Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in
northern Thailand
Northern Thailand, or more specifically Lanna, is geographically characterised by several mountain ranges, which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar to Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them. Though like most of Thailand ...
, the capital of
Chiang Mai province
Chiang Mai ( th, เชียงใหม่, ; nod, , ) is the largest Province (''changwat'') of Thailand. It lies in upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It is bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, Lam ...
and the second largest city in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. It is north of
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
in a mountainous region called the
Thai highlands
The Thai highlands or Hills of northern Thailand is a mountainous natural region in the north of Thailand. Its mountain ranges are part of the system of hills extending through Laos, Burma, and China and linking to the Himalayas, of which they ma ...
and has a population of 1.19 million people as of 2022,
which is more than 66 percent of the total population of
Chiang Mai province
Chiang Mai ( th, เชียงใหม่, ; nod, , ) is the largest Province (''changwat'') of Thailand. It lies in upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It is bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, Lam ...
(1.8 million).
Chiang Mai (meaning "New City" in Thai) was founded in 1296 as the new capital of
Lan Na
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
, succeeding the former capital,
Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai ( th, เชียงราย, ; nod, , เจียงฮาย, ) is the northernmost major city in Thailand, with a population of about 200,000 people. It is located in Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai Province. Chiang Rai ...
.
[ The city's location on the ]Ping River
The Ping River ( th, แม่น้ำปิง, , ), along with the Nan River, is one of the two main tributaries of the Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Thuai in the Daen Lao Range, in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai province. After pas ...
(a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand.
Et ...
) and its proximity to major trading routes contributed to its historic importance.
The city (''thesaban nakhon'', "city municipality") of Chiang Mai officially only covers most parts (40,2 km²) of the Mueang Chiang Mai district in the city centre and has a population of 127,000. This census area dates back to 1983 when Chiang Mai's municipal area was enlarged for the first and last time since becoming the first City Municipality in Thailand (then under Siam
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
) in 1935. The city's sprawl has since extended into several neighboring districts, from Hang Dong in the south, to Mae Rim in the north, and Suthep
Suthep ( th, สุเทพ) is a ''tambon'' (subdistrict) of Mueang Chiang Mai District, in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.Thaitambon.com ...
in the west, to San Kamphaeng in the east, forming the Chiang Mai urban area with a size of 2,303 km².
The city municipality is subdivided into four ''khwaeng
A ''khwaeng'' (, ) is an administrative subdivision used in the fifty districts of Bangkok and a few other city municipalities in Thailand. Currently, there are 180 ''khwaeng'' in Bangkok. A ''khwaeng'' is roughly equivalent to a ''tambon'' in othe ...
'' (electoral wards
The wards and electoral divisions in the United Kingdom are electoral districts at sub-national level, represented by one or more councillors. The ward is the primary unit of English electoral geography for civil parishes and borough and distri ...
): Nakhon Ping, Sriwichai, Mengrai, and Kawila. The first three are on the west bank of the Ping River, and Kawila is on the east bank. Nakhon Ping District includes the northern part of the city. Sriwichai, Mengrai, and Kawila consist of the western, southern, and eastern parts, respectively. The city center—within the city walls—is mostly within Sriwichai ward.
History
Mangrai Mangrai ( nod, ; th, มังราย; 1238–1311), also known as Mengrai ( th, เม็งราย),The name according to historical sources is "Mangrai", and this is used in most modern scholarly applications. "Mengrai", popularised by a 19 ...
founded Chiang Mai in 1294 or 1296 on a site that the Lawa people
Lawa ( th, ลัวะ or ; ) are an ethnic group in northern Thailand. The Lawa language is related to the Blang and the Wa language found in China and Burma, and belongs to the Palaungic languages, a branch of the Austroasiatic languages. Thei ...
called Wiang Nopburi.
Chiang Mai succeeded Chiang Rai as the capital of Lan Na
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
. Pha Yu enlarged and fortified the city, and built Wat Phra Singh
Wat Phra Singh (full name: Wat Phra Singh Woramahaviharn; th, วัดพระสิงห์วรมหาวิหาร; ;pronunciation; nod, ) is a Buddhist temple ( Thai language: Wat) in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.
King Anan ...
in honor of his father Kham Fu.[ The ruler was known as the ''chao''. The city was surrounded by a ]moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...
and a defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
since nearby Taungoo Dynasty
, conventional_long_name = Toungoo dynasty
, common_name = Taungoo dynasty
, era =
, status = Empire
, event_start = Independence from Ava
, year_start ...
of the Bamar people
The Bamar (, ; also known as the Burmans) are a Sino-Tibetan languages, Sino-Tibetan ethnic group native to Myanmar (formerly Burma) in Southeast Asia. With approximately 35 million people, the Bamar make up the largest ethnic group in Myanmar ...
was a constant threat, as were the armies of the Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...
, which decades earlier had conquered most of Yunnan
Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is ...
, China, and in 1292 overran the bordering Dai kingdom of Chiang Hung
Chiang Hung, Sipsongpanna or Keng Hung ( th, เมืองหอคำเชียงรุ่ง; Mueang Ho Kham Chiang Rung, zh, 車里 or 江洪) was one of the states of Shans under the suzerainty of Burma and China.
Chiang Hung was inh ...
.
With the decline of Lan Na
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
, the city lost importance and was occupied by the Taungoo in 1556. Chiang Mai formally became part of the Thonburi Kingdom
The Thonburi Kingdom ( th, ธนบุรี) was a major Thai people, Siamese kingdom which existed in Southeast Asia from 1767 to 1782, centered around the city of Thonburi, in Siam or present-day Thailand. The kingdom was founded by Taksin ...
in 1774 by an agreement with Chao Kavila
Kawila ( th, กาวิละ, , nod, , 31 October 17421816), also known as Phra Boromrachathibodi ( th, พระบรมราชาธิบดี), was the Northern Thai ruler of Chiangmai Kingdom and the founder of Chetton Dynasty. Orig ...
, after the Thonburi king Taksin
King Taksin the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช, , ) or the King of Thonburi ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, ; ; Teochew dialect, Teochew: Dên ...
helped drive out the Taungoo Bamar. Subsequent Taungoo counterattack led to Chiang Mai's abandonment between 1776 and 1791. Lampang
Lampang, also called Nakhon Lampang ( th, นครลำปาง, ) to differentiate from Lampang province, is the third largest city in northern Thailand and capital of Lampang province and the Mueang Lampang district. Traditional names for La ...
then served as the capital of what remained of Lan Na
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
. Chiang Mai then slowly grew in cultural, trading, and economic importance to its current status as the unofficial capital of Northern Thailand.
Chiang Mai has improved its government and raised its status as a "province" since 1933 until the present.
The modern municipality dates to a sanitary district ('' sukhaphiban'') that was created in 1915. It was upgraded to a city municipality (''thesaban nakhon
Thesaban ( th, เทศบาล, , ) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesaban'' system.
The mu ...
'') on 29 March 1935. First covering just , the city was enlarged to on 5 April 1983.
In May 2006 Chiang Mai was the site of the Chiang Mai Initiative, concluded between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...
and the "ASEAN+3" countries, (China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, and South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
). Chiang Mai was one of three Thai cities contending for Thailand's bid to host the World Expo 2020
Expo 2020 ( ar, إكسبو 2020) was a World Expo hosted by Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Originally scheduled for 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 ...
. Ayutthaya was ultimately chosen by the Thai Parliament to register for the international competition.
In early December 2017, Chiang Mai was awarded the UNESCO title of Creative City. In 2015, Chiang Mai was on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage inscription. Chiang Mai was one of two tourist destinations in Thailand on TripAdvisor's 2014 list of "25 Best Destinations in the World", where it stands at number 24.
Population
Ever since the municipal city area was enlarged to 40,2 km² in 1983, no changes or updates have been made to it, even with the population increasing substantially in the years after. In 1983, Chiang Mai's urban area, with a population of 127,000, already exceeded the municipal city limits, and has grown to over one million people in 2022.
What was once the majority of Chiang Mai's city area, has now become a small part of the expanded city-scape, making up only most parts of Mueang Chiang Mai district in the inner city. In official plans by th
Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization
published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette
The ''Royal Thai Government Gazette'' (, ), frequently abbreviated to ''Government Gazette'' (GG) or ''Royal Gazette'' (RG), is the public journal and newspaper of record of Thailand. Laws passed by the government generally come into force after ...
, the new and up to date city boundaries have been included and outlined, expanding the old municipal city border inside Muaeng Chiang Mai district to Mae Rim in the north, San Kamphaeng in the east, Hang Dong in the south and Suthep
Suthep ( th, สุเทพ) is a ''tambon'' (subdistrict) of Mueang Chiang Mai District, in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.Thaitambon.com ...
in the west. This new extent, with a size of 2,303 km², forms not only the complete Chiang Mai urban
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of people ...
area, but is also roughly the same size as the Chiang Mai metropolitan region.
The whole area has a combined population of 1,198,000 residents, making Chiang Mai the second largest city in Thailand after Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
(10.7 million people) and twice as big as the third largest city Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima ( th, นครราชสีมา, ) is one of the four major cities of Isan, Thailand, known as the "big four of Isan". The city is commonly known as Korat (, ), a shortened form of its name. It is the governmental seat of ...
(Estimate: 500,000 people). As neither the Department of Local Administration (DLA) nor the National Statistics Office (NSO) count expatriates, non-permanent residents, migrant workers (except ASEAN
ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...
migrants for the year 2017) and citizens from other Thai provinces
The provinces of Thailand are part of the Organization of the government of Thailand, government of Thailand that is divided into 76 provinces ( th, :wikt:จังหวัด, จังหวัด, , ) proper and one special administrative are ...
living and renting in Chiang Mai in their official population figures, it is estimated that the real population figure for Chiang Mai could be as high as 1.5 million.
Due to the outdated counting method of registered residents, Chiang Mai's true size is often misinterpreted and misrepresented, unintentionally mitigating the city's importance in Thailand.
Emblem
The city emblem shows the stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep ( th, วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ, , ) is a Theravada Buddhist temple ( wat) in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. The temple is often referred to as " Doi Suthep" although this is actually the nam ...
in its center. Below it are clouds representing the moderate climate in the mountains of northern Thailand. There is a nāga
The Nagas (IAST: ''nāga''; Devanāgarī: नाग) are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala), and can occasionally take human or part-human form, or are so depicted in art. ...
, the mythical snake said to be the source of the Ping River
The Ping River ( th, แม่น้ำปิง, , ), along with the Nan River, is one of the two main tributaries of the Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Thuai in the Daen Lao Range, in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai province. After pas ...
, and rice stalks, which refer to the fertility of the land.
Religious sites
Chiang Mai city has 117 Buddhist temples
A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represent ...
("wat
A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」 (w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...
" in Thai) in the Muang (city) district. These include:
* Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep ( th, วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ, , ) is a Theravada Buddhist temple ( wat) in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. The temple is often referred to as " Doi Suthep" although this is actually the nam ...
, the city's most famous temple, stands on Doi Suthep, a mountain to the north-west of the city, at an elevation of 1,073 meters. The temple dates from 1383.
* Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, dating from the 13th century. King Mengrai lived here during the construction of the city. This temple houses two important and venerated Buddha figures, the marble Phra Sila and the crystal Phra Satang Man.
* Wat Phra Singh
Wat Phra Singh (full name: Wat Phra Singh Woramahaviharn; th, วัดพระสิงห์วรมหาวิหาร; ;pronunciation; nod, ) is a Buddhist temple ( Thai language: Wat) in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.
King Anan ...
is within the city walls, dates from 1345, and offers an example of classic Northern Thai-style architecture. It houses the Phra Singh Buddha, a highly venerated figure brought here many years ago from Chiang Rai.
* Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang ( th, วัดเจดีย์หลวง, lit. ''temple of the big stupa'' or ''temple of the royal stupa'') is a Buddhist temple in the historic centre of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The current temple grounds were originally made ...
was founded in 1401 and is dominated by a large Lanna style chedi, which took many years to finish. An earthquake damaged the chedi in the 16th century and only two-thirds of it remains.
* Wat Ku Tao
A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」 (w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...
in the city's Chang Phuak District dates from (at least) the 13th century and is distinguished by an unusual alms-bowl-shaped stupa thought to contain the ashes of King Nawrahta Minsaw
Nawrahta Minsaw ( my, နော်ရထာ မင်းစော, ; formally, Anawrahta Minsaw; also known as Nawrahta Saw and Tharrawaddy Min; 1551/52–1607/08) was king of Lan Na from 1579 to 1607/08, and the first Burmese-born vassal king ...
, Chiang Mai's first Bamar ruler.
* Wat Chet Yot
Wat Chet Yot ( th, วัดเจ็ดยอด, lit: seven-spired temple) or officially called Wat Photharam Maha Wihan ( th, วัดโพธารามมหาวิหาร, from sa, Bōdh Rāma Mahā Vihāra) is a Buddhist temple (Wa ...
is on the outskirts of the city. Built in 1455, the temple hosted the Eighth World Buddhist Council in 1977.
* Wiang Kum Kam
Wiang Kum Kam ( th, เวียงกุมกาม; nod, ᩅ᩠ᨿᨦᨠᩩᨾᨠᩣ᩠ᨾ) is an historic settlement and archaeological site along the Ping River, which was built by King Mangrai the Great as his capital before he moved it to C ...
is at the site of an old city on the southern outskirts of Chiang Mai. King Mangrai Mangrai ( nod, ; th, มังราย; 1238–1311), also known as Mengrai ( th, เม็งราย),The name according to historical sources is "Mangrai", and this is used in most modern scholarly applications. "Mengrai", popularised by a 19 ...
lived there for ten years before the founding of Chiang Mai. The site includes many ruined temples.
* Wat Umong is a forest and cave wat in the foothills west of the city, near Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai University ( CMU; th, มหาวิทยาลัยเชียงใหม่) is a public research university in northern Thailand founded in 1964. It has a strong emphasis on engineering, science, agriculture, and medicine. It ...
. Wat U-Mong is known for its "fasting Buddha", representing the Buddha at the end of his long and fruitless fast prior to gaining enlightenment.
* Wat RamPoeng (Tapotaram), near Wat U-Mong, is known for its meditation center (Northern Insight Meditation Center). The temple teaches the traditional vipassanā
''Samatha'' (Pāli; sa, शमथ ''śamatha''; ), "calm," "serenity," "tranquillity of awareness," and ''vipassanā'' (Pāli; Sanskrit ''vipaśyanā''), literally "special, super (''vi-''), seeing (''-passanā'')", are two qualities of the ...
technique and students stay from 10 days to more than a month as they try to meditate at least 10 hours a day. Wat RamPoeng houses the largest collection of ''Tipitaka'', the complete Theravada canon, in several Northern dialects.
* Wat Suan Dok
Wat Suan Dok ( th, วัดสวนดอก, , roughly "flower garden temple"), also known as Wat Buppharam (, ) is a Buddhist temple (Wat) in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. It is a Royal Temple of the Third Class. The temple is on Suthep Ro ...
is a 14th-century temple just west of the old city wall. It was built by the king for a revered monk visiting from Sukhothai for a rainy season retreat. The temple is also the site of Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya Buddhist University, where monks pursue their studies.
In addition to the currently active temples there are several temple ruins scattered around the present-day city area. Typically only the main stupa remains as it is a brick and cement structure, with other temple buildings no longer there. There are 44 of such structures in the city area, ranging from very prominent landmarks to small remnants that have almost completely disappeared or are overgrown with vegetation.
Other religious traditions:
* "First Church" was founded in 1868 by the Laos Mission of the Rev. Daniel and Mrs. Sophia McGilvary. Chiang Mai has about 20 Christian churches Chiang Mai is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chiang Mai
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chiang Mai (''Dioecesis Chiangmaiensis'', Thai: สังฆมณฑลเชียงใหม่) in northern Thailand is a suffragan diocese of the archdiocese of Bangkok. Bishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondrat ...
at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
* The office of the Christian Conference of Asia
The Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organisation representing 15 National Councils and over 100 denominations (churches) in New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos ...
is located in Chiang Mai.
* Muslim traders have traveled to north Thailand for many centuries, and a small settled presence has existed in Chiang Mai from at least the middle of the 19th century. The city has mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
s identified with Chinese or Chin Haw
The Chin Haw or Chin Ho (; th, จีนฮ่อ, ), also known locally as Yunnanese ( zh, 雲南人, th, คนยูนนาน), are Chinese people who migrated to Thailand via Myanmar or Laos. Most of them were originally from Yunnan, a so ...
Muslims as well as Muslims of Bengali, Pathan, and Malay descent. In 2011, there were 16 mosques in the city.
* Two gurdwara
A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...
s (Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
places of worship), Siri Guru Singh Sabha and Namdhari
The Namdharis (Gurmukhi: ਨਾਮਧਾਰੀ; ''nāmadhārī'', meaning "bearers of the Naam Japo, name"), also known as Kuka (Gurmukhi: ਕੂਕਾ; ''kūkā'' Singular (grammatical number), g ਕੂਕੇ; ''kūkē'' Plural, l from P ...
, serve the city's Sikh community.
* The Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
Devi Mandir serves the Hindu community.
File:2010 1128 Wat Phantao.JPG, Fireworks at Wat Phantao during Loi Krathong
File:20171105 Wat Chedi Luang Chiang Mai 9897 DxO.jpg, Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang ( th, วัดเจดีย์หลวง, lit. ''temple of the big stupa'' or ''temple of the royal stupa'') is a Buddhist temple in the historic centre of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The current temple grounds were originally made ...
.
File:Baan Haw Mosque 4-6-09.jpg, Ban Ho Mosque
Hedaytul Islam (Ban Ho) Mosque (, th, มัสยิดเฮดายาตูลอิสลามบ้านฮ่อ), near the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, is one of the biggest mosques in the province, and also one of the seven Chinese mosqu ...
.
File:1000steps 04thailand0021.jpg, Wat Prathat Doi Suthep (1973)
Administration
The Administration of Chiang Mai Municipality is responsible for an area that covers approximately 40.216 square kilometers and consists of 4 Municipal Districts, 14 sub-districts, 94 municipal communities, and 89,656 households.
According to Municipal Act B.E. 2496 (1953, reviewed in 2003), the duties of the Municipality cover a lot of areas which include clean water supply, waste and sewage disposal, communicable disease control, public training and education, public hospitals and electricity, etc.
The mayor, or the highest executive, is directly elected by the eligible voters in the municipal area. The mayor serves a four-year term and is assisted by no more than four deputy mayors appointed directly by the mayor. The mayor will thus be permitted to appoint deputies, secretaries and advisors including the mayor himself or herself totally no more than 10. The current Mayor is Tussanai Burabupakorn, as of June 2018.
The Municipal Council is the legislative body of the municipality. It has the power to issue ordinances by laws that do not contradict with the laws of the country. The municipal council applies to all people living in the municipal area. The Chiang Mai City Municipal Council is composed of 24 elected members from 4 municipal districts who each serves a 4-year term.
Culture
Festivals
Chiang Mai hosts many Thai festivals, including:
* Loi Krathong
Loy Krathong ( th, ลอยกระทง, , ) is a Thai festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and in nearby countries with significant South Western Tai cultures (Laos, Shan, Mon, Tanintharyi, Kelantan, Kedah, and Xishuangbanna) ...
(known locally as Yi Peng), held on the full moon of the 12th month of the traditional Thai lunar calendar
The Thai lunar calendar ( th, ปฏิทินจันทรคติ, , , literally, ''Specific days according to lunar norms''), or Tai calendar, is a lunisolar Buddhist calendar. It is used for calculating lunar-regulated holy days. Based o ...
, being the full moon of the second month of the old Lanna calendar. In the Western calendar this usually falls in November. Every year thousands of people assemble floating banana-leaf containers (''krathong'') decorated with flowers and candles and deposit them on the waterways of the city in worship of the Goddess of Water. Lanna-style sky lantern
A sky lantern (), also known as Kǒngmíng lantern (), or Chinese lantern, is a small hot air balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended.
In Asia and elsewhere around the world, sky lanterns have bee ...
s (''khom fai'' or ''kom loi''), which are hot-air balloons made of paper, are launched into the air. These sky lanterns are believed to help rid the locals of troubles and are also used to decorate houses and streets.
* ''Songkran'' is held in mid-April to celebrate the traditional Thai New Year. Chiang Mai has become one of the most popular locations to visit during this festival. A variety of religious and fun-related activities (notably the indiscriminate citywide water fight) take place each year, along with parades and Miss Songkran beauty competition.
* Chiang Mai Flower Festival
Chiang Mai Flower Festival ( th, มหกรรม ไม้ ดอกไม้ ประดับ จังหวัด เชียงใหม่, link=no) is an annual event celebrating flowers and ornamental plants in Chiang Mai, Thailand. T ...
is a three-day festival held during the first weekend in February each year; this event occurs when Chiang Mai's temperate and tropical flowers are in full bloom.
* Tam Bun Khan Dok, the Inthakhin (City Pillar) Festival, starts on the day of the waning moon of the sixth lunar month and lasts 6–8 days.
*Notable local Buddhist celebrations are Visakha Bucha Day at Doi Suthep (mountain) where thousands of Buddhists make the journey on foot after sunset, from the bottom of the mountain to the temple at the top Wat Doi Suthep. Makha Bucha Day is celebrated at large temples (Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, and Wat Sri Soda) with thousands of attendees.
Language
While most inhabitants speak Thai
Thai or THAI may refer to:
* Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia
** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand
** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand
*** Thai script
*** Thai (Unicode block ...
, there are many older inhabitants that also speak the former Lan Na Kingdom's unique language known as Northern Thai
Kam Mueang ( nod, , กำเมือง) or Northern Thai language ( th, ภาษาไทยถิ่นเหนือ) is the language of the Northern Thai people of Lanna, Thailand. It is a Southwestern Tai language that is closely rela ...
, ''Lanna'' or ''Kham Mueang''. The script used to write this language, called the Tai Tham alphabet
Tai Tham script ('' Tham'' meaning "scripture") is the name given to an abugida writing system used mainly for a group of Southwestern Tai languages i.e., Northern Thai, Tai Lü, Khün and Lao; as well as the liturgical languages of Buddhism ...
, is studied only by scholars, and the language is commonly written with the standard Thai alphabet
The Thai script ( th, อักษรไทย, ) is the abugida used to write Thai, Southern Thai and many other languages spoken in Thailand. The Thai alphabet itself (as used to write Thai) has 44 consonant symbols ( th, พยัญชน ...
. Thai, English, Chinese, and Japanese are used in hotels and travel-related businesses.
Museums
* Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Center
* Chiang Mai National Museum
The Chiang Mai National Museum is a national museum located in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. It highlights the history of the Kingdom of Lanna with descriptions in both Thai and English. The museum is located in the vicinity of Wat Chet Yot, in ...
, which highlights the history of the region and the Kingdom of Lan Na
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
.
* Chiang Mai Philatelic Museum, showing the history of postage stamps and postal development of Thailand, especially of Chiang Mai.
* Highland People Discovery Museum
The Highland People Discovery Museum (พิพิธภัณฑ์เรียนรู้ราษฎรบนพื้นที่สูง), formerly known as ''Tribal Museum'' is an ethnographic museum in the Mueang Chiang Mai District of ...
, a showcase on the history of the local mountain tribes.
* Mint Bureau of Chiang Mai or Sala Thanarak, Treasury Department, Ministry of Finance, Rajdamnern Road (one block from AUA Language Center). Has an old coin museum open to the public during business hours. The Lan Na Kingdom used leaf (or line) money made of brass and silver bubbles, also called "pig-mouth" money. The exact original technique of making pig-mouth money is still disputed, and because the silver is very thin and breakable, good pieces are now very rare.
* Bank of Thailand Museum
Bank of Thailand Museum is a museum in Bangkok. The museum is housed in the Bang Khun Phrom Palace, the former residence of Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu, who was the 33rd son of King Chulalongkorn. The Bank of Thailand, Northern Region also has a ...
* Northern Telecoms of Thailand Museum, housed in a former telephone exchange building, displaying the history and evolution of telecommunications in Northern Thailand.
* MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, a museum of contemporary art
Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic com ...
which opened in 2016.[Chiang Mai: Adeline Chia checks out the city's grassroots art scene](_blank)
/ref> It is one of only two museums of contemporary art in Thailand, with the other museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Bangkok, considered somewhat more conservative in tastes than MAIIAM.
Dining
Khan tok A ''khantoke'' or ''khantok'' ( th, ขันโตก, ) is a pedestal tray used as a small dining table by the Lanna people (of northern Thailand), Laotians, and by people from Isan (northeastern Thailand). A ''khantoke'' tray is a short, round t ...
is a century-old Lan Na Thai tradition in Chiang Mai. It is an elaborate dinner or lunch offered by a host to guests at various ceremonies or parties, such as weddings, housewarmings, celebrations, novice ordinations, or funerals. It can also be held in connection with celebrations for specific buildings in a Thai temple and during Buddhist festivals such as Khao Pansa, Og Pansa, Loi Krathong
Loy Krathong ( th, ลอยกระทง, , ) is a Thai festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and in nearby countries with significant South Western Tai cultures (Laos, Shan, Mon, Tanintharyi, Kelantan, Kedah, and Xishuangbanna) ...
, and Thai New Year (Songkran
Songkran is a term derived from the Sanskrit word, ' (or, more specifically, ') and used to refer to the traditional New Year celebrated in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, parts of northeast India, parts of Vietnam an ...
).
Khao Soi
''Khao soi'' or ''khao soy'' ( th, ข้าวซอย, ; lo, ເຂົ້າຊອຍ , my, အုန်းနို့ခေါက်ဆွဲ ,) is a Chin Haw dish served in Laos and northern Thailand. A comparable dish, ''ohn no khao swè ...
is a Northern Thai noodle curry dish found mostly in Chiang Mai. Khao Soi is usually presented in a simple bowl, with fresh lime wedge, shallots, and pickled cabbage.
Education
Chiang Mai has several universities, including Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai University ( CMU; th, มหาวิทยาลัยเชียงใหม่) is a public research university in northern Thailand founded in 1964. It has a strong emphasis on engineering, science, agriculture, and medicine. It ...
, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University
Chiang Mai Rajabhat University (CMRU; th, มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏเชียงใหม่) is a university in the north of Thailand under the Royal Thai Ministry of Education. The university was founded in 1924 as an ...
, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Payap University
Payap University ( th, มหาวิทยาลัยพายัพ; ), established in 1974, is a private and non-profit institution founded by the Foundation of the Church of Christ in Thailand. Payap University is a liberal arts and pre-pr ...
, Far Eastern University, and Maejo University
Maejo University (MJU.) (also spelled Maecho University, th, มหาวิทยาลัยแม่โจ้) in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, is the oldest agricultural institution in the country. Founded in 1934 as the Northern Agricultur ...
, as well as numerous technical and teacher colleges. Chiang Mai University was the first government university established outside of Bangkok. Payap University was the first private institution in Thailand to be granted university status.
International primary and secondary schools for foreign students include:
* American Pacific International School
American Pacific International School (, ) is a privately owned boarding school in Chiang Mai, Thailand with a kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school. The school operates on two campuses. American Pacific International S ...
* Chiang Mai International School
Chiang Mai International School (CMIS; th, โรงเรียนนานาชาติเชียงใหม่, ) is a K-12 International school founded in 1954 in Chiang Mai, Thailand by members of the Church of Christ in Thailand. The ...
* Christian German School Chiang Mai
* French School of the Far East
The French School of the Far East (french: École française d'Extrême-Orient, ), abbreviated EFEO, is an associated college of PSL University dedicated to the study of Asian societies. It was founded in 1900 with headquarters in Hanoi in wh ...
, an institute for Asian studies, has a centre in Chiang Mai.
* Grace International School
Grace International School (GIS; , ) is a small international school in Chiang Mai, Thailand that was founded in 1999 for the education of the children of Christian Missionaries living in the area. There are over 600 students from kindergarten thr ...
* Lanna International School
Lanna International School Thailand (, ) is a British international school in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Lanna was founded in 1993 to provida a British curriculum-based education. Lanna is licensed by the Thai Ministry of Education and has been ful ...
* Nakornpayap International School
* Prem Tinsulanonda International School
Environment
Climate
Chiang Mai has a tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...
(Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Aw''), tempered by the low latitude and moderate elevation, with warm to hot weather year-round, though nighttime conditions during the dry season can be cool and much lower than daytime highs. The maximum temperature ever recorded was in May 2005. Cold and hot weather effects occur immediately but cold effects last longer than hot effects and contribute to higher cold related mortality risk among old people aged more than 85 years.
Air pollution
A continuing environmental issue in Chiang Mai is the incidence of air pollution
Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different types ...
that primarily occurs every year between December and April. In 1996, speaking at the Fourth International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement conference—held in Chiang Mai that year—the Governor Virachai Naewboonien invited guest speaker Dr. Jakapan Wongburanawatt, Dean of the Social Science Faculty of Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai University ( CMU; th, มหาวิทยาลัยเชียงใหม่) is a public research university in northern Thailand founded in 1964. It has a strong emphasis on engineering, science, agriculture, and medicine. It ...
, to discuss air pollution efforts in the region. Dr. Wongburanawatt stated that, in 1994, an increasing number of city residents attended hospitals suffering from respiratory problems associated with the city's air pollution.
During the December–April period, air quality in Chiang Mai often remains below recommended standards, with fine-particle dust levels reaching twice the standard limits. It has been said that smoke pollution has made March "the worst month to visit Chiang Mai".
According to the ''Bangkok Post'', corporations in the agricultural sector, not farmers, are the biggest contributors to smoke pollution. The main source of the fires is forested area being cleared to make room for new crops. The new crops to be planted after the smoke clears are not rice and vegetables to feed locals. A single crop is responsible: corn.
"The true source of the haze... sits in the boardrooms of corporations eager to expand production and profits. A chart of Thailand's growth in world corn markets can be overlaid on a chart of the number of fires. It is no longer acceptable to scapegoat hill tribes
Hill people, also referred to as mountain people, is a general term for people who live in the hills and mountains.
This includes all rugged land above and all land (including plateaus) above elevation.
The climate is generally harsh, with s ...
and slash-and-burn agriculture for the severe health and economic damage caused by this annual pollution." These data have been ignored by the government. The end is not in sight, as the number of fires has increased every year for a decade, and data shows more pollution in late-February 2016 than in late-February 2015.
The northern centre of the Meteorological Department has reported that low-pressure areas from China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
trap forest fire smoke in the mountains along the Thai-Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
border. Research conducted between 2005 and 2009 showed that average PM10 rates in Chiang Mai during February and March were considerably above the country's safety level of 120 μg/m³, peaking at 383 μg/m³ on 14 March 2007. PM2.5
Particulates – also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate matter (PM) or suspended particulate matter (SPM) – are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The ter ...
rates (fine particles 75% smaller than PM10) reached 183 μg/m³ in Chiang Mai in 2018. According to the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...
(WHO), the acceptable level of PM10 is 50 μg/m³ and PM2.5 is 25 μg/m³.
To address the increasing amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector in Chiang Mai, the city government has advocated the use of non-motorised transport (NMT). In addition to its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the NMT initiative addresses other issues such as traffic congestion, air quality, income generation for the poor, and the long-term viability of the tourism industry.
Effects of tourism
The influx of tourists has put a strain on the city's natural resources. Faced with rampant unplanned development, air and water pollution, waste management problems, and traffic congestion, the city has launched a non-motorised transport (NMT) system. The initiative, developed by a partnership of experts and with support from the Climate & Development Knowledge Network
The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) works to enhance the quality of life for the poorest and most vulnerable to climate change. CDKN does this by combining research, advisory services and knowledge management in support of local ...
, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create employment opportunities for the urban poor. The climate compatible development strategy has gained support from policy-makers and citizens alike.
Nature
* Nearby national parks include Doi Inthanon National Park
Doi Inthanon National Park ( th, อุทยานแห่งชาติดอยอินทนนท์), nicknamed "the roof of Thailand", is in the Thanon Thong Chai Range, Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. It i ...
, which includes Doi Inthanon
Doi Inthanon ( th, ดอยอินทนนท์, ) is the highest mountain in Thailand. It is in Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai Province. This mountain is an ultra prominent peak, known in the past as ''Doi Luang'' ('big mountain') or '' ...
, the highest mountain in Thailand
* Doi Suthep–Pui National Park begins on the western edge of the city. Wat Doi Suthep Buddhist temple, located near the summit of Doi Suthep
Doi Suthep (ดอยสุเทพ), is a mountain ("doi") west of Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is in elevation and is one of the twin peaks of a granite mountain. The other peak is known as Doi Pui and is slightly higher ().
Doi Suthep is from ...
, can be seen from much of the city and its environs. In 2015, a development plan around the temple for a new housing project threatened to destroy some of the forest, but was halted, resulting in reforestation of the park.
* Pha Daeng National Park
Pha Daeng National Park ( th, อุทยานแห่งชาติผาแดง), formerly known as Chiang Dao National Park, is a national park in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Established on 2 November 2000, the park covers 702,085 r ...
, or more commonly ''Chiang Dao National Park'', which includes Doi Chiang Dao
Doi Chiang Dao ( th, ดอยเชียงดาว, ), also known as Doi Luang Chiang Dao (, ), is a high mountain in Chiang Dao District of Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. It is one of the highest peaks of the Daen Lao Range on the Thai sid ...
and Pha Deang mountain near the border with Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
.
* Hill tribe tourism and trekking: Many tour companies offer organized treks among the local hills and forests on foot and on elephant back. Most also involve visits to various local hill tribes, including the Akha, Hmong
Hmong may refer to:
* Hmong people, an ethnic group living mainly in Southwest China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand
* Hmong cuisine
* Hmong customs and culture
** Hmong music
** Hmong textile art
* Hmong language, a continuum of closely related to ...
, Karen
Karen may refer to:
* Karen (name), a given name and surname
* Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors
People
* Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand
** Karen languages or Karenic l ...
, and Lisu Lisu may refer to:
*Lisu people, an ethnic group of Southeast Asia
*Lisu language, spoken by the Lisu people
* Old Lisu Alphabet or Fraser Alphabet
*Lisu syllabary
* Lisu (Unicode block), the block of Unicode characters for the Lisu language.
*Lisu ...
.
* Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden
Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden (QSBG) is a botanical garden in Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. It was opened in 1993 and is maintained under the auspices of the Botanical Garden Organization (BGO) of the Ministry of Natural Resour ...
* Buatong waterfall (also called Sticky Waterfalls) - The formation of calcium lets you easily climb barefoot.
Recreation
* Chiang Mai Zoo
Chiang Mai Zoo and Aquarium is a zoo on Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, just west of Chiang Mai University. It is the first commercial zoo in northern Thailand, established on 16 June 1977.
History
In 1950 the US government sent m ...
, the oldest zoo in northern Thailand.
* Shopping destinations: Chiang Mai has a large and famous night bazaar for local arts and handicrafts. The night market
Night markets or night bazaars are street markets which operate at night and are generally dedicated to more leisurely strolling, shopping, and eating than more businesslike day markets. They are typically open-air markets popular in East Asia, Sou ...
s extend across several city blocks along footpaths, inside buildings and temple grounds, and in open squares. A handicraft and food market opens every Sunday afternoon until late at night on Rachadamnoen Road, the main street in the historical centre, which is then closed to motorised traffic. Every Saturday evening a handicraft market is held along Wua Lai Road, Chiang Mai's silver street on the south side of the city beyond Chiang Mai Gate, which is then also closed to motorised traffic.
* Shopping Malls: Besides Bangkok, until recently, Chiang Mai offered the most Big-Brand shopping malls. As of now there are three shopping malls operating in Chiang Mai: Central Chiang Mai Airport, Central Chiang Mai and Maya Shopping Mall. Two well known malls, Promenada and Kad Suan Kaew, had to close permanently in 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic causing low foot-traffic and lower spending by visitors.
* Thai massage
Thai massage or Thai yoga massage is a traditional therapy combining acupressure, Indian Ayurvedic principles, and assisted yoga postures. The idea of Sen-lines ''alias'' energy-lines was first used as "Thai yoga massage". These are similar to ...
: The back streets and main thoroughfares of Chiang Mai have many massage
Massage is the manipulation of the body's soft tissues. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. In Eu ...
parlours which offer anything from quick, simple, face and foot massages, to month-long courses in the art of Thai massage.
* Thai cookery: A number of Thai cooking schools have their home in Chiang Mai.
* For IT shopping, Pantip Plaza
Pantip Plaza is an indoor IT shopping mall located on New Phetchaburi Road in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok, Thailand. It has branch locations in Nonthaburi, in Bangkapi, and in Chiang Mai.
Stores
The mall has two anchors, IT City, which oc ...
just south of Night Bazaar (few shops open due to COVID-19 pandemic), as well as Computer Plaza, Computer City, and Icon Square near the northwestern moat corner.
* Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
: Every Saturday starting at 12:30 there are races at Kawila Race Track
Kawila ( th, กาวิละ, , nod, , 31 October 17421816), also known as Phra Boromrachathibodi ( th, พระบรมราชาธิบดี), was the Northern Thai ruler of Chiangmai Kingdom and the founder of Chetton Dynasty. Orig ...
. Betting is legal.
* Chiang Mai is also to be the place where new idol group CGM48
CGM48 (read ''C.G.M. Forty-eight'') is a Thai Teen idol, idol girl group. It is the first domestic sister group of the Thai idol group BNK48, and the eighth international AKB48 Group, sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 ...
founded.
*Buak Hard Public Park
Buak Hat Public Park ( th, สวน สธารณะ หนอง บวก หาด) is a public park located in the southwest corner of Chiang Mai’s old city.
It is open every day from 0500 - 2100.
It is a place for local people and touri ...
: Located in the south west corner of the Old City.
*Ang Keaw Reservoir: Located near the northern entrance to Chiang Mai University.
Health
The largest hospital in Chiang Mai City is Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital () is a university teaching hospital, affiliated to the Faculty of Medicine of Chiang Mai University, located in Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai Province. It is a hospital capable of super tertiary care an ...
, run by the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University
The Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University () is the third oldest medical school in Thailand located in Mueang Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai and is the first medical school in Thailand to be set up in a regional location outside Bangkok.
History
T ...
. The Ministry of Public Health does not operate any hospitals in Chiang Mai City, with the closest one Nakornping Hospital
Nakornping Hospital ( th, โรงพยาบาลนครพิงค์) is a hospital located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is the second largest hospital in Chiang Mai with an in-patient capacity of 742 beds as of 2022. It is now serving a ...
, a regional hospital in Mae Rim District and is the MOPH's largest hospital in the province.
Transportation
A number of bus stations link the city to central, southeast, and northern Thailand. The central Chang Puak Terminal (north of Chiang Puak Gate) provides local services within Chiang Mai Province. The Chiang Mai Arcade bus terminal northeast of the city centre (which can be reached with a songthaew
A songthaew ( th, สองแถว, , two rows, , ; lo, ສອງແຖວ, ; ms, dua baris) is a passenger vehicle in Thailand and Laos adapted from a pick-up or a larger truck and used as a share taxi or bus.
Overview
The songthaew take ...
or tuk-tuk ride) provides services to over 20 other destinations in Thailand including Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, and Phuket. There are several services a day from Chiang Mai Arcade terminal to Mo Chit Station in Bangkok (a 10- to 12-hour journey).
The state railway operates 10 trains a day to Chiang Mai railway station
Chiang Mai station (SRT Code: CGM) ( th, สถานีเชียงใหม่ (ชม.)) is a 1st class station and the main railway station in Chiang Mai Province. This station is on the east side of the Ping River in the city of Chiang ...
from Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
. Most journeys run overnight and take approximately 12–15 hours. Most trains offer first-class (private cabins) and second-class (seats fold out to make sleeping berths) service. Chiang Mai is the northern terminus of the Thai railway system.
Chiang Mai International Airport
Chiang Mai International Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานเชียงใหม่, ) is an international airport serving Chiang Mai, the capital city of Chiang Mai Province in Thailand. It is a major gateway to Northern Thail ...
receives up to 28 flights a day from Bangkok (flight time about 1 hour 10 minutes) and also serves as a local hub for services to other northern cities such as Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai ( th, เชียงราย, ; nod, , เจียงฮาย, ) is the northernmost major city in Thailand, with a population of about 200,000 people. It is located in Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai Province. Chiang Rai ...
, Phrae
Phrae (; ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northern Thailand, capital of Phrae Province.
The town occupies ''tambon'' Nai Wiang of Mueang Phrae District. It has an area of nine kilometres2 and a population of 17,971 (2005). Phrae is 555 km no ...
, and Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son ( th, แม่ฮ่องสอน, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in north-west Thailand, capital of Mae Hong Son Province. It is in the Shan Hills, near the border with Burma along the banks of the River Pai. As of 2018, the to ...
. International services also connect Chiang Mai with other regional centers, including cities in other Asian countries.
The locally preferred form of transport is personal motorbike and, increasingly, private car. Local public transport is via tuk-tuk
An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many terms in various countries including auto, auto rickshaw, baby taxi, mototaxi, pigeon, jonnybee, bajaj ...
, songthaew
A songthaew ( th, สองแถว, , two rows, , ; lo, ສອງແຖວ, ; ms, dua baris) is a passenger vehicle in Thailand and Laos adapted from a pick-up or a larger truck and used as a share taxi or bus.
Overview
The songthaew take ...
, bus, or rickshaw
A rickshaw originally denoted a two- or three-wheeled passenger cart, now known as a pulled rickshaw, which is generally pulled by one person carrying one passenger. The first known use of the term was in 1879. Over time, cycle rickshaws (also ...
. New electric tuks-tuks were introduced into the city in June 2017.
As population density continues to grow, greater pressure is placed upon the city's transportation system. During peak hours, the road traffic is often badly congested. The city officials as well as researchers and experts have been trying to find feasible solutions to tackle the city's traffic problems. Most of them agree that factors such as lack of public transport, increasing number of motor vehicles, inefficient land use plan and urban sprawl, have led to these problems.
The latest development is that Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has approved a draft decree on the light railway transit system project in Chiang Mai. If the draft is approved by the Thai cabinet, the construction could begin in 2020 and be completed by 2027. It is believed that such a system would mitigate Chiang Mai's traffic problems to a large degree.
"Smart City" initiative
In February 2017, the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) (under Thailand's Digital Economy and Society Ministry) announced that 36.5 million baht would be invested into developing Chiang Mai into an innovation-driven "smart city". Chiang Mai was the second city in Thailand, after Phuket and along with Khon Kaen, to be developed using the "smart city" model. The model aims to capture and populate multiple levels of information (including building, social, environmental, governmental, and economic data) from sources like sensors, real-time traffic information, and social forums for access by managers, governments, and citizens using mobile apps, tablets, and dashboards. The "Smart City" outlook (integrating Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with the Internet of Things (IOT)), is viewed to be critical both for secondary cities with burgeoning urban population like Chiang Mai, as well as part of Thailand's move to be digital hub of ASEAN.
The role of private sector investment, together with public sector partnership, is key to promote digital entrepreneurship. Prosoft Comtech, a Thai software company, has spent 300 million baht to build its own "Oon IT Valley" on a 90 rai
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
plot of land as a community for tech start-ups, Internet of Things technology, software programmers and business process outsourcing services. It is aimed to both increase the size of Chiang Mai's digital workforce, as well as attract foreign digital talent to Chiang Mai.[
]
Smart transportation
In January 2018, it was announced that Chiang Mai would be launching "Mobike In", a bike-sharing app that would see the introduction of some 500 smart bikes on the streets. The smart bikes would be available for use for both locals and tourists. It is reported that as a start, the bikes would be placed at convenient locations including the Three Kings monument, Tha Pae Gate and Suan Buak Haad Park, as well as in the old town. The "Mobike In" project is sponsored by Advanced Info Service
Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS) is Thailand's largest GSM mobile phone operator with 39.87 million customers as of Q3 2016. Founded in April 1985, AIS started off as a computer rental business. In October 1990, it launched ana ...
(Thailand's largest mobile phone operator), in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) ( th, การท่องเที่ยวแห่งประเทศไทย) is an organization of Thailand under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Its mandate is to promote Thailand's tourism in ...
(Chiang Mai Office), together with local universities, public and private sectors. The project aims to promote non-motorised transportation and support eco-tourism. Speaking at the launch at the Lanna Folklife Museum, Deputy Governor Puttipong Sirimart stated that the introduction of such "smart transportation" was a positive move in Chiang Mai's transformation into a "Smart City" (part of the "Thailand 4.0" vision).
Smart agriculture
Phongsak Ariyajitphaisal, DEPA's Chiang Mai branch manager, stated that one of the areas its smart city initiative would be promoting was "smart agriculture". Eighty percent of Chiang Mai Province's population are farmers, mostly small-scale, and increasing productivity through use of ICT has the potential to improve the local economy and living standards. DEPA has also provided funding to Chiang Mai's Maejo University
Maejo University (MJU.) (also spelled Maecho University, th, มหาวิทยาลัยแม่โจ้) in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, is the oldest agricultural institution in the country. Founded in 1934 as the Northern Agricultur ...
, to develop wireless sensor systems for better farmland irrigation techniques, to reduce use of water sprinklers and increase productivity. The university is also developing agricultural drones that can spray fertilizers and pesticides on crops which, if successful, will result in lower costs. The drones may also detect and monitor fires and smoke pollution.[
Under the 2011 IBM "Smarter Cities Challenge", IBM experts recommended smarter food initiatives focused on creating agricultural data for farmers, including price modelling, farmer-focused weather forecasting tools, an e-portal to help farmers align crop production with demand, as well as branding of Chiang Mai produce. Longer-term recommendations included implementing traceability, enabling the tracking of produce from farm to consumer, smarter irrigation as well as flood control and early warning systems.
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Smart healthcare
As part of the smart city project supported by IBM, Chiang Mai is also looking to use technology to boost its presence as a medical tourism hub. In 2011, IBM launched its Smarter Cities Challenge, a three-year, 100 city, 1.6 billion baht (US$50 million) program where teams of experts study and make detailed recommendations to address local important urban issues. Chiang Mai won a grant of about US$400,000 in 2011. The IBM team focused on smarter healthcare initiatives, aimed at making Chiang Mai and the University Medical Clinic a medical hub, as well as improving efficiency of hospitals for improved service delivery. For example, healthcare providers could use real-time location tracking of patients and hospital assets to increase efficiency and build an internationally recognised service identity. Electronic medical record technology can also be adopted to standardise information exchanges to link all medical service providers, even including traditional medicine and spas.[ Similar ideas include linking patient databases and healthcare asset information. In partnership with the Faculty of Medicine at Chiang Mai University, the team of experts aim to enhance the quality of medical care available to the community, both urban and rural, as well as develop Chiang Mai into a centre for medical tourism with the infrastructure for supporting international visitors seeking long-term medical care.
As the largest city in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai already receives some long stay healthcare visitors, largely Japanese. Its main advantage over Bangkok is lower costs of living. Quality services at low prices are a major selling point in mainstream healthcare, dental and ophthalmologic care as well as Thai traditional medicine. Its local university is also developing specializations in robotic surgery and geriatric medicine to accommodate a future aging population.]
Smart tourism
DEPA also reported that it has developed a mobile app that uses augmented reality technology to showcase various historical attractions in Chiang Mai, in line with the government's policy to promote Chiang Mai as a world heritage city.
Tourism
The Pacific Asia Travel Association, along with the Thai Government, is largely responsible for the development of tourism in Chiang Mai. Founded in 1951 and headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a non-profit membership association working to promote the responsible development of travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region.
From the beginning, Chiang Mai had the right ingredients for tourism - culture, climate, hotels, people, tours, scenery, power, roads, and services - which offered golden opportunities for extended visitor stays, a desired feature for successful tourism. What the city needed was some assistance in packaging these elements. This is where PATA came in. PATA first became involved in the development of tourism in Chiang Mai in 1968. PATA’s 9th Annual Workshop was held in 1968 and based in Chiang Mai, titled “Creating a New Destination”. The workshop provided an international forum for reviewing Chiang Mai’s tourism prospects while at the same time promoting it as a second Thai tourism destination other than Bangkok. In preparation for the Workshop, PATA sent an 11-member study team to Chiang Mai “to accomplish a study of the many decisions necessary to create a destination area of Chiang Mai, including an evaluation of the existing and natural assets, opportunities for development, community participation, financing, and the marketing of the product.”
After the 1968 Chiang Mai workshop recommendations were implemented, the number of visitors to Chiang Mai rose dramatically. The increase, however, was largely attributed to the growth of regional, not international, traffic. In fact, between 1971 and 1973, Thai visitor counts increased 23% while international visitor counts decreased by 11%. The situation was reviewed by Thailand’s National Economic and Social Development Board’s Third National Plan (1972-76), and by both the United Nations Development Program and World Bank. Their investigations concluded that a study of Chiang Mai’s airport, which appeared to be over-congested, would provide answers to the discouraging numbers of international arrivals. As a result, Lieutenant General Chalermchai Charuvastr, Thai Army General and Founder/Director of the Tourist Organization of Thailand, contacted Marvin Plake with a request for sending a task force to Chiang Mai. The task force would introduce, plan, and implement a specific ‘idea’ regarding tourism development in Chiang Mai. The proposal was accepted at a PATA Development Authority meeting in Hawaii in August, 1974. With joint cooperation from the Thai Government and Thai Airlines, the mission commenced on January 27, 1975 with Cyril Herrmann, chairman of PATA’s Environmental, Social, and Economic Planning Committee, as a project leader.
Based on findings from the task force mission, PATA produced a report entitled “Creating a Destination Area.” The study noted that the use of land laws, zoning, open space, and architectural and design controls would help preserve Chiang Mai’s environmental and cultural character. In 1977, the Thailand Tourism Organization (TOT) asked the Development Authority to send a second task force to Chiang Mai. TOT wanted this team of experts to develop and recommend ways in which Chiang Mai could encourage more domestic and international air services. PATA initiated a two-week program: first, it would attempt to build up Chiang Mai’s regional traffic, and called upon members from regional airlines and tour operators for assistance; second, once airport operations had secured regional activity, expansion into the international market would then be targeted. The second task force determined that the international market was not adequately served - flight reservations in and out of Bangkok were difficult to make, and Thai Airways services were not well marketed overseas.
As a result of the second investigation, the second task force produced “Chiang Mai, The Introduction of International Air Service,” a report containing both short-term plans and long-term recommendations to increase the amount of international tourists in Chiang Mai. These findings were submitted to TOT to help it establish a transportation policy to complement its tourism development program. The report concluded that Chiang Mai’s cultural image was highly marketable to foreign travelers, and needed to be promoted; that present accommodations were adequate and not restraining growth; and that as long as development and preservation were carefully balanced through sound planning, Chiang Mai’s capacity for tourism would continue to increase.
In the late 1970s, after receiving PATA’s task force recommendations via Tourist Organization of Thailand (TOT), the Thai government implemented a development plan based largely on PATA’s blueprint for Chiang Mai. These procedures could not have come at a better time, for the 1980s witnessed unprecedented visitor growth for Chiang Mai, turning tourism into the city’s most important economic activity. This increase spawned considerable expansion in other sectors as well, such as hotel, condominium, and golf course development. PATA’s involvement with Chiang Mai represented a milestone for comprehensive planning and development, and later proved to be one of PATA’s most remarkable achievements.
According to Thailand's Tourist Authority, in 2013 Chiang Mai had 14.1 million visitors: 4.6 million foreigners and 9.5 million Thais. In 2016, tourist arrivals were expected to grow by approximately 10 percent to 9.1 million, with Chinese tourists increasing by seven percent to 750,000 and international arrivals by 10 percent to 2.6 million. Tourism in Chiang Mai has been growing annually by 15 percent per year since 2011, mostly due to Chinese tourists who account for 30 percent of international arrivals. In 2015, 7.4 million tourists visited Chiang Mai. Out of these, 35 percent were foreign tourists. The number of tourists has increased with an average rate of 13.6 percent annually between 2009 and 2015. The major reasons that have made Chiang Mai a tourist attraction are its topography, climate, and cultural history.
Chiang Mai is estimated to have 32,000–40,000 hotel rooms and Chiang Mai International Airport
Chiang Mai International Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานเชียงใหม่, ) is an international airport serving Chiang Mai, the capital city of Chiang Mai Province in Thailand. It is a major gateway to Northern Thail ...
(CNX) is Thailand's fourth largest airport, after Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Don Mueang (DMK), and Phuket (HKT). Planning is underway for a second airport with a capacity to serve 10 million annual passengers.
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) aims to market Chiang Mai as a global MICE
A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...
city as part of a five-year plan. The TCEB forecasts revenue from MICE to rise by 10 percent to 4.24 billion baht in 2013 and the number of MICE travellers to rise by five percent to 72,424.
Tourism has also brought benefits for the local community of Chiang Mai. For example, tourism has played a tremendous role in promoting arts and crafts market in Chiang Mai. Tourists have increased demand for traditional crafts and art forms that has resulted in the incentives for the local artists to enhance their work thus adding to the prosperity of the sector.
Moreover, there are great opportunities for agritourism in Chiang Mai. The factor analysis illustrates three types of agri needs, activities and shopping, facilities, services and location and the last one attractions and environment. Agritoursim is a type of business that a farmer conducts for additional farm income. Farmers, through the promotions of agricultural products, provide enjoyment and educate public about farming and agriculture.
Notable persons
* Rodjaraeg Wattanapanit
Rodjaraeg Wattanapanit is a Thai free speech activist and bookstore owner. She was a co-founder of the organisation Creating Awareness for Enhanced Democracy (abbreviated CAFÉ Democracy), an organization based out of her bookstore that aims to f ...
– the first Thai winner of the International Women of Courage Award
The International Women of Courage Award, also referred to as the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award, is an American award presented annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have ...
.
* Jongkolphan Kititharakul
Jongkolphan Kititharakul ( th, จงกลพรรณ กิติธรากุล; born 1 March 1993) is a Thai badminton player who specializes in doubles. She was the women's doubles gold medalist at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, also p ...
– Thai badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per side) and "doubles" (with two players pe ...
player, women's doubles gold medalist at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
Seventeen or 17 may refer to:
*17 (number), the natural number following 16 and preceding 18
* one of the years 17 BC, AD 17, 1917, 2017
Literature
Magazines
* ''Seventeen'' (American magazine), an American magazine
* ''Seventeen'' (Japanes ...
.
Twin towns and sister cities
Chiang Mai has agreements with the following sister cities
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
:
* Uozu
is a city in the eastern part of Toyama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 42,224 in 16,811 households and a population density of 210 persons per km². Its total area was .
Geography
Uozu lies in between Namerikawa ...
, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
(8 August 1989)
* Saitama Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture ...
, Japan (9 November 1992)
* Kunming, Yunnan
Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headquar ...
, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
(7 June 1999)
* Harbin
Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
, China (29 April 2008)
* Pyongyang
Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...
, North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
* Da Lat
Da Lat (also written as Dalat, vi, Đà Lạt; ), is the capital of Lâm Đồng Province and the largest city of the Central Highlands region in Vietnam. The city is located above sea level on the Langbian Plateau. Da Lat is one of the mos ...
, Lam Dong
Lam or LAM may refer to:
Organizations
* Laguna Art Museum, California, US
* Lam Eng Rubber, a Malaysian manufacturer
* Lam Research, American semiconductor equipment company
* LAM Mozambique Airlines, flag carrier airline of Mozambique
* Librarie ...
, Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
Gallery
Wat Chedi Luang, Buddhist monks 2, Chiang Mai, Thailand.jpg, Monks in Wat Chedi Luang
Ping River banks north of Chiang Mai, Thailand.jpg, Ping River banks in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, Procession, Lantern Festival, Thailand.jpg, Loi Krathong celebration
Chiangmai inthakhin2 04.jpg, Inthakhin city pillar building, Wat Chedi Luang
Chiangmai-market2.jpg, Street food
Street food is ready-to-eat food or drinks sold by a hawker, or vendor, in a street or at other public places, such as markets or fairs. It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption ...
, Sunday Evening Market
Chiangmai-market.jpg, Selling umbrellas, Sunday Evening Market
Soi in Chiang Mai.JPG, A soi
''Soi'' ( th, ซอย ) is the term used in Thailand for a side-street branching off a major street (''thanon'', th, ถนน). An alley is called a ''trok'' ( th, ตรอก).
Overview
Sois are usually numbered, and are referred to by th ...
NE of city center
Thailand chiangmai tuk tuk police.jpg, Police tuk-tuk, Tha Phae Gate
Ancient city wall and Chang Phueak Gate in Chiang Mai.jpg, Chang Phueak Gate and part of the old city wall
Chiang Mai - Chiang Mai Moat - 0006.jpg, View south along the eastern moat of city center
Chmwphrasingh0506b.jpg, Ho Trai
A ho trai ( th, หอไตร) is the library of a Thai Buddhist temple.
A ho trai can come in different shapes and sizes.
For many centuries, the sacred Tipiṭaka scriptures had been written on palm leaves. To preserve the scriptures aga ...
(library), Wat Phra Singh
Chiang Mai sunday evening walking street.jpg, Sunday Evening Market, Chiang Mai
See also
* Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
* Chiang Mai Creative City
* Chiang Mai Initiative
* Royal Flora Ratchaphruek
The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek was an international horticultural exposition held 1 November 2006 to 31 January 2007 in the Thai city Chiang Mai of Chiang Mai Province that drew 3,781,624 visitors. Recognised by the Bureau International des Expositi ...
References
External links
City of Chiang Mai
*
{{Authority control
1296 establishments in Asia
Cities and towns in Chiang Mai province
Cities and towns in Thailand
Populated places in Chiang Mai province
Populated places established in the 1290s