CityNews – Grand Canyon Chiang Mai will be closed indefinitely after authorities decide to take action following the death of another man there last weekend.
On September 12, a meeting was held with the owner of the Grand Canyon, 55-year-old Chatkarin Trakulinsan, along with the Deputy Commander of the Chiang Mai Provincial Police, the Director of Tourism and Sports, the Head of Hang Dong District, the Department of Public Works and Town & County Planning, and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, to discuss the future of the Grand Canyon in Hang Dong following the death of a visitor last weekend.
After a short meeting all parties agreed that the Grand Canyon should be closed indefinitely to avoid any other injuries or deaths.
25-year-old Hassanai Channa was killed after he collided in the water with another person who jumped in before it was safe. The owner of the park admitted that the security staff at the canyon were ‘looking the other way at the time‘.
The closure will not affect the Grand Canyon Water Park, as it has the correct permits, adequate safety measures and a large team of life guards. The closure is directed at the unsupervised pools of water found downstream from the Water Park.
The Deputy Commander of the Chiang Mai Provincial Police said that tourism is a great thing in Chiang Mai but it needs rules and permits, and the Grand Canyon (excluding the Water Park) was found to not meet adequate safety and quality criteria.
The meeting also concluded that the indefinite closure would last until serious action was taken to improve safety. Authorities agreed it would be re-opened if all safety and quality criteria are met.