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Above: Super Tower — a 125 storey tower with a height of over 2,000 ft which on completion will be the tallest building in Southeast Asia.

The Central Business District (CBD) of Bangkok is considered to be the area lying within Sathorn, Silom, Ploenchit, Wireless, Rama I and Rajdamri roads.

With a high density of office buildings, hotels and retail complexes, including the Rama I shopping precinct, the area in recent years has suffered from a shortage of land for development, pushing prices up sharply.

While the mass transit system has anchored the city centre, encouraged by the expansion of the public transport system, commercial development projects have therefore started to spread to three new emerging areas.

Above: This area, just to the north east of the core CBD, has at its centre the impressive Grand Rama 9 project.

Ratchadapisek-Rama 9 is the most talked about commercial sub-centre

This area, just to the north east of the core CBD, has at its centre the impressive Grand Rama 9 project. This cluster of high-quality office buildings includes the planned Super Tower, a 125 storey tower with a height of over 2,000 ft which on completion will be the tallest building in Southeast Asia.

The project area additionally includes the under-construction G Land and the newly completed U-Place, a 12 storey 517,000 sq ft green office building, let to Unilever.

Elsewhere, further up Ratchadapisek Road, the new Stock Exchange of Thailand’s (SET) head office will be flanked by the American International Assurance (AIA) office building and Univenture PLC’s new mall called The Street.

The competitive rents on offer in the area, along with the quality office supply with supporting amenities and mass transit stations underlines why this area is expected to attract a large number of occupiers over the coming years.

Above:  Udomsuk Station is the second district to highlight.

The Bangna area of Bangkok, to the south east of the CBD and conveniently connected into the Bangkok Transit System (BTS) at Udomsuk Station is the second district to highlight.

The Mall Group’s announcement to develop the Bangkok Mall project of 6.5 million sq ft has enhanced the commercial potential of the area. The project will consist of businesses, residences, offices, and a theme park and water park.Other new commercial developments include Bhiraj Tower at Bitec and SJ Infinite 2.

The offices in this area largely serve companies engaged in and related to airport operations and logistics, as well as companies with factories located on the eastern seaboard.

The decision to build a new transport hub at Bangsue Grand Station, to the north of the CBD, looks likely to be another commercial real estate catalyst in the third of the new commercial districts. Provincial bus networks, rail lines and the city’s rail system, which is expanding by more than 250 miles, will all intersect in the area and the station will become the city’s main transport hub, replacing Hua Lumphong, Bangkok’s current major station.

With a significant amount of land available to private developers, the area is set to be a future hotspot in the Bangkok real estate landscape.

Above: The decision to build a new transport hub at Bangsue Grand Station, to the north of the CBD, looks likely to be another commercial real estate catalyst in the third of the new commercial districts.

Source: Thailand Bussiness news

Above: Qatar Airways to begin service to the northern city by the end of this year.

Chiang Mai airport has been buoyed by plans by Qatar Airways to begin service to the northern city by the end of this year.

Wisoot Chanthana, the airport general manager, on Tuesday welcomed the move by the Middle Eastern carrier, saying the airport has room to handle more flights with big aircraft, although it is on course to go over capacity.

The facility is expected to receive 9 million passengers this year, 1 million more that full capacity. But Gp Capt Wisoot said the airport could solve traffic and passenger congestion problems.

Above: Flights from Doha to Krabi will commence on Dec 6.

Qatar Airways announced on May 24 it would launch five weekly flights from Doha to Chaing Mai on Dec 16 via Yangon. The airline will use an A330-200 on the route.

Chiang Mai will be the fourth city served in Thailand after Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi. Flights from Doha to Krabi will commence on Dec 6.

“We have seen increased travel demand for our services to Thailand and now with the introduction of our award-winning product to popular secondary cities such as Chiang Mai and Krabi, we provide overseas vistors and tour operators with greater flexibility and ease of travel when designing their Thailand holiday itineraries,” ” Marwan Koleilat, a senior vice president of the airline, said on its website.

Above: Chiang Mai airport has room to handle more flights with big aircraft, although it is on course to go over capacity.

Source: Bangkok Post

The building of a road from Tha Wang Phrao intersection to Ton Kwen intersection in San Pa Tong, Hang Dong, has been given the go ahead, with work expected to finish within the next two years.

The Director of the Department of Rural Roads Chiang Mai, Apichai Teeraungsikul, said that the new road will stretch for 27.8 km and have a central barrier with five u-turn junctions.

The construction company is the Siamphan Enterprise Public Company Limited, with a plan that will complete in 780 days, in June 2018.

The road will cost 402 million nine hundred and fifty thousand baht.

Souce:chiangmaicitylife

Public transport in Chiang Mai – taxis and buses

Transport options for getting around Chiang Mai are straightforward and easy to use. The old town can be crossed on foot – a bicycle is better – but you will probably need to rent a scooter or rely on local tuk tuksand minibuses to get about. All are easily found and are cheap, and although the network is rather unsophisticated, visitors don’t have to worry about getting about in Chiang Mai or being ripped off.

Public transport in Chiang Mai is rather rudimentary. A limited bus service was only introduced in 2006, which runs on fixed routes, but city transport is dominated by red minibuses known as songthaews. They are ubiquitous (to the point of being a pain) and controlled by a neo-mafia organisation, but do provide a fair and convenient service used often by tourists. Then there are tuk tuks loitering on every tourist corner, nagging for business, while many rent scooters which provide a cheap means of total freedom.

City buses and songteaws

The relatively new air-conditioned buses run on fixed routes – points near the Old Town, towards the University, the Airport and selected suburbs – but are seldom used by tourists since there are more practical and convenient alternatives.

The bus stops are not easily identified and services run every 15 minutes, by which time about 10 minibuses might have passed by. Cost per ride is usually 15 baht.

Songteaws serve as the informal commuter transport in most provincial towns across Thailand and the ‘red trucks’ of Chiang Mai are seldom far from sight. Flag down one of these pickups, jump into the covered back, and jump off later (offering 20 baht) as it follows a fixed route towards the city. If the red truck is empty they will usually agree to act as a private taxi for a fee that’s cheaper than any other mode of transport.

Taxis in Chiang Mai and tuk tuks

Taxis and tuk tuks are easy to flag down, though taxis tend to limit themselves to the airport run and private calls, leaving the casual trips to tuk tuks and songthaews. These modern, air-conditioned saloons are a good idea to get from the airport to your hotel – 120 baht (about US$4) – though the journey ought to cost a lot less by other means. They are safe, and honest in using their meters, but work on a fixed fee from the airport.

Tuk Tuks are the ubiquitous and quintessential Thailand icon and Chiang Mai has plenty; they are usually gathered in tourist areas. They will take you on 10-minute trip for about 60-100 baht ($2-3) depending on your haggling skills, and can be a fun way to beat the traffic.

Bike and car rental

Renting a scooter or bigger bike is a popular transport choice when in Chiang Mai, since the traffic is easy  to ride in, the bikes are cheap to hire (costing from 150 baht a day), and, above all, they give you the freedom to get about as you please. With a bike, you can explore the wonderful environs outside the city, including the many national parks, and it avoids the hassle of haggling with taxi drivers.

Most guesthouses rent out bikes or can arrange one, while many small businesses in the Thapae Gate area rent bikes. They are generally in good condition, and you can opt for a bigger bike (250cc and up) for 500 baht a day. Some rent cars, too, but they are a hassle to drive and park in the narrow lanes of the Old Town.

Souce:1stopchiangmai

Above: Chiang Mai airport will undergo a two-phase expansion costing 12-billion-baht over the next 15 years. (Source: Bangkok Post)

The board of Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) on Wednesday approved the 12-billion-baht expansion of Chiang Mai airport over 15 years to serve growing traffic.

AOT chairman Prasong Poontaneat said the project would be implemented in two phases. The first will last ten years from 2016 to 2025 and consume 11-billion-baht of the investment funds. The remaining 1.1billion baht will be spent in the second phase of five years from 2026 to 2030.

Both phases will raise the passenger-handling capacity of the airport to 20 million annually compared with the present capacity of 12 million, he said.

The first-phase expansion will cover the runways, taxiways and terminal construction and improvement. It is designed to handle 34 flights an hour, or 18 million passengers annually, including 11 million passengers on domestic flights.

This capacity should serve traffic for the next 14 years, or until 2030, Mr Prasong said.

The second-stage expansion is expected to enable the airport to handle 20 million passengers a year consisting of 8 million on international flights and 12 million on domestic flights, sufficient to serve air traffic until 2035.

Traffic at Chiang Mai airport had grown unexpectedly fast in the past decade and about 8.3 million people visited the airport last year, Mr Prasong said.

Source: Bangkok Post

Above: Chiang Mai is one of the handicraft centres of Asia.

Chiang Mai is a shopping paradise because there is such a wide range of unusual goods at affordable prices. The quality may be variable, but the value for money is undeniable and most leave with much fuller luggage than when they arrived. When visiting Thailand it’s advisable to leave your shopping for Chiang Mai as it is considered one of the cheapest places in the country and getting about town is easy.

Chiang Mai is one of the handicraft centres of Asia and, not surprisingly, many of the market traders from overseas come here to source their goods. Silk, silver, clothing, rattan, ceramics, interior decor, antiques, Buddhist art, lacquer and neilloware – the list of options is endless for shopping in Chiang Mai. Several markets and centres specialise in locally produced goods, but two good shopping centres (and more on the horizon) also offer a more sophisticated experience that is cheaper than back home. In this section we’ve got the A to Z of Shopping in Chiang Mai covered.

Above: The centre of shopping is undoubtedly the Night Bazaar.

Where to shop in Chiang Mai

The centre of shopping is undoubtedly the Night Bazaar (or Night Market), which takes up several blocks every evening along Chang Klan Road, east of the moat. Here you can wander among the countless pavement stalls and arcades admiring the beautifully crafted Northern Thai handicrafts.

The more serious shopper can head out to the huge handicraft wholesalers at San Kamphaeng., at the same time checking out Borsang village with its colourful umbrellas. Baan Tawai, to the south of the city, is a busy working carving centre with some exquisite pieces on display and the best selection of antiques.

Scattered around the centre of Chiang Mai are plenty of handicraft shops catering to tourist shopping tastes. These are more specialised and slightly more expensive, yet are better quality. There are fabric shops and tailors everywhere, quirky little establishments selling curious hill-tribe products and crafts, shoe shops and boutiques, jewellers and gems dealers, and some very exclusive antique shops. But there are also great opportunities to source high quality artwork online with detailed collections listed at Thai Oil Paintings.

Those interested in more modern international items – gadgets, clothes and multimedia – have the choice of two well-stocked shopping centres, Kad Suan Kaew and Airport Plaza, as well as computer related items from Panthip Plaza near the Night Market. There are individual shops scattered in tourist areas where you can pick up bargains on everyday items which are made in Asia.

Above: Chiang Mai Walking street markets are organised on both Saturday and Sunday.

Walking street in Chiang Mai

There are two of these and they can be considered the highlight of a shopping trip when visiting Chiang Mai. On weekends, Chiang Mai Walking street markets are organised on both Saturday and Sunday, and though crowded, are worth it to find better handicrafts, artsy items and souvenirs – displaying the full creativity of this city. Lots of items on display are simply ‘cute’ – there’s no other way to describe them – often sold by the makers themselves and are unavailable at the Night Market. Typcially, they begin in the late afternoon and run through until about 23:00.

The Sunday Walking Street runs along the length of Ratchadamnoen Road (through the centre of the old town), all the way to Thapae Gate and includes the forecourt beyond the gate. Often, there are performances here, too. The street is lined with vendors, along with plenty of restaurants in which to take a break. There’s also live music in some, and buskers to add to the atmosphere. It’s better to come before dusk when it starts to get very crowded, but the shopping experience is far nicer than the Night Bazaar.

Wualai Walking Street in Chiang Mai occurs on Saturdays on this road, which has traditionally hosted the silversmiths and jewellery shops of the city. It is a similar experience to the Sunday Walking Street, though more geared towards locals and less arty. The road runs off at an angle, outside of the old town, south of Chiang Mai Gate.

Above: When visiting Thailand it’s advisable to leave your shopping for Chiang Mai.

Source: One Stop Chiang Mai