Tourists vex Chiang Mai
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Not a day goes by in Chiang Mai without a few more stories about foreign tourists - especially the Chinese, who arrive in increasingly large numbers - wreaking havoc among local residents. In February last year,
Chiang Mai residents protested loudly when Chinese tourists climbed on top of the old city wall to take pictures. The walls are among several places tourists are forbidden to climb or enter, as they are deemed sacred. Just a few days ago two tourists whose nationality remains uncertain camped in a tent on top of the wall. They had apparently spent the night there without any one noticing.
The Japanese government has adopted a policy of wooing tourists who are better educated and have more money to spend. The Thai government is dragging its feet on doing the same. That is why Chiang Mai, an important cultural destination, is drawing tourists who cannot even afford a cheap hostel room!
Vint Chavala
