The temples of Chiang Mai are coming apart, and more than half of its historic buildings “have come under the wrecking ball,” according to a story in the International Herald Tribune. Preservationists are taking steps to save structures dating back to the Lanna kingdom, but precisely what they can accomplish—and how they can accomplish it—remains to be seen. 

Lim Li Min writes:

Today, a small group of architects, with help from the government of Chiang Mai—about a 10-hour drive north of Bangkok—is working to preserve the existing Lanna-era temples and revive the style in modern buildings that serve as upmarket hotels and resorts. But these efforts, while well-intentioned, are facing the twin threats of rocketing land prices and rampant construction that demand cheap, utilitarian designs that can be thrown up quickly.”

Min adds that tourism has been “a force of good” toward preserving Chiang Mai’s past—new hotels in traditional Thai styles have been popular—but not everyone is happy. Some of the new buildings are based on temple architecture, “contravening popular beliefs that Buddhist elements could only be viewed within a religious setting.”

Photo by Fenners1984, via Flickr (Creative Commons)

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