Chiang Mai, THAILAND, 1 December 2008 – Several countries are making efforts to evacuate their nationals stranded in Thailand after anti-government protesters closed down the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports in Bangkok.

Reports from various sources state that all trains south to Malaysia and the Kuala Lumpur International aviation hub, are fully booked through to 8th December. Alternatives such as the Laos capital, Vientiane, are an arduous journey from Bangkok with no guarantee of flights available from the far smaller airport there. Flights from the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai to Singapore (another regional aviation hub) are also reported as fully booked through to the 8th December.

Up to Sunday, there were some 100,000 Thai and foreign passengers stranded in Thailand, and abroad, due to the closure of the two main airports, Suvarnabhumi last Tuesday and Don Mueang airport last Wednesday. One report has claimed Suvarnabhumi will reopen tonight at 6pm, but that is seen as impossible by most observers.

Over 110,000 people affected.

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – 16 August 2005 – Torrential rains lashed the mountainous centre of South East Asia on Saturday and led to flash floods in Northern Thailand’s popular tourist destinations.

Casualty estimates vary between 5 and 13 dead, with 11 to 20 reported missing, and around forty injured including two foreign visitors.

Eighteen roads, 44 bridges and around 6,500 hectares of agricultural crops have been severely affected in rural areas.

Current estimates are that floods have directly affected almost 111,000 people over an area the size of Wales, according to officials.

Silver Licenses awarded in North for First Time

Chiang Mai, Thailand, 24 May 2004 – Over 80 tourist guides from all corners of Thailand spent two month’s in study at Naresuan University’s Phayao Campus this summer, before graduating to gain their Silver Guide Licenses.

Studying an intensive program for international tourism including airline passenger service, Thai culture, eco-tourism & the environment, ethics & etiquette, geography, history, immigration law, Thai music & instruments, and other subjects, the course candidates sat exams every week, with eight hours of classroom time seven days each week.

Political Manipulation of Medieval History?

WIENG KUM KAM, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 1 Jun 2003 – Today (20th August 2003) I unintentionally revisited Wieng Kum Kam, specifically that part now named as Wat Phan Lao, and hypothesized as being the AD 1286 palace of King Mengrai.

What I witnessed there has left me extremely disappointed and completely disillusioned regarding current local and national plans to develop the ancient city into anything approaching Sukhothai or Ayutthaya.

Lan Na in the Shadow of the Mongols
Satellite Towns – an old system revived

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – 11 Mar 2003 - People say that history is how we learn the future. Examining the past is how we see what to do next, claim others. Cynics state that history teaches only that humans never learn. Perhaps a little of each is true for all of us, and everyone has the opportunity to learn from everyone else, at personal, regional, and national levels. How many of us do?

On 23rd April AD 1281, marching triumphantly into Hariphunchai (Lamphun), King Mengrai entered a city-state far different from those of Chiang Rai and the Mae Kok basin. Hariphunchai was a model administration for his growing kingdom, one that he would adapt, and use. Hariphunchai was small; one central city and several satellite towns – within half a day’s march of each other, plus dozens of smaller villages. Only the latter were unfortified. The basic military advantage, of scattered strong points dependent upon and defendant of each other, is a style still used today. Yet, their placement was not only military.

COMMENTARY – Shot in the Foot

Xenophobia & Nationalism Retard Tourism Growth in Northern Thailand

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – 28 January 2003 - Recent national and regional press coverage has printed conflicting reports concerning the tourist arrivals dilemma in Northern Thailand. The Aviation Department has released detailed statistics showing exponential growth in the number of airlines and flights bringing people into the kingdom, but admits that Chiangmai is having difficulties increasing its passenger load due to slow growth of inbound flights.

In this respect, the Prime Minister’s aim to promote his home city as a regional hub may be more suitable than the inaccurate mass interpretation that it is to become a global hub. Private tourism industry leaders have complained that returnees are dropping, as they don’t want to see the same, degraded, sights each trip.