Doi Tao Lake Dries Up, Floating Rafts Run Aground
Doi Tao Lake in Chiang Mai has dried to below 10 percent capacity, stranding floating raft hotels and forcing fishermen to travel miles for catches as the dry season intensifies.
On July 17, Doi Tao Lake in Chiang Mai's Doi Tao District has changed dramatically from its former pristine state as a popular tourist attraction. Once lined with floating raft accommodations and teeming with speedboat enthusiasts and freshwater fishermen who departed daily in search of fish, the lake now presents a stark contrast. Water levels have dropped sharply to below 10 percent of capacity, leaving floating rafts stranded on cracked earth as grass and weeds flourish across the exposed lakebed. Fish stocks have dwindled, forcing fishermen to venture 5–10 kilometers to find catches. The dried lakebed has been converted into a motorbike racing track, with riders practicing to the roar of engines, and fireworks competitions also launched into the sky. Despite this crisis, Doi Tao Lake continues to serve a purpose as the region heads into the dry season.
