Chiang Mai: The good, bad and ugly
PHOTO: TakeMeTour
Post Magazine has published it’s ‘review’ of Chiang Mai, with the “good, bad and ugly sides to Thailand’s second city”. Here are some of their main points…
The good
There are more than 300 temples in Chiang Mai; they outnumber 7/11 stores, which takes some doing in Thailand. Situated in the heart of the old city, Wat Phra Singh is the most venerated and visited although it’s probably not the ideal place for meditative contemplation. For that, stroll 10 minutes west of the moat and ancient city walls to Wat Suan Dok, where visitors pad around the pagodas in a state of shoeless serenity.
Having attained inner equilibrium, sign up for an hour of Monk Chat. Despite sounding like a dating app for less-than-devout Buddhists, the initiative is an informal way for foreigners to interact with Chiang Mai’s saffron-robed residents. The monks are more than happy to enlighten visitors on topics such as their daily routine and plans for the future, and why they all have a mobile phone. In return, the monks get to practise their English.
If you’re lucky, you might stumble upon a boutique hotel down an alleyway you missed the first three times you walked past. Book a room, order a pot of iced tea and wave at the granny mending clothes on an old sewing machine below your balcony.
The Bad
The digital nomads and retirees are an even-handed bunch. Many of their articles highlighting the advantages of Chiang Mai devote equal amounts of space to the drawbacks. Sure, the weather is great – but only in December, January and February, after which it gets hot, hotter still, then wet, and very wet. But it’s not just the stifling heat that causes expats to abandon the city for a month each year.
The Ugly
Thailand has just endured its annual Seven Dangerous Days – the period between Christmas and New Year when road accidents spike. Despite numerous safety campaigns, the nation’s streets are the deadliest in Southeast Asia, according to a World Health Organisation report. Not for the first time, hundreds died nationwide, many in alcohol-related incidents. Chiang Mai was named as one of the worst fatality black spots.
Read the rest of the article from Post Magazine HERE.
