My Chiang Mai

Rated among the top 5 universities in Thailand, Chiang Mai University (CMU) has been named as one of 9 in the land to qualify for a portion of a new 9 billion baht fund.

The budget has been allocated to fund more research as part of a 3 year plan to help the establishments gain better international recognition.

Assessments will be made twice per year, and the universities risk exclusion from the scheme if they fail to meet expectations, announced Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit.

CMU, which is reputed to have the largest campus in south east Asia, is already included in the top 500 world universities listed by the ‘Times Higher Education’ magazine.

Editor’s note: the government university is being groomed for privatisation, and current fees are typically 500,000b per student per year, excluding accommodation.

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

We asked 7 western expats who, between them, have 120 years experience of Chiang Mai what they liked and disliked about the city, on arrival – and now.

If they had the power to change anything, what would it be?Lastly, if they had the choice, where else in the world would they live?
Their answers make interesting reading. Their names have been changed to ensure their safety!

John (arrived 1989): “I liked the fact that the city then had very few high rise buidings. It seemed filled with smiling, friendly people. It had that ’small town feel’. I had no dislikes then or now, would change nothing and would never consider living anywhere else.”

Barry (arrived 1998): “There was cheap beer and good company. My only dislike was the katoeys. Now I love the good ring roads, good shopping and choice of good schools. I still dislike the katoeys and the low class expats. I would clean up the ’stinking klong’ once and for all (Klong Mae Kha). It runs right through the city and it’s been a disgrace for over a decade. Despite that, I’ve no idea where would be a better place to live.”

Brian (arrived 1995): “Now, just as then, I love the easy going people. My dislikes have always been litter, the rats and the beggars. If I had any clout, I’d put litter bins in all the tourist areas, get rid of the rats and make decent pavements to walk on. If I wasn’t here I’d be in Paris.”

Steve (arrived 2001): “I fell for the temples and the Thai people. Still love them both. I think there are too many foreign businesses in town, especially foreign run bars and restaurants. If I was in charge I’d make more of the old city into traffic free zones – pedestrians only – and restrict the foreign businesses. And certainly no more foreign owned supermakets! My second choice for living full time would be Chiang Rai.”

Clive (arrived 1981): “I was strongly attracted to the slow pace of life, the friendly people and the lack of traffic. There was a great mix of community spirit and a cosmopolitan environment. Now? I hate the traffic! I want good pavements not onstructed by phone booths and poles. I’d put litter bins everywhere and levy heavy fines for littering. And all the overhead power lines would be run underground. If this was not ‘home’ I would live in Bahia or Bali.”

Mike (arrived 1990): “Friendly people in a quiet town back then. I disliked nothing! But a lot of smiles have gone now. People are more serious. Buddhist values have gone and not so many people go to the temples. There is too much traffic, pollution and concrete buildings. If I had some power I would keep all the begging elephants out of the city, stop motorcycles parking on the sidewalks, surface Thapae Road properly and build more temples. My second choice would be Vientiane, Laos, but as it was 30 years ago.”

Dave (arrived 1989): “The first things to catch my eye were the smart samlors, quiet streets, friendly people and great Thai food. The cost of living was very low indeed. Now, I dislike the shabby samlors, the noisy and dirty tuk-tuks, the selfish seelor drivers, the overhead cables and stinking klong. The new ring roads are great and I like Airport Shopping Plaza. The cost of living has risen but it’s still reasonable. If I had a second choice? Kuching in Borneo. Same multi-cultural feeling, and a great park along the river.”

Only 7 people and 120 years experience! This is a “running story”.

Add your answers to these questions!

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

When it is a Cornellage, of course!

Collages by Cornelis Hoek are the subject of a most unusual exhibition opening at 116 Art Gallery, Chiang Mai, on September 5th.

Using scissors rather than a paint brush to create his art, the multi-talented Cornelis brings together pictures of buildings in a variety of imaginative ways.

A Dutch expat now resident in Chiang Rai, Cornelis was an operatic tenor soloist for many years, and later became the first concert director to take Chinese classical dance to Europe. As a weaver he has produced over 250 fine tapestries.

The 116 Gallery is at 94-120 Charoen Muang Road, Chiang Mai, where gallery director Khun Pool Nganpeerapong is becoming a collage artist in his own right, having created an amazing likeness of Cornelis himself to promote the show.

LATE NEWS
The exhibition has drawn so much interest, the gallery have extended it to October 10th. Unsold work will then be exhibited in Bangkok and later overseas.

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

Dr Jack Green from Texas and his wife Nala have opened the first Baptist church in Chiang Mai city at the rear annexe of Boss Hotel near the railway station.

With degrees in theology and philosophy, Dr Green is a gifted and often very amusing preacher in the usual informal and friendly Baptist style.

He met his Lahu wife Nala through the church, as she worked for many years with a Baptist mission here, helping hill tribe people to export their handicrafts.

Everyone is welcome to the services at 11.00am every Sunday, with a special welcome for a much-needed pianist and song leader.

LATE NEWS
The venue for services has been changed to the Grand View Hotel, Superhighway, each Sunday at 11.00am, starting September 27th.

More information on e-mail: jgreen@landmarkministries.org

Less than 48 hours after His Majesty the King appealed for co-operation and understanding between different political factions, Chiang Mai experienced the first injury in the north from yellow shirt/red shirt clashes.

Early on Sunday afternoon, 2 vans carrying around 20 men wearing crash helmets and carrying batons, stopped outside a merit making ceremony at the northern HQ of the People’s Alliance for Democracy. The men surged among the yellow-clad merit makers and 2 bombs, described later by police as ‘home made’, exploded.

A 60 year old woman suffered a broken leg, 2 cars were damaged and a glass door at the premises in Kong Soi Road was shattered. The ‘Bangkok Post’ reported the story from witnesses at the Doctor Wong Hospital opposite the compound.

Other reports state that a local radio station, which supports self-exiled former premier Taxin Shinawat, had urged listeners to gather that morning, and told them specifically not to wear red shirts.

There have been no reports of any arrests or other injuries, and Chiang Mai police had not made a statement at the time this story was filed.

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

Breaking his silence since the start of the conflict between Thailand’s red and yellow shirt protesters, His Majesty King Bumipon Adulyadate asked for “co-operation” from all concerned on August 21st.

Speaking from the small Hua Hin Royal Palace (named in Thai ‘Far from Worry’), His Majesty said “Recently I feel that our country could fail, because nobody is working in harmony.”

Big demonstrations in Bangkok by yellow shirted opponents of former Prime Minister Taxin Shinawat have been countered by the ‘red shirts’, who want the self-exiled billionaire reinstated.

If Taxin does return to Thailand, he will face several serious financially-related criminal charges, and possibly a jail sentence imposed in his absence.

Chiang Mai: less stress, more MICE!

The recent troubles have caused almost no problems in Chiang Mai, despite this being the traditional stronghold of the Shinawat clan since the days that they made their fortune in the silk business. There have been a small number of peaceful red shirt demonstrations, seldom numbering as many as 100 people.
A public gathering of many Chiang Mai business associations and 7 universities and colleges on August 11th called for all concerned to put aside their differences and stop the damage being done to the nation’s economy. Organised by Payap University, the meeting at Airport Shopping Plaza issued a joint statement which was presented to the Governor of Chiang Mai Province, Amornpan Nimanant.

In addition to restoring the previous levels of tourism, the meeting urged the speedy completion of the Chiang Mai International Convention Centre, planned to attract extra business from the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions sector.

A large, attractive, site close to the Provincial Hall, overlooking a lake, has been allocated to the Centre, but the project was put on hold some 2 years ago and no construction has yet taken place.

Editor’s note: to aid accurate speech by non-Thai readers, it is part of our policy to spell Thai names as phonetically accurately as possible.

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

Unfortunately not “The Beatles”, but just Beatles!

The Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi (try saying that to a Tuk Tuk driver when you are drunk) has opened a Beetle Garden where kids and their parents can learn about these fascinating creatures, and learn about their lives and habits.

The general manager of the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Mark Bradford said “The Beetles Garden activity is a lot of fun for all the family, and at the same time is a great way to learn more about nature and the environment”

The Beetle garden is free and the activity runs from 10am to midday, and from 3pm to 5pm.

For more information or to make a booking, you can contact the Lanna Kids Club on 053 888 888 ext 8827

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

From November 2nd, three of Chiang Mai’s newest golf courses – the Chiang Mai Highlands, the Alpine Resort and the Khuntan Golf Club – will host the Asian Ladies Invitational Interport.

The event will attract an estimated one hundred and seventy golfers from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Ms Rae-vadee T Suan, the president of the Ladies Asian Golf Tour said “I am sure the tournament will be a big draw in many ways and it will play a major role in promoting tourism in Chiang Mai”.  She added that lady golfers make excellent shoppers!

Golf arrived in Thailand during the reign of King Rama V one hundred years ago. It was first played by nobles and other elitists of high society but over the past decade or so, the popularity of golf in Thailand has escalated, played both by local Thais and visiting foreign tourists and expatriates.

There are an average of 400,000 foreign golfers coming to the Kingdom annually, golf in Thailand has turned into a huge local industry with new courses constantly being developed. Golf alone is annually bringing an income of 8 billion baht into the local economy. The country has been given the nickname ‘The Golf Capital of Asia’.

Chiang Mai is already a popular destination for golfers, it has a great climate and some great golf courses.

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

Elephants have always been flexible and adaptable animals, some can even paint pictures.

At a charity event near Chiang Mai, visitors have witnessed a demonstration of a team of elephants ploughing a rice paddy.

The demonstration was supported by Nok Air and  a total of eight elephants were put to work on an eight-rai rice paddy.

The event took place at the Baan Saen Resort and Spa which is in the Night Safari area, funds for the event are expected to be raised by the sale of bags of rice at 1000 baht for a two-kilo bag, the bags of rice should be ready some time in December.

Using elephants to pull a plough is nothing new and Karen villagers north of Chiang Mai have been doing so for generations.  An elephant is four times stronger than a buffalo so they are more suited to pulling a plough in difficult and rocky terrain which would be problematic using buffalo.

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

The national four wheel drive rally circus arrives in Chang Dao, north of Chiang Mai city on September 5^th-6^th where stars fro Thailand and Japan will compete for fame, fortune and prize money.

Rally fans had a taste of things to come at Thapae Gate on August 14^th when the previous round of the Asia Cross Country Rally championship ended with the usual splashing of champagne and Singha Beer.

The No 15 Isuzu D Max of Atchiki Srimongkol and Tadamisu Nihori had been the fastest over the high speed off-road stages since the Bangkok start, and took top honours, while maximum credit goes to the disabled Takura Aoki who got his similar truck to 12^th place on hand controls. Takura was an engineer and racer for a professional bike team in Japan, until a crash cost him the use of his legs.

Watch this space for details of the Chang Dao event with times and places to see the best of the action!

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.