CHIANG MAI, THAILAND – A decades-old dispute has reignited after plans to build a cable car to the sacred Doi Suthep were formally revived, splitting the city between development advocates and heritage defenders.
Project revived after decades
In June 2025 Nicholas Prachensky, the Austrian honorary consul in Chiang Mai, put the proposal back on the table. He presented plans from the Doppelmayr Group, an Austrian cable-car manufacturer in business since 1893, for a 2.2-kilometre line that would replace the current 11-kilometre serpentine road to the temple.
Faster access and lower emissions, supporters say
Proponents highlight the shorter journey: a trip that now takes about 30 minutes by road would be cut to roughly 9.8 minutes by cable car. Project representatives argue that modern ropeway technology would dramatically reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions along the mountain road.
Claimed public benefits beyond tourism
Backers insist the installation would not be merely a tourist attraction. They say the system could be used for emergency patient transport, wildfire monitoring and even refuse removal, calling it a low-carbon option with minimal construction time and without large-scale deforestation. They also point to international precedents, from urban ropeways in London and Paris to La Paz in Bolivia, where cable systems are integrated into public transit.
Cultural and environmental concerns
Opponents remain unconvinced. Local activists argue that Wat Doi Suthep is a spiritual site, not a leisure venue, and that a modern cable car would be culturally out of place. There are also practical worries: an influx of visitors could overwhelm Chiang Mai’s infrastructure, exacerbating problems with waste management and parking and accelerating the commercialization of a sacred landscape.
Economic competition and safety arguments
Supporters counter with economic arguments, warning that Chiang Mai risks losing ground to regional competitors such as Vietnam. They say the cable car could make Doi Suthep–Pui National Park a hub for outdoor activities like hiking and mountain biking, and stress that a ropeway would be safer and more sustainable for moving large numbers of people than widening the existing road.
Three decades of debate continue
The cable car to Doi Suthep has been discussed for some 30 years; the latest push by an established international manufacturer appears to have increased momentum. Yet for many residents and activists the mountain remains untouchable, and no engineering case, however modern, has quieted the objections that tradition and spiritual value should take precedence.
Who should decide the future of Doi Suthep: those promising economic growth and convenience, or those prioritizing cultural integrity and environmental protection?