Anyone else confused about new Chiang Mai Province Forum?

Hi everyone,

Just wondering what others think about the new %26#39;Chiang Mai Province Forum%26#39;. I only noticed it yesterday - mainly because when you search the words %26#39;Chiang Mai Forum%26#39; it now comes up at the top of the list. I accidentally clicked on it twice before realising it was not the usual CM forum.

I guess I%26#39;m wondering if it is really necessary. These are my thoughts...

I think that many (if not most) travelers to Chiang Mai do not just stay in the city. The vast majority use CM as a base and explore the area in and around the city/province. Through day trips, overnight trips, side trips to Chiang Rai, overnight stays at elephant camps, car hire, trips with guides etc etc...

I think the Chiang Mai forum itself addresses all of these questions - it is not just about the city of Chiang Mai. That is the nature of the place.

I%26#39;m wondering if the new CM province forum just confuses the issue - if you want to ask a question and you see these two forums you might think %26#39;well I don%26#39;t just want to stay in the city%26#39;, so you go on to the new forum and ask exactly the same question you could have asked on the existing forum.

I guess I%26#39;m lazy and don%26#39;t want to have to constantly check another forum.

I also think it disadvantages people who want to use the %26#39;search%26#39; function in the fourm search box. Two forums on similar topics - two places to have to search.

At the very least I think the existing forum should be the one at the top of page when you search %26#39;CM forum%26#39;.

What do others think about this? I%26#39;m willing to be convinced otherwise if I am missing something here.

Caroline.

Anyone else confused about new Chiang Mai Province Forum?

Hi Caroline............. I noticed for the first time yesterday also and like you clicked thinking I would find the regular Chiang Mai Forum page. I guess it will just make it more confusing for people posting.

Cheers

Anyone else confused about new Chiang Mai Province Forum?

No I agree with all your comments Caroline. Lets just keep it to the one forum. I made the same mistake today.

Tania

Great idea especially as I am about to post a brief trip report ! thanks for your diligence as the easier the better when you are researching !

Must have only happened very recently. It%26#39;s not hit the .co.uk site yet. TA seem to be on a mission of sub-dividing individual destinations. I presume it will have been done by some quantatitive analysis i.e. a software programme will show so many hits on a particular forum that suggests a separate forum is necessary as happened with Phuket. However, without a qualitative analysis that confirms what Caroline says ';it (the exising forum) is not just about the city of Chiang Mai'; it makes the forums less easy to navigate, information more fragmented, therefore, overall less useful.

Can%26#39;t wait for them to split Khao Lak between ';the beach side of the highway'; and ';the mountain side.'; LOL

Hey Arandora - That is not so funny. On the Penang forum there is a different forum for Batu Ferringhi Beach! One small beach strip! It annoys the hell out of me.....

C.

That%26#39;s what you get when someone in a ';think tank'; over at TA Towers thinks ';Wouldn%26#39;t it be a good idea if.....?'; without an apprecaition of the reality of their thoughts. Still it spreads the advertising and therefore revenue around, doesn%26#39;t it? Not that I am suggesting for one moment an ulterior motive like making more money!!!!! ;)

I went to Chiangmai Province forum yesterday %26amp; found it empty, so I did my searches in Chiangmai forum.

Caroline

I also agree the people researching will get comfused.

Who in Tripadvisor decided on this/

Ed

I suppose with time it will we will all get used to it, but will the IT gurus at TA move all of the ';provincial'; posts currently under Chiang Mai city to the new forum. If they leave the old posts under the city section then searching will get a bit confusing.

Are we ';Destination Experts'; going to be likewise reclassified as city or province experts ?

Hey Mr Cycling - I agree with you. I think the lines are blurred. With CM, it is impossible to divide city from province. People come for both - you can%26#39;t say I am only here for city or for province.

In my opinion we only need one forum - otherwise we are just being given more work to do, having to check two forums for questions.

C.