Spray paint on walls and public surfaces inside the old city moat has long been a source of frustration for residents, but a reporter surveying the area found the problem extends well beyond building facades — virtually every Provincial Electricity Authority box on the pavements ringing the moat has been tagged, despite clearly visible no-graffiti signs. Some boxes have been plastered with stickers used as impromptu advertising. Sriphum Road and the Wat Lam Chang neighbourhood are particularly badly affected, with locals comparing the scene to a blighted urban district abroad.
Residents of the Lam Chang community in tambon Sriphum have been fighting a losing battle, cleaning 25 electrical boxes and various walls at their own expense — buying cleaning supplies out of pocket — only to find everything tagged again within days.
Community leader Namfon Rotchanya said the Lam Chang area is home to nearly 50 guesthouses and sees a steady flow of international visitors, making the graffiti problem both an eyesore and a reputational concern. Cleaning up after vandals, she said, treats the symptom rather than the cause. She called on Chiang Mai Municipality and police to actively monitor the area and pursue meaningful action against those responsible.
