I live inside the city – the South East corner of the moat that puts a square target at the center of the Chiang Mai, Thailand. There are highways outside of the moat that encircles it. You can get from one side to another in 20 minutes, unless you drive through the center and it will take double the time…why? TRAFFIC.
Chiang Mai is small…in size and in its communities. It’s infested with tourists, travelers, and nomads. The population can charm and suffocate you.
I cannot blame the new and settled people who occupy this wonderful place. I cannot blame the famers on the outskirts, the rich, the poor, the Thais or the foreigners. It’s all of us. There is litter and exhaust fumes sprinkled everywhere and this special time of year amplifies the air pollution.