Chiang Mai Warnings and Dangers

Be aware that all Taxi in Chiang Mai does not want to use the meter . If you ask them to use it they are not willing to drive . They overcharge all the tourist even the thai people . Always bargain and try to take a cheaper one . The TAT does nothing .

I have been in Chiang Mai since last November ,and the air quality, up untill mid- March, has been acceptable. But. Untill the Thai institute emission controals (at least get the vehicles blowing clouds of exuast smoke off the roads) any area with traffic will be unpleasent at best. When the burning of the stubble in the fields and the under brush in the forests starts;Get Out. I have a flight out day after tomorrow and will be outside as little as possable untill then. R

I recently read of now six people, American, British and New Zealanders who have died in Chang Mai under mysterious circumstances. The Thai police have not been able to accurately identify the source of the problem, calling the incidents 'coincidental'.....which is most probably a face-saving solution instead of admitting 'we don't know because we don't have the knowledge or skill to conduct a thorough investigation. At a press conference in Bangkok yesterday, Chiang Mai Governor Pannada Disakul said: "We have to admit that these deaths coming one after another are nothing more than coincidence.

"We have done and will continue to do our utmost to make tourists confident in our city."

Unfortunately he didn't say 'We have done and will continue to do our utmost to find the source of the problem and correct it before any more deaths occur'.

Clearly, until the matter is correctly identified, it is of grave danger to be travelling in Chang Mai at the moment without being aware of the deaths and possible food/water poisoning risk there so I implore you to be careful of what you drink and eat and where you stay if you need to visit Chang Mai.

Brian Lessard
Thailand resident

I'd like to clarify that 400 thb is the standard rate for booking the whole vehicle up and down to Doi Suthep. You pay your driver at the end of the journey. You can also share the journey with other strangers but it would mean that you wait until the van is full before the driver starts off. And you might pay the per journey rate.

Lucky for me, before I left my Hotel, I asked the Receptionist to give me an idea of the prices to pay for travel as you have to barter.

On exiting from the Zoo, I wanted to go to Doi Suthep temple, which was not that far away.
A Songthaew was there waiting, I asked the price, 400 t/b. I knew that was a lot too dear, so said no, and waited.

Nothing came, so I decided to walk to the main road, and what did I find, but a proper Songthaew waiting area.
This other fellow didn't mention this to me.
I was asked where I was going, another lady was already waiting, so I joined her.
More passengers came, and off we went for the price of 40t/b!

SO BEWARE, GET IDEA OF COST BEFORE LEAVING YOUR HOTEL.

When in Chiang Mai there is a good chance that you will be confronted by a"smoothie" well dressed and will be friendly ask you where you are from and then its the" OH' I have a daughter studying economics there at the university of ?...then its onto the the chance of a lifetime to buy ..usually a ruby or emerald..Be Careful...you would be surprised how many people fall for this scam..These guys are good..if its too god to be true it usually is..

I'm surprised that this warning is not yet posted. Every cool season i.e. high tourist season , during the months of January through April Chiangmai is blanketed with the worst smog and polluted air imaginable. It is due to the open burning of the sorrounding fields and the exhaust-belching vehicles, red-buses in particular, that never see any emission control ckecks. It covers the entire northern section of Thailand all the way to the Mekong River.
You can read about it in the two local English language papers,The Nation and the Bangkok Post both available on line and running articles about the poluted air requently. Each year of the 5 years I have lived here the polution has been near twice the maximum safe allowable levels with the powers that be afraid to do anything about it and mystified each year that it occures again. Motorists, policeman and all wear face masks and try to choke-it-out until the rainy season comes. It is dusgusting that the tourist industry,whats left of it, and the medical community in particular aren't demanding that something be done about it immediately. If you are thinking of Chiangmai please be advised to read the local papers, contact a local friend who lives here or have a reliable travel agent check before hand. I feel sorry for the children who in the future will have respiratory problems as a direct result of the inaction of the of the city leaders currently in office. It is that bad; do your own research. Chiangmai is a beautiful place when the visibility allows.

Be vigilent about protecting yourself from the water that is thrown in Song Kran. Firstly, the water comes from the local rivers (yuck) and secondly it can really hurt you!

Full buckets of water are thrown and a lot of the time in your face. If you wear glasses, don't wear them outside, wear contacts if you can. I lost mine out the back of the car (subsequently to be run over by a truck) and needed to fork out for a new pair.

Also, most people put huge blocks of ice in their water so the water is icey cold when it hits you - not nice even in 40 degree weather!

Have fun, but take care!