Kanchanaburi’s glass skywalk shuttered on first day of opening

Muang Kanchanaburi Municipality Office explained it did not have enough special shoes for the overwhelming number of tourists that visited on the first day. The skywalk is scheduled to reopen on Thursday (September 15).

The 12-metre-high walkway runs for 150 metres alongside the Kwae Yai River in Muang district. It was officially opened on Saturday at a ceremony presided over by Kanchanaburi Governor Jirakiart Phumsawat.

Tourists are required to buy a pair of special shoes for 60 baht before being allowed onto the all-glass walkway. They can take the shoes home as a souvenir.

However, the Municipality Office said the supply of shoes ran out after the number of visitors on Sunday exceeded expectations. Officials decided to shut the attraction down at noon. The office said it was contacting the manufacturer to supply more shoes so the skywalk could reopen on Thursday.

Facebook users slammed the provincial authority for a lack of preparation that resulted in tourists having to go home without experiencing the new walk skywalk, wasting their valuable weekends.

Others complained that since the attraction was built with taxpayers’ money, the 60-baht fee is absurd and the shoes should instead be provided for free.

The skywalk offers views of the city as well as the point where the different-coloured waters of the Kwae Yai and Kwai Noi rivers meet.

Scheduled opening times are 9am to noon and 3pm to 6pm on weekdays. On weekends and public holidays the attraction is open all day without a break to accommodate more visitors. However, the number of tourists for each round is limited to 120.

The province has also built a public park along the riverbank and created a walking street below the walkway. Vendors offer their wares here from 4pm to 10pm every Saturday. The new landmark is located near the city pillar shrine and is expected to boost the local economy and tourist trade.