Thais' thirst for snow quenched at high environmental cost

(BANKOKPOST)Inahallfilledwithpsychedelicicesculptures,thereareshrieksofexcitementasatoboggancareersdownanicerun,itsoccupantssnuglywrappedupagainstthesub-freezingtemperatures.

ButthisisnofunparkinanicySiberianwasteland--thisistropicalBangkok.

"Itfeelsgood,"28-year-oldSongpholTaesinlapasathittells reporter,hisbreathvisibleinthechilledair."IwanttomoveheresothatIcanrunawayfromthehotweather."

Acrossthenotoriouslyswelteringmetropolis,localsareflockingtoagrowingnumberofattractionsofferingthemachancetoexperiencesomethingfeweverwitnessathome:snowandice.

WhileforeignersheadindrovestoThailandtosoakupthesunonpalm-fringedbeaches,manyofthosevisitingtheHarbinIceWonderlandontheoutskirtsofBangkokarelookingfortheexactopposite.

Morethan600tonnesoficehavebeenusedtocreateasmorgasbordofsculpturesrangingfromcolourfuloctopusestoamockEiffelTower.

NamedafterthenortheasternChinesecitythatholdsanannualicesculpturefestival,temperaturesinsidethefrozenThaiversionarekeptatminus15Celsius,awhopping50CswingfromthestickyBangkokstreetsoutside.

ItisjustoneofanumberofattractionsthathavesprungupinThailandwithanicytheme.

AgirlkeepsherbalancewhilesleddingatSnowTowninBangkokinthisAugustfilephoto.Manymallsandattractionsnowoffericeskatingrinksandwinterwonderlandsfilledwithartificiallycreatedsnow.

Butfindingrespitefromtheheatisnotwithoutconsequence.

OneofSoutheastAsia'smorewealthyandurbanisednations,Thailandburnsthroughhugeamountsoffueltokeepitsmalls,officesandhomescool.

Bangkokisaparticularlyacuteoffender,withresidentsusinguptwiceasmuchelectricityonaverageastheirfellowThais,accordingtooneacademicstudyfrom2013.

Mallsplayasignificantroleinthisconsumption.

AninvestigationlastyearbyMekongCommons,aregionalenvironmentalwebsite,foundthatsomeofBangkok'sbiggestmallsusedupmoreelectricityontheirownthanentireruralprovinces.

Somefearthelatestcravingforanartificialarcticexperiencewillonlyaddtothisexcessiveconsumption.

"Theydefinitelyeatuplargeamountsofelectricity,"GunnPanprayun,aprofessoratMahidolUniversity'sEnvironmentandResourceStudiesfaculty,toldAFP.

"Thoseiceandskateplaceswillhelpdestroytheenvironmentforsureastheyuseupnaturalresources,"headded.

ItisnotjustathomethoughthatThaislookforfunoutofthesun.

ThankstothehugeexpansionofbudgetairlinesacrossAsiaregionalskidestinationsaresignificantlymoreaffordableformiddle-incomecountrieslikeThailand.

BillboardsandtravelbrochuresroutinelytemptThaiholidaymakersto"touchrealsnow"inthemountainsofnorthernJapan,SouthKoreaandChina.

SincewaivingvisarequirementsinJuly2013,JapanhasseenahugeinfluxofThaitourists.

In2014,95%ofThaistravellingabroadonholiday--430,000--headedtoJapan,spendingtheequivalentofmorethanahalf-billionUSdollars,accordingtoThailand'sMinistryofTourismandSports.

Forthoseunabletoaffordatripabroad,Thailand'snorthernmostmountainsaretheonlyareaofthecountrythatseesafrostduringitsbriefwinter.

Traditionally,couplesgothereforromanticNewYear'sEvebreaks--achanceforatrystawayfromtheheatofthelowlands.Therestoftheyear,snowparksofferacheapalternativetoanoverseasbreak.