucks in and out constantly , giant diggers at it all day long. Terrible. Check it out.

Maybe the folks at chiang Mai mail or another paper should get up there / some of these places and ask the NCPO, or new governors opinions on the wanton destruction.

It's definately just dirt for filling up the low lying land. I know it needs to come from somewhere but I don't see why they can't just cut a hill to flat rather than keep going down so deep and leaving risks of land slides etc. obviously money ; which is why some laws are needed. Apparently right now the law is can do as you like with in 1 meter up to the boundary of your neighbour.

You cannot, by law, excavate a hole to 1m from your boundary. You have to keep a distance from the boundary relative to the depth you dig. It's either half the depth or two times the depth. We checked this with the orbortor when there were rumours of excavation next to our land. Turned out it was another plot, further away.

"Mountains" are not removed to provide fill for housing developments. They are removed for rock. And we have quarries in the west. Holes are excavated for fill. If they didn't, everybody's house would be the same level as the rice fields & flood....

What is wrong with someone excavating their land to provide fill for housing developments & then trying to sell that land with a hole in it, as long as they keep the lawful distance from neighbouring plots?

I don't want to get in to an argument about the stuff they are taking out- go take a look yourself. Trucks and trucks full of dirt. I was a very large hill covered with trees - that is now a very big hole. They are clearly not following the law at any of these places, if the law really is as you say it is , because they leave 1 meter or not even that and go practically strait down for 10s of meters. Take a look around any of the holes.

Why not cut the hill to flat and then the area is still useful - housing, tree farming etc .

It's pure greed and selfishness.

[mccw]

It's only the last year or so I have seen anyone swim there.

Started with a few falangs occasionally and then grew to many and often. Thais from the city tagging along with the falangs too.

[MESmith]

If one drives out on the smourng road and turns left as if towards the bamboo house - but turns right just before it at the fork- then follow this road baring left and over the top of the hill as it turns to dirt road - the other side of that hill ,,,,, some one has dug out an entire mountain and going down deep; huge operation , trucks in and out constantly , giant diggers at it all day long. Terrible. Check it out.

Maybe the folks at chiang Mai mail or another paper should get up there / some of these places and ask the NCPO, or new governors opinions on the wanton destruction.

It's definately just dirt for filling up the low lying land. I know it needs to come from somewhere but I don't see why they can't just cut a hill to flat rather than keep going down so deep and leaving risks of land slides etc. obviously money ; which is why some laws are needed. Apparently right now the law is can do as you like with in 1 meter up to the boundary of your neighbour.

You cannot, by law, excavate a hole to 1m from your boundary. You have to keep a distance from the boundary relative to the depth you dig. It's either half the depth or two times the depth. We checked this with the orbortor when there were rumours of excavation next to our land. Turned out it was another plot, further away.

"Mountains" are not removed to provide fill for housing developments. They are removed for rock. And we have quarries in the west. Holes are excavated for fill. If they didn't, everybody's house would be the same level as the rice fields & flood....

What is wrong with someone excavating their land to provide fill for housing developments & then trying to sell that land with a hole in it, as long as they keep the lawful distance from neighbouring plots?

I don't want to get in to an argument about the stuff they are taking out- go take a look yourself. Trucks and trucks full of dirt. I was a very large hill covered with trees - that is now a very big hole. They are clearly not following the law at any of these places, if the law really is as you say it is , because they leave 1 meter or not even that and go practically strait down for 10s of meters. Take a look around any of the holes.

Why not cut the hill to flat and then the area is still useful - housing, tree farming etc .

It's pure greed and selfishness.

If it's a hole now, then it will be clay they're excavating. If they own the land, why not dig? Market demands "fill". If they're digging too close to adjacent land, then owners of adjacent land should complain. Certainly not you or me. Lot's of excavation within a km or so of our house. all seems to be going by the letter of the law. I really don't understand this "greed & selfishness" if they own the land.

Unfortunately there is a building boom going on around Chiang Mai. I don't like it. The valley is being concreted over, & the natural beauty is being destroyed. As long as it continues, holes will be dug in the ground to fill the land being developed.

[mccw]

You just contradicted yourself.

Further you don't need to keep telling me what they are digging out up there cheers- I know already because I saw it with my eyes 55 what you are going is postulating from your imagination.

Also- these are Public streets I driving on that run past these holes and many look like could collapse any next rainy day in places- so it is a public safety issue. Not to mention them being left open for any kid, cyclist or driver to crash down in to a watery death.

I guess the neighbours probably don't complain, or maybe they do but nothing happens, because it's the local thug politico mafias and their mates doing the digging.

I love Chiang Mai and Thailand and am quite accepting of most of the ways things are- it is how it is- but this is one of the things I think is really crazy and I stand by my view that it is greedy and selfish when could dig a hill to flat and not negatively affect the public, neighbours or environment. Greedy to go so deep - why not just move on to the next hill? There are lots of hills around. Why not dig the hills further away from the city where the land is cheaper and less populated?

I've looked at loads of land for sale with a view to property development and a high percent in these nice areas are ruined by these digging activities; and even if not right now then are at risk of having one begun just next door. All the dust be terrible to live next to for years- the sound of the trucks etc, never mind the destruction of your properties value/ resale ability.

If one drives out on the smourng road and turns left as if towards the bamboo house - but turns right just before it at the fork- then follow this road baring left and over the top of the hill as it turns to dirt road - the other side of that hill ,,,,, some one has dug out an entire mountain and going down deep; huge operation , trucks in and out constantly , giant diggers at it all day long. Terrible. Check it out.

Maybe the folks at chiang Mai mail or another paper should get up there / some of these places and ask the NCPO, or new governors opinions on the wanton destruction.

It's definately just dirt for filling up the low lying land. I know it needs to come from somewhere but I don't see why they can't just cut a hill to flat rather than keep going down so deep and leaving risks of land slides etc. obviously money ; which is why some laws are needed. Apparently right now the law is can do as you like with in 1 meter up to the boundary of your neighbour.

You cannot, by law, excavate a hole to 1m from your boundary. You have to keep a distance from the boundary relative to the depth you dig. It's either half the depth or two times the depth. We checked this with the orbortor when there were rumours of excavation next to our land. Turned out it was another plot, further away.

"Mountains" are not removed to provide fill for housing developments. They are removed for rock. And we have quarries in the west. Holes are excavated for fill. If they didn't, everybody's house would be the same level as the rice fields & flood....

What is wrong with someone excavating their land to provide fill for housing developments & then trying to sell that land with a hole in it, as long as they keep the lawful distance from neighbouring plots?

I don't want to get in to an argument about the stuff they are taking out- go take a look yourself. Trucks and trucks full of dirt. I was a very large hill covered with trees - that is now a very big hole. They are clearly not following the law at any of these places, if the law really is as you say it is , because they leave 1 meter or not even that and go practically strait down for 10s of meters. Take a look around any of the holes.

Why not cut the hill to flat and then the area is still useful - housing, tree farming etc .

It's pure greed and selfishness.

If it's a hole now, then it will be clay they're excavating. If they own the land, why not dig? Market demands "fill". If they're digging too close to adjacent land, then owners of adjacent land should complain. Certainly not you or me. Lot's of excavation within a km or so of our house. all seems to be going by the letter of the law. I really don't understand this "greed & selfishness" if they own the land.

Unfortunately there is a building boom going on around Chiang Mai. I don't like it. The valley is being concreted over, & the natural beauty is being destroyed. As long as it continues, holes will be dug in the ground to fill the land being developed.