Is Chiang Mai losing steam?

Chaing Mai is known to many as Thailand’s second city; the capital of the North- and for the last few years, there has been a buzz about its potential as a growing metropolis. There are new stylish shops popping up regularly, various Starbucks rip-offs vying to supply morning lurkers with their caffeine fix, and a never-ending revolving door of bars that seem to shut down as fast as they open.

But is this just a façade? Is the city really making progress? The last few yeras have seen a flurry of construction. 5-star hotels and spas appeared around town and the area surrounding Nimmanhemin Rd. was transformed form a quiet suburb into a main drag for the young and fashionable.

Recently, investments in Chiang Mai haven’t quite lived up to what investors had hoped. The International flower expo barely broke even and the Chaing mai Night Safari, what should have been a major tourist draw has failed so far to make ends meet.

Tourist numbers are way down, and the finger pointing has begun. Is it the coup that’s keeping people away? Is it the threat of terrorism? Or is it the constant reports of the lung searing pollution that wafts across the mountain every day? Whatever it is, Chiang Mai seems to have stalled on its road to prosperity. Hopefully some ingenuity and creativity will set it back on course.