Bangkok vs Chiang Mai

Bangkok leads Chiang Mai by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 60 to 59. Bangkok grades better on 4 measures, Chiang Mai on 3; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Bangkok 60, Chiang Mai 59
• OECD: Bangkok 57, Chiang Mai 56
• UN Tourism: Bangkok 63, Chiang Mai 63
• UNDRR: Bangkok 61, Chiang Mai 46

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Bangkok 70, Chiang Mai 79
• Economy and jobs: Bangkok 56, Chiang Mai 50
• Climate and hazards: Bangkok 25, Chiang Mai 25
• Water and environment: Bangkok 50, Chiang Mai 63
• Community and housing: Bangkok 75, Chiang Mai 88
• Access and continuity: Bangkok 75, Chiang Mai 50

Where Bangkok is stronger

• Jobs in tourism industries: 11.9 % of employment in accommodation and food services (Bank of Thailand / National Statistical Office, Labour Force Survey in Bangkok (EC_RL_009_S4_BK), December 2024). Between 8 and 12: grade 3/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Bangkok Port (Port Authority of Thailand) & State Railway of Thailand, 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Bangkok Post, 2026). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (TAT Newsroom, 2026). Grade 4/4.

Where Chiang Mai is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 72.6 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (Ministry of Tourism and Sports (Thailand) / Chiang Mai University Multi-Disciplinary Research Institute (CTRD), 2023). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Green space: 93.4 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (region figure) (Discover Sustainability (Springer Nature) - Wiwat Pongruengkiat et al., 2021). At or above 40: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Thailand: #38 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Thailand: #38 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Bangkok in full · Chiang Mai in full

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