The Chiang Mai Zoo started as an animal shelter for sick and wounded animals before becoming a small private zoo on rented land at the base of Doi Suthep.

The story begins with the Young family, American Baptist missionaries, and their patriarch the Rev William Marcus Young [1861-1936] who arrived in Keng Tung with his wife in 1892.  They established a mission that included a school and a medical dispensary.

The Lahu tribe - numerous in the area - came to idolise him as the Jawaw [The Great One], a white deity carrying a book [the G'ui Sha], that their tribal legends had foretold would come and lead them.  Young was indeed white and carried a bible under his arm.  The prophecy seemed to be fulfilled and most of the Lahu were baptised. 

A son, Harold Mason Young [1901-76] was born in Keng Tung and inherited the divine mantle from his father.  After coming of age he played the role with alacrity, and the family spread their influence among the Lahu in the Keng Tung hills and beyond into Sipsongpanna where they set up another mission base at Banna, north of Jinghong.  In the decades that followed, the family increased in number and consolidated their power.

The situation changed dramatically in 1949 with the defeat of the Kuomintang [KMT] by the Red Army and the subsequent evacuation of Chiang Kai Shek's forces from Yunnan.

The CIA viewed missionaries who had been raised among the hilltribes as valuable assets.  They recruited Young [among others] to train tribal operatives and assist espionage missions into Communist China.  These operations were carried out in conjunction with, and sometimes in competition with, KMT units who had set up bases in Northern Thailand, the Burmese Shan States, and Laos.

In the early 1950s Harold Mason Young moved his family, which now included his wife and two sons plus extended family members, from Keng Tung to Chiang Mai where his covert military activities continued.  He also founded the animal shelter that soon became a small private zoo attracting many local visitors.  The Chiang Mai authorities provided 24 acres for the project, greatly expanding the original plot of land that Young had rented.  The zoo was opened to the public in 1957.

When Young died in 1974 the Chiang Mai Provincial Government gave it to the Zoological Park Organization under the patronage of His Majesty the King.  Many improvements were made and additional land was granted, bringing the total area up to 200 acres; about what it is today.  The Royal Family were active supporters and during their periods of residence at Phuping in the 1970s and 80s they would often visit.

The Chiang Mai Zoo was officially opened to the public in 1977.  Travellers to Lanna T'ai in past times would occasionally mention menagries of exotic animals kept by the chaos;  but this enterprising Chiang Mai farang was the first to open one that welcomed everybody.

... just another part of the eventful history of our adopted city and the farangs who played a role in it.

Great history lesson.

Thank you

Shame the place has been run down so badly.

 

 

Shame the place has been run down so badly.

 

 

There have been changes, that's for sure.

In the late 70s I remember it as being rather basic as zoos go, but a beautiful location and fun to visit.  If you went on a weekday you almost had the place to yourself. You just had to dodge the occasional school group, that's all.

In the 80s and 90s when my daughters were growing up we would go often, but as the variety of animals increased over the years, so did the number of visitors, and the level of commercialism became annoying.  It wasn't so much fun anymore.

A zoo that I really like is the one outside Jakarta, located in a lush and hilly area that the Dutch had developed as a botanical garden.  Also, it has big habitats for Komodo Dragons and Sumatran Tigers.

Great place.  Go for a visit if you're ever in Jakarta.

Very interesting, as usual, with several sub sections that could be expanded upon, at your own leisure of course :)

I was there last year and agree paying separate to see the pandas was annoying although the indoor aquarium was rather good in wowing a 2 year old

Depending on the heat of the day , the tram rides come in handy and a good day out for the family

Animal variety was not that exciting as I like the big cats and remember there were not many


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Wasn't Bill Young  aka  "Hitman" Bill Young... "AirAmerica Bill" Young a son of Harold Young, the founder of the zoo?

If so, did he have any connection with it, or play a part in its development?

I was there last year and agree paying separate to see the pandas was annoying although the indoor aquarium was rather good in wowing a 2 year old

Depending on the heat of the day , the tram rides come in handy and a good day out for the family

Animal variety was not that exciting as I like the big cats and remember there were not many


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Got to admit though that the Chinese are rather smart sending their young ones  away to be raised and educated in foreign lands and then taking them back when they are housetrained.  I guess all that bamboo costs something.

Well panda cubs are cuter than some animals :)


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Wasn't Bill Young  aka  "Hitman" Bill Young... "AirAmerica Bill" Young a son of Harold Young, the founder of the zoo?

If so, did he have any connection with it, or play a part in its development?

Yes, that's right.

Bill Young was the son of Harold Mason Young and the grandson [and namesake] of William Marcus Young, the Jawaw of the Lahu tribe.

I don't know the extent of his involvement with the Chiang Mai Zoo.  I haven't been able to find much information, other than that he was once a "curator"... whatever that means.

I would guess that his other activities didn't leave him much time for the zoo.

So if it is a missionary who founded the zoo did he fill it in the following fashion"

 

Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

 

Gen. 7:8-9 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

Last time i was there,a keeper was beating a Hippo with a 

bamboo pole,just thought hope he never turns his back on it !

regards Worgeordie

Thai massage maybe ?


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Shame the place has been run down so badly.

 

 

There have been changes, that's for sure.

In the late 70s I remember it as being rather basic as zoos go, but a beautiful location and fun to visit.  If you went on a weekday you almost had the place to yourself. You just had to dodge the occasional school group, that's all.

In the 80s and 90s when my daughters were growing up we would go often, but as the variety of animals increased over the years, so did the number of visitors, and the level of commercialism became annoying.  It wasn't so much fun anymore.

A zoo that I really like is the one outside Jakarta, located in a lush and hilly area that the Dutch had developed as a botanical garden.  Also, it has big habitats for Komodo Dragons and Sumatran Tigers.

Great place.  Go for a visit if you're ever in Jakarta.

 

 

Better still, well almost is go to Komoto Island. If you are in the area. I was disgusted with the one I saw in the Seattle Woodland park Zoo. 

Been a while since I was to the Zoo will defiantly take it in again when My boy comes to visit again. I see where they have made a deal with China to keep the Panda Bears 10 more years. Hope the aquarium is better than when it first opened.

I was there last year and agree paying separate to see the pandas was annoying although the indoor aquarium was rather good in wowing a 2 year old

Depending on the heat of the day , the tram rides come in handy and a good day out for the family

Animal variety was not that exciting as I like the big cats and remember there were not many


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I found the aquarium dull. The worst I have seen traveling the globe.  But I guess as you say the kids would like it.

Last time i was there,a keeper was beating a Hippo with a 

bamboo pole,just thought hope he never turns his back on it !

regards Worgeordie

A hippos skin can be and inch thick or more.  I doubt the beast felt much.

Yeap the one in Singapore has one of the best aquariums but many would also agree with an admission price to match


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http://www.aqwa.com.au/entry-prices/

is pretty good too for a almost the same price.  If you are in Australia you can save the air fare. 

 

Last time i was there,a keeper was beating a Hippo with a 

bamboo pole,just thought hope he never turns his back on it !

regards Worgeordie

A hippos skin can be and inch thick or more.  I doubt the beast felt much.

 

So that makes it OK then 

regards worgeordie

Just because a zoo has a "history" doesn't mean it's a good one.