Chiang Mai is changing rapidly, in the
past year we’ve had three major malls open up and condos are springing up
all over the place. Some are selling well, others not so much. Like
everything it’s all down to location. There is a new medium rise condo
complex going up on Chang Klan Road and another on Huay Kaew and
Sirimangkalajarn.
People bemoan growth, and change but it is inevitable. In my years in
Thailand I have seen a lot of changes, some change that is good, some not so
good. But despite my railing against the changes I disliked, despite my
attempts to stall some things and despite stressing myself out with
resentment and unhappiness over these changes, still they occurred.
Some are talking about leaving and moving somewhere else but of course that
simply makes them the agent of change and growth in some other area, making
them guilty of the very thing that they have disliked in Chiang Mai. Unless
these people are actually native to Chiang Mai their very relocation to this
city has contributed to the growth and change that we see now.
So, other than stay in the place of your birth, never leave and never travel
what is the option? Perhaps try and work to make that change positive,
however small an affect you may have it must certainly be better than not
doing anything at all. If you feel there is nothing you can do and that you
can have no effect on things then perhaps learn to do things in your day to
day life that help contribute to a better society. Recycle, ride your
bicycle instead of driving your car, shop locally, buy organic locally grown
fruits and vegetables, or even just walk to where you need to go. Learn to
live with a fan, turn off the air conditioner and save energy, learn to
conserve water as well. There are many small changes we can make in our
lives that add up to more than just small effects if everyone were to do it.
So, talk your friends into making these same changes.
Doing something, however small, is certainly better than doing nothing at
all except complaining.
