น้ำมำ ปลำกินมด ; 水落，蚁吃鱼: UNDERSTANDING THE EBBS AND FLOWS OF CHIANGMAI’S LOCAL TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE FACE OF CHINESE TOURISM

Abstract

Over the past few years, Chiangmai has seen a large surge in Mainland Chinese tourist numbers, causing varied reactions from locals. In response to this, many local businesses have attempted to adopt various adaptation strategies to cater to this new wave of tourists. However, an ever-increasing number of businesses supposedly “opened by the Chinese and for the Chinese” have also popped up, especially in areas popular among Chinese tourists and tour groups, causing fears of ‘zero-dollar tourism’. More Chinese have also decided to migrate to Chiangmai. Occurring with a backdrop of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, anticipation and fear of Chinese presence in the region has resulted in a myriad of emotions and contradictions. In an attempt to understand how the local tourism infrastructure has been responding to this complex phenomenon, I went to the bustling Nimmanhaemin neighbourhood of Chiangmai to gather reactions and perspectives. Through speaking to locals and new Mainland Chinese migrants alike, I examined the multi-faceted ways in which these actors personally conceptualise, understand and engage with this phenomenon, and how these lead to changes in the resulting tourism infrastructure.