Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Chiang Mai History

Chiang Mai History
The Historic Capital Of Lanna Chiang Mai Rose of the North is located in a board fertile basin of Ping river, about 700 km north of Bangkok. Regarding as the principal city of the northern region, Chiang Mai consists of distinctive culture and various ethnic group along with beautiful scenery of natural environment. Nowadays, Chiang mai is the commercial, educational,and travel center. Among the modern civilization, there are still numerous remaining of its long and glorious culture. Moreover the hospitality of people, old local traditions and belief and a hundred of monuments are very unique.

Chiangmai is an old city with a proud history. It was founded by King Mengrai who united several tribes and named the new land as Lanna Kingdom. In 1259, he governed the throne and built Chiangrai as his capital in 1262. In 1291, he decided to build a new city as the capital of Lanna Kingdom. He invited King Ramkhamhaeng the Great of Sukhothai Kingdom, and King Ngam Nuang of Phayao Kingdom, both were his close friends, to help select a site for the new city.

They decided to build the new city on a fertile plainbetween Doi Suthep Mountain and the bank of thePing River.The new city was completed, surroundedby a moat and wall, in 1296. It was named Nopphaburi Si Nakhonping Chiangmai.

Chiang Mai was the capital of Lanna Kingdom for a long time. It was attacked frequently and finally came under the control of Ayuthaya, then Burma. In 1774, King Taksin the Great of Thailand recovered it from the Burmese. Since then Chiang Mai province has been a part of Thailand.