Hooked On Asia

Mae Hong Son

I believe we have no choice but to work toward a sustainable tourism industry in Thailand (and everywhere else too) and it is always good to see examples of it happening.

For some years now the Royal Thai government has been encouraging tourism developments away from the main resorts such as Pattaya and Phuket; hence the rise of destinations like Trang (albeit very slowly) and Ko Chang.

I was pleased to see then the private sector playing its part in this trend with the recently announced partnership between the online travel company Agoda dot com and the Thai commuter airline SGA. The carrier services small towns in northern Thailand on routes not deemed profitable by the larger airlines. It is now possible to make flight reservations and hotel bookings online for Mae Hong Son (HGN), Pai (PAI) and Chiang Rai (CEI) at http://sga.partners.agoda.com.

I realise mention of air travel opens up a whole new debate about climate change and its environmental impact. I am no tourism development scholar but, on balance, it strikes me as a good thing that other parts of the country get to share in the tourism bounty; although I accept it has to be done in an ethical and responsible manner.

There are many reasons why communities should be kept together and the attraction of the big city diminished. Right at the top of my list is the fight against child prostitution: we must do whatever we can to stop it.

Elephant in Bangkok

Also on that list is the plight of the elephant: as traditional working communities dwindle so too does the role of the pachyderm. I find it tragic to see an elephant being paraded on the streets of Bangkok (just like the one pictured: source Kremisimo). Every elephant has its own story: perhaps the animal was stolen as a prop purely for the entertainment of tourists, or perhaps the Mahout considers he has no choice but to beg now there is no work in the countryside.

Moving tourism to the small towns around Thailand will not in itself solve these issues but it is a start; and as the infrastructure develops so businesses will flourish and economies grow.

Some of my most memorable experiences in Thailand have been away from the main centres. Driving through the hills that border Myanmar to the north of Chiang Mai, en route to Angkhang Nature Resort, comes most readily to mind but there are many more. The fact that such places are becoming more accessible for us non-backpackers can bring enormous benefit both to us, the travellers, and to the people we meet. Yes, tourism is a double-edge sword with potentially a very sharp blade but I believe the best we can do is respect people, respect the environment and aim for balance.

Source: Mae Hong Son Photo by Geoff_B.