Chiang Mai became linked  with central  Thailand with  the  completion of the  northern  railway in 1921.  Word soon  spread that  Chiang Mai,  previously very difficult to reach from the  more  heavily  populated south, was a quaint  hidden  treasure and a perfect destination  for shopping  and entertainment.

 Tourism quickly replaced commercial trade  as Chiang Mai's  primary source of outside  revenue.  A close second was the tourist-focused  manufacture and sale of local handicrafts. ong before the tourists began flocking to the northern capital, Chiang Mai was an important centre for handcrafted pottery, weaving, umbrellas, silverwork and woodcarving. If you visit arts and craft shops anywhere in Thailand today, chances are there will be someone working there who hails from Chiang Mai.