Conservation to the fore in Chiang Mai

[rooster59]

Conservation to the fore in Chiang Mai

CHIANG MAI: Municiplaity passes regulations in bid to get World Heritage Status for old city

THE four-square-kilometres within the old city moat in Chiang Mai's Muang district is undergoing a conservation drive - and subject to new regulations - as the municipality pushes to become a World Heritage Site.

Tatsanai Buranupakorn, mayor of Nakhon Chiang Mai, said a municipal regulation had been passed to ensure all new buildings in the old city area adhere to three characteristics: their height must not exceed 12 metres; they must be of Lanna style; and their exteriors must be painted white, beige or brown.

The municipality has collaborated on this with the Lanna Architect Committee and paint-makers, which are providing paint to renovate a row of 10 shophouses near the Three Kings Monument and Klang Wiang intersection.

Student volunteers have been carrying out the renovation, which began in September and is slated for completion this month.

The shophouses will serve as a model of what new buildings in the inner-city should look like, and shop owners are pleased with the renovation work so far, Tatsanai said.

The mayor said there were 7,000 to 8,000 households in the old city, but the municipality could not force people to follow the new municipal rule, which had no retroactive effect. They would have to try to persuade them instead, in order to avoid conflict, he said.

The municipality is, however, also considering adding a requirement for inner-city residents to repaint their houses every five years to the same standard, he said, stressing that this is just an idea pending further discussion with residents.

Moreover, the municipality has a policy to reduce energy consumed by public transport - by using electric buses widely next year.

The administration has spent an initial Bt24 million on the purchase of 12 such buses to run in the old city area, Tatsanai said.

Bicycle use will also be promoted as part of this policy, hence the many cycle-parking points, he added.

The municipality hopes that the transformation and energy-saving policy will gain good feedback from the World Heritage Site arm of Unesco (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).

The municipality also has a policy that, in the near future, large tour buses will not be allowed in the old city as they cause traffic problems, the mayor said.

Currently, the idea is being discussed and government officials have to talk with travel agencies on whether it is possible for tour buses to park at prepared lots and tourists to be carried by municipal vehicles into the old city area, he explained.

The mayor said this would need collaboration between the city's police traffic division, its guide association and Tourism Business Association.

The city has also implemented a policy to get rid of overhead power lines by burying them underground.

So far, Bt100 million has been spent doing that at Tha Phae and Chang Klan roads, with Prapokklao Road the next thoroughfare to be tackled, he said.

The old city area within the ancient moat contains many historic places of significance, including Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man.

The old city used to be the inner-court known as Wiang Kaew, where Chiang Mai royals and its governor resided.

It is also where the Lanna Kingdom's first king, King Mangrai, passed away.

If it does obtain World Heritage Site status, the city will have to adhere to Unesco's requirements and continuously maintain the area properly, or it could risk losing its accreditation.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Conservation-to-the-fore-in-Chiang-Mai-30272009.html

-- The Nation 2015-11-01

[clockman]

Well having lived here on and off for the last 25 years. It does not deserve a world heritage. It has been destroyed and will be like Bangkok soon

[MESmith]

Please conserve the countryside too. That includes rice fields - wont be long before most are concreted over.

[khwaibah]

And the bars get the boot.

[clockman]

But remember the Bangkok Sino Thais control everything. Chiang Mai people have no say. In what happens.

[terminatorchiangmai]

Electric buses ? What happened to the mono rail ?

Every 5 year house painting , like that's going to happen.

[FolkGuitar]

Moreover, the municipality has a policy to reduce energy consumed by public transport - by using electric buses widely next year.

I guess these will replace the widely used buses already in service....

[Sharchen]

I've lived in Chiang Mai for a year. When I would mention "old city" to a Thai, I would receive a confused look, then an epiphany that I must be referring to a ruin outside of town. It's "city center" around here, unless there's a new attempt at re-branding for UNESCO purposes.

[MESmith]

Paint the old city red

[cmsally]

Hmm at least 30 years too late. Whoops. Repainted 1960s shophouses doesn't really make for a UNESCO heritage site.

But it does seem to be the trend at the moment as even our local loudspeaker man seems to be harping on about it.

[Johpa]

 

Well having lived here on and off for the last 25 years. It does not deserve a world heritage. It has been destroyed and will be like Bangkok soon

Have to agree that about 25 years ago was the last chance for the "old city" to maintain a semblance to some imagined past. There have been some good preservation efforts. I especially like the preservation of the older government buildings as the Lanna Folklife Museum as well as across the street the Chiang Mai Art & Cultural Center (where they forgot to leave some sort of ode to that disagreeable woman who use to issue the tax papers for departure back in the day). But apart from those few buildings and the historical temples, the area as a whole has little to distinguish itself from any other part of the city inside the Super Hwy.

[Puwa]

I've lived in Chiang Mai for a year. When I would mention "old city" to a Thai, I would receive a confused look, then an epiphany that I must be referring to a ruin outside of town. It's "city center" around here, unless there's a new attempt at re-branding for UNESCO purposes.

In fact, neither phrase is idiomatic in Thai. Locals will refer to the moat if they mean old city, or in kam muang will refer to the "wiang" which can mean town in general or what lies within the moat.

[Puwa]

I think it's a worthy goal to strive for, and hope we reach it. I'd much rather see Chiang Mai factor conservation into its development plans than come out with a "megaproject" strategy. I don't care if a few bars have to relocate, though there are better and worse ways to move them. World Heritage status means increased global scrutiny and assessment of Chiang Mai's livability, which has to be good for residents.

[khunyod]

Typical propaganda from one of the worst city administrations in recent memory. Decent laws, no enforcement = Thainess. Build a few walking bridges across the moat (used mainly by homeless and dogs as a toilet), claim World Heritage Status. Anyone living in Chiang Mai sees massive ongoing construction, none of it having anything to do with Lanna culture and tradition. The roads are being paved by retarded monkeys who can't make anything flat, and don't repaint lines months after the work is done. More and more cars in places with less and less parking, and of course fewer and fewer trees and green spaces. The moat area still has charm, but its fading fast, and these people wanting "heritage status" are not helping, but papering over the ongoing, low-level destruction they are presiding over with mere propaganda.

Edited November 2, 2015 by khunyod