On a windy day in Busan, South Korea, I stood before a small valley where the Gamchoen Culture Village is located. Streams of tourists tirelessly roam the community where colourful tiny houses pack the entire valley, as well as a nearby hill.
The community was once home to Busan's poorest residents, a slum for refugees from the Korean War who escaped to Busan, the only place in the country free from fighting. In the 1950s, Busan became a refugee haven and the population rose dramatically to more than a million people. Approximately 4,000 people moved from the crowded port areas surrounding the Jagalchi Fish Market to the adjacent Gamcheon area and built some 800 homes from scrap iron sheets, wood and rocks.
The village remained far poorer than the rest of Busan until 2009 when the Korean government set up a project. Artists were hired to paint murals and the first 10 artworks were placed, a few created with the assistance of the residents. After that, a series of art projects gradually changed the community.
Shanty homes were slowly being painted in pastel colours. Artworks can be found in all corners of the area, filling up the valley with emotion and inspiration.
From the city's largest slum, the village changed into a desirable place to live for art enthusiasts. Moreover, it has become a place where people from around the world want to visit and witness its charm.
Turning a big slum into a charming community sounds like an impossible mission. But Busan city made it happen.
Besides its beautiful scenery of tiny houses in pastel colours situated densely on the slope, what impressed me was the idea to turn this slum into a nice place. I think it is one of the best examples of development.
This made me think of Thailand and our tourist destinations.
Thailand has a number of beautiful places, but many of them are deteriorated by recklessness and failure of law enforcement.
Phu Thap Boek in Phetchabun province is an example. The destination is famed for picturesque views of vegetable plantations over endless rolling hills and year-round cool weather. The handful of accommodations cannot handle the big demand of mass tourism and during long weekends, as many as 20,000 holidaymakers have swarmed the place, outstripping its capacity and facilities, and causing a traffic jam.
Tourists who expect to see a "sea of fog" at Phu Thap Boek may find themselves among a sea of tents instead during the peak season.
Its popularity leads to encroachment of reserved forest land in the area. The state authority recently released the number of resorts and communities that have encroached reserved forest. Thirty-two out of 62 resorts built in the area have violated the law.
Chiang Khan, a sleepy town on the banks of the Mekong River in Loei province, was once honoured as a hidden gem. Packed with old wooden houses from the last era, the town impressed all visitors with its nostalgic atmosphere.
However, as Chiang Khan grew in popularity and became a famous destination, house owners turn their homes into guesthouses, restaurants, bars, outlets, or leased them to businesses. Within a few years, the sleepy town lost its charm. Today, people go to Chiang Khan for something trendy, not for old world charm.
Late last year, Mahakan Fort community in Bangkok was in the news when the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced plans to convert it to a public park. For years, residents protested the move, which is situated on a historical site.
Built in the 18th century as one of 14 citadels guarding Bangkok city, Mahakan Fort is one of the oldest structures in the Metropolis. Until today, the conflict between the BMA and villagers at Mahakan Fort goes on. No development plan can take any action and the fort remains in poor condition.
These are examples of failure to maintain tourist destinations in Thailand. Bloggers and tourists are the very first groups to recognise these popular places, followed by businesses who rapidly occupy the places to make a profit. State agencies are the last ones to realise what is going on in the areas and often try to clean up after it is too late.
Indeed, there are many nice places in Thailand that, with a few small efforts, can be great places of pleasure. And we should do something before losing them all. Or at the very least, learn a lesson from Busan.
Peerawat Jariyasombat is a travel writer for the Life section of the Bangkok Post.