Chiang Mai has hubs on its mind
September 7, 2009 by Chanida Sa-ngiamphaisalsuk
Filed under News
Chiang Mai’s travel industry is dreaming of two more mega-projects, after signing off on the construction of a convention centre.
Chiang Mai governor, Amornphan Nimanan, told reporters, last week, he was keen to promote the city as a medical and sports hub requiring the city to invest heavily in two projects. However, the cost would be way above the province’s budget requiring assistance from the national government.
The medical complex will require co-operation between Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Medicine and Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital to build a facility on a 20-rai plot of land.
The university could receive a €60 million from the Dutch government representing about 35% of the required investment. The province is asking the government to subsidise the balance, which would put the project in an area requiring tedious government-to-government negotiations.
The entire project would cost Bt800 million, if it gets the green light. Once completed it would help to position the city as a medical hub for health and wellness in 17 northern provinces and the Greater Mekong Sub-region.
A ”highland” sports complex will be developed on 100 rai ploy in Kalayaniwattana district, 1,200 metres above sea level and 175 km northwest of Chiang Mai city
The value of the project is around Bt300 million. The province is proposing that the Ministry of Tourism and Sports finance the project claiming it could become a national centre for sports training and host large-scale events, due to its favourable year-round weather conditions, approximately 10 degrees Centigrade below the climate in the central plains.
Recently, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced the successful selection of the contractor and signed off on the construction of the Chiang Mai Convention Centre and Exhibition Centre, which should be completed by September 30 2011.
Old things are there for a reason that is why people come to the city to visit those old things, but certain things should be reviewed such as the red mini bus monopoly around town that always overchargd customers and prevent us having a real public transportation system in this city. Who knows what this new facility could bring in benefits for the city. Old things are good and need to be preserved, but do we really need to keep all the old things and ignore the need for modern development? Don’t forget that if we don’t keep moving forward the city may fall behind and we will lose valuable revenue from tourism. Tourists will go elsewhere and punish us for being ignorant and unable to develop infrastructure. We need to be careful not to shun new stuff just for the sake of it.
Being the second biggest urban center after Bangkok, Chiang Mai as a tourist hub in the north should have a reliable and regulated transport system. The minimum fare charged by the red sangteaow is quite high and even charge more at night time. For the convenience of visitors and locals alike, the government should regulate fares of public transport or better yet should operate a public transport system of which fare rates are fixed or are regulated…
Many people will think in a different way, Chiang Mai should improve and develop infrastructure before it creates new things. We must think about traffic, a good system of public transportation, environment, the beauty of the city and its vicinity etc. before we look projects that expand or add new things. And when we can preserve and develop the beauty of our city and our province, we are sure that Chiang Mai can be sustainably attract visitors both domestic and international. Don’t let the old things get worse while building new creations.