Is Chiang Mai Safe in May 2026?

Vendors at the Night Bazaar and Sunday Walking Street sell fake branded goods including watches, bags, and clothing. These items are frequently confiscated at customs on the traveller's return home. Some high-grade fakes are priced as though they are genuine articles.

How to avoid: Do not purchase goods you suspect are counterfeit. Customs agencies in most Western countries confiscate fake branded goods and may impose fines. Stick to genuine local crafts and artisan products from verified vendors.

Tuk-tuk drivers offer cheap or free rides around Chiang Mai temples but include mandatory stops at gem stores or silk shops where they earn commission. Tourists are shown fake certificates of authenticity for overpriced gems and encouraged to buy as investment pieces.

How to avoid: Agree on a fare upfront and explicitly state you do not want shopping stops. Use metered red songthaews or Grab for reliable transport. If a driver insists on a detour, get out immediately.

Vendors in and around the Night Bazaar on Chang Khlan Road sell jade, rubies, and sapphires at prices framed as bargain wholesale rates, but the stones are routinely low-grade, synthetic, or outright fakes. Some stalls employ well-dressed "gem experts" who approach tourists offering to guide them to a reputable dealer — the expert receives a commission on everything sold. Certificates of authenticity provided at the point of sale are not issued by recognised gemological bodies.

How to avoid: Do not buy gemstones in street markets regardless of how convincing the pitch sounds. If you intend to purchase Thai gems legitimately, use only dealers certified by the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association and have stones independently tested before export. Treat any stranger who volunteers to guide you to a gem shop as a commissioned tout.

Operators near Chiang Mai claim to run "ethical elephant sanctuaries" but continue practices such as riding, shows, or keeping elephants chained. Tourists pay premium ethical prices for unethical experiences.

How to avoid: Verify sanctuaries with Elephant Nature Park (the gold standard) or organizations listed on the Ethical Elephant website. Ask specifically: are there riding chairs? Are shows performed? Can elephants roam freely? Genuine sanctuaries answer these questions transparently.

Drivers near the base of Doi Suthep offer transport to the temple. Shared songthaew prices are fixed at around 50 THB per person each way, but solo tourists or small groups are quoted private prices of 500–1,000 THB without any explanation of the difference.

How to avoid: The standard shared rate to Doi Suthep is approximately 50 THB per person. Wait at the official songthaew queue at the Chiang Mai Zoo base for a shared ride. Do not negotiate with individual drivers who solicit you away from the queue.