Chiang Mai Guide - Information - Maps - Links
Chiang Mai has a striking mountain backdrop, over 300 temples and a quaint historical aura. It's also a modern, friendly, internationally-flavored city with much to offer the visitor - food, accommodation and shopping are all top quality and cheap, and the nights are relatively cool.
Pre 20th Century History
Thai King Mengrai took over a Mon settlement
to develop Nopburi Si Nakhon Ping Chiang Mai (shortened to Chiang Mai - 'New Walled City') in 1296. Mengrai, reportedly a prince from Nam Chao, a Thai kingdom in south west China, had already conquered the area that is now Lamphun, south west of Chiang Mai.
Immediately after his arrival he built the city walls that visitors can still see remnants of along Thanon Kamphaeng Din.
Later, in the 14th and 15th centuries, Chiang Mai became an important spiritual and cultural centre for the larger kingdom of Lan Na Thai ('million Thai rice fields'), which extended from Kamphaeng Phet - about 300km (186mi) to the south - as far north as Luang Prabang in modern Laos. The eighth world synod of Theravada Buddhism was held in Chiang Mai in 1477.
In 1556 the Burmese captured Chiang Mai for the second time in 500 years. Earlier, before the arrival of King Mengrai, King Anuruddha of Pagan (modern-day Bagan) ruled the area around Chiang Mai in the 11th century.
The second period of Burmese control was more successful - they ruled the now-thriving town for over 200 years.
In 1775 Thai King Taksin moved in from the south to again wrest control of Chiang Mai away from the Burmese. Taksin appointed Chao Kavila, a jâo meuang (lord) from nearby Lampang, as viceroy of Northern Thailand. It was in this period that the city established itself as Thailand's northern capital, second only to Bangkok in national importance.
In 1800 Kavila built the monumental brick walls around the inner city, and expanded the outer city in southerly and easterly directions, allowing for future development, and establishing a river port at the end of what is today Th Tha Phae (thâa phae means 'raft pier').
Under the leadership of Kavila - and with greater river access - Chiang Mai became an important regional trade centre. Many people migrated to the area, including the wealthy teak merchants from Burma, who are responsible for many of the Shan and Burmese-style temples built throughout the 19th century.
