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Chiang Mai
เชียงใหม่
Chiang Mai Chiang Mai
Location of in Chiang Mai Province
Chiang Mai Location of in Chiang Mai Province
Coordinates: 18°47′43″N 98°59′55″E / 18.79528°N 98.99861°E / 18.79528; 98.99861Coordinates: 18°47′43″N 98°59′55″E / 18.79528°N 98.99861°E / 18.79528; 98.99861
Country	Thailand
Province	Chiang Mai Province
Government
• Type	City municipality
• Mayor	Tatsanai Puranupakorn
Area
• City	40.216 km2 (15.527 sq mi)
• Metro	2,905 km2 (1,122 sq mi)
Population (2008)
• City	148,477
• Density	3,687/km2 (9,550/sq mi)
• Metro	960,906
• Metro density	315.42/km2 (816.9/sq mi)
Time zone	Thailand (UTC+7)
Airport	IATA: CNX – ICAO: VTCC

Chiang Mai (Thai: เชียงใหม่ [tɕʰiəŋ màj] ( listen), Northern Thai: ᨩ᩠ᨿᨦᩉ᩠ᨾᩲ᩵ [tɕiəŋ màj]) sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province, a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna (1296–1768) and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is located 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok, among the highest mountains in the country. The city is on the Ping River, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River. Chiang Mai means "new city" and was so-named because it was the new capital, founded in 1296, succeeding Chiang Rai (founded 1262) in the capital of the Lanna kingdom.

In recent years, Chiang Mai has become an increasingly modern city and has been attracting over 5 million visitors each year, of which between 1.4 million and 2 million are foreign tourists (depending on the year).^[1] Chiang Mai gained prominence in the political sphere in May 2006, when the Chiang Mai Initiative was concluded here between the ASEAN nations and the "+3" countries (China, Japan, and South Korea). Chiang Mai is one of three Thai cities contending to host the World Expo 2020.^[2] It has also recently positioned itself to become a Creative City and is considering to apply for Creative City Status with UNESCO.^[3] Chiang Mai is the only tourist destination in Thailand to have made it in to the 2012 list of "25 Best Destinations in the World" of the popular travel website TripAdvisor, standing in place 24.^[4]

Chiang Mai's historic importance is derived from its strategic location on the Ping river and major trading routes.^[5][6][7]

While officially the city (thesaban nakhon) of Chiang Mai only covers most parts of the Mueang Chiang Mai district with a population of 160,000, the urban sprawl of the city now extends into several neighboring districts. This Chiang Mai Metropolitan Area has a population of nearly one million people, more than half the total of Chiang Mai Province.

The city is subdivided into four wards (khwaeng): Nakhon Ping, Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kawila. The first three are on the west bank of the Ping River, and Kawila is located on the east bank. Nakhon Ping district comprises the north side of the city. Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kawila consist of the west, south, and east respectively. The city center—within the city walls—is mostly within Srivijaya ward.^[8]

History[link]

This section requires expansion.

Wat Chiang Man, the oldest Buddhist temple in the city

The north-western corner of the city wall

King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning "new city") in 1296 on the location of an older city of the Lawa people called Wiang Nopburi.^[9] Chiang Mai succeeded Chiang Rai as the capital of the Lanna kingdom. The ruler was known as the Chao. The city was surrounded by a moat and a defensive wall, since nearby Burma was a constant threat as well as the armies of the Mongol Empire which only decades earlier had conquered most of Yunnan, China, and in 1292 overran the bordering Thai Lü kingdom of Chiang Hung.^[10] With the decline of the Lanna Kingdom, the city lost importance and was occupied by the Burmese in 1556.^[11] Chiang Mai formally became part of Siam in 1775 by an agreement with Chao Kavila, after the Thai King Taksin helped drive out the Burmese. Because of the Burmese counter attacks, Chiang Mai was abandoned between 1776 and 1791.^[12] Lampang then served as the capital of what remained of Lanna. Chiang Mai then slowly grew in cultural, trading and economic importance to its current status as the unofficial capital of northern Thailand, second in importance only to Bangkok.^{[citation needed]}

The modern municipality dates to a sanitary district (sukhaphiban) that was created in 1915. This was upgraded to a municipality (thesaban) on March 29, 1935, as published in the Royal Gazette, Book No. 52 section 80. First covering just 17.5 km² (7 sq mi), the city was enlarged to 40.216 km² (16 sq mi) on April 5, 1983.^[13]

Administration[link]

The district is subdivided into 16 subdistricts (tambon), which are further subdivided into 77 villages (muban). The city (thesaban nakhon) Chiang Mai covers the tambon Si Phum, Phra Sing, Haiya, Chiang Moi, Chang Khlan, Wat Ket and Pa Tan, and parts of the tambon Chang Phueak, Suthep, Pa Daet, Nong Hoi, Tha Sala, Nong Pa Khrang and Fa Ham. There are further 3 townships (thesaban tambon) – Chang Phueak covers parts of the tambon Chang Phueak, and Mae Hia and Tha Sala the whole same-named tambon. There are further 6 tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

Climate[link]

Chiang Mai has a tropical wet and dry climate (Koppen 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 are much lower than daytime highs. The maximum temperature ever recorded is 42.4°C in May 2005.^[14]

A panoramic view of the city of Chiang Mai during the rainy season, September 2010

Emblem[link]

The city emblem depicts the chedi at Wat Doi Suthep in its center. Below it are clouds, representing the moderate climate in the mountains of northern Thailand. There is a naga, the mythical snake said to be the source of the Ping River, and rice stalks, which refer to the fertility of the land.^[17]

Religious sites[link]

Fireworks during the extended Loi Krathong festivities in Chiang Mai over Wat Phantao

The chedi at Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

The Baan Haw Mosque.

Chiang Mai has over 300 Buddhist temples (called "wat" in Thai). These include:

• Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, the city's most famous temple, stands on Doi Suthep, a hill to the north-west of the city. This temple dates from 1383.
• Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, dates 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 is located 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 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 Chet Yot is located on the outskirts of the city. Built in 1455, the temple hosted the Eighth World Buddhist Council in 1977.
• Wiang Kum Kam is at the site of an old city on the southern outskirts of Chiang Mai. King Mengrai 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 in the west of the city, near Chiang Mai University. Wat U-Mong is known for its fasting Buddha, representing the Buddha at the end of his long and fruitless fasting period before he gained enlightenment.
• Wat RamPoeng (Tapotaram), near Wat U-Mong, is known for its meditation center (Northern Insight Meditation Center). The temple teaches the traditional vipassana 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.^{[citation needed]}
• Wat Suan Dok is a 14th century temple located just west of the old city-wall. It was built by the king for a revered monk visiting from Sukhothai for the rains retreat. The temple is also the site of Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya Buddhist University, where monks pursue their studies.
• First Church, Chiang Mai, was founded in 1868 by the Laos Mission of the Rev. Daniel and Mrs. Sophia McGilvary. Chiang Mai has about 20 Christian churches^[18]

• Muslim traders have been travelling 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,^[19] with mosques belonging to Chinese or Chin Haw Muslims.^[20] In 2011, there were 16 mosques in the city.^[21]
• Two gurdwaras (Sikh Temples)^[22] serve the city's Sikh community, Siri Guru Singh Sabha and Namdhari Sikh Temples.^[22]
• Hindu temple Devi Mandir serves the Hindu community.^[22]

Culture[link]

Festivals[link]

Thousands of Khom Fai in Mae Jo during Loi Kratong

A truckload of people after getting hit by water during Songkran in Chiang Mai

A street in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai hosts many Thai festivals, including:

• Loi Kratong (known locally as Yi Peng): Held on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, being the full moon of the 2nd 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 onto the waterways of the city to worship the Goddess of Water. Lanna-style sky lanterns (khom fai or kom loi), which are hot-air balloons made of paper, are launched into the air. The sky lanterns are believed to help rid the locals of troubles and are also taken to decorate houses and streets.
• Songkran: Held in mid-April to celebrate the traditional Thai new year. Chiang Mai has become one of the most popular locations to visit for this festival. A variety of religious and fun-related activities (notably the good-natured city-wide water-fight) take place each year, along with parades and a Miss Songkran beauty competition.
• Chiang Mai Flower Festival: 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 Boon Khan Dok, the Inthakin (City Pillar) Festival, starts on the day of the waning moon of the six lunar month and lasts 6–8 days.

Language[link]

The inhabitants speak Kham Muang (also known as Northern Thai or Lanna) among themselves, though Central Thai is used in education and is understood by everyone. English is used in hotels and travel-related businesses and many educated people speak English.^[23] The Kham Muang alphabet is now studied only by scholars, and Northern Thai is commonly written with the standard Thai alphabet.

Museums[link]

• Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Center.
• Chiang Mai National Museum highlights the history of the region and the Kingdom of Lanna.
• Tribal Museum showcases the history of the local mountain tribes.
• Mint Bureau of Chiangmai or Sala Thanarak, Treasury Department, Ministry of Finance, Rajdamnern Road (one block from AUA) has an old coin museum open to the public during business hours. The Lanna Kingdom used leaf (or line) money made of brass and silver bubbles, also called "pig-mouth" money. Nobody has been able to duplicate the technique of making pig-mouth money, and because the silver is very thin and breakable, good pieces are now very rare.^[24]

Dining[link]

• Khantoke dinner is an old Lanna Thai tradition in Chiang Mai. It is an elaborate dinner or lunch which is offered by a host to guests at various ceremonies or parties, e.g. at weddings, housewarmings, celebrations, novice ordinations, or funerals. It can also be held for temple celebrations such as celebrations for specific buildings in a Thai temple and at Buddhist festivals such as Khao Pansa, Og Pansa, Loy Krathong, and Thai New Year (Songkran).

Education[link]

Chiang Mai has several universities, including Chiang Mai University, Chiangmai Rajabhat University, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Payap University, Far Eastern University, and Maejo University—as well as numerous technical and teacher colleges. Chiang Mai University was the first government university established outside of Bangkok. Payap University is the first private institution in Thailand that was granted university status.

Nature[link]

• The nearby national parks include Doi Inthanon National Park, which includes Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand; Doi Pui Suthep; and Obkhan.
• Doi Pui Suthep National Park is just outside town. From all over Chiang Mai you can see the Wat Doi Suthep Buddhist temple looking down on the town from Doi Suthep mountain.
• Elephant Nature Park: Approximately 60 km (37 mi) north of the city or about one hour drive, the Elephant Nature Park is home to approximately 30 rescued elephants.
• Hill-tribe tourism and trekking: A large number of tour companies offer organized treks among the local hills and forests on foot and on elephant back. Most also involve visits to the various local hill tribes. These include representatives from the Akha, Hmong, Karen, and Lisu tribes.^{[citation needed]}

Recreation[link]

Night-life[link]

The Chiang Mai night-life has many bars, several discotheques, live music venues and one street with hostess bars which cater to tourists, located along Loi Kroh Road. It includes a walk-in arcade with a Muay Thai boxing ring near the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel.

Bars and late-night restaurants are located all over the city, but many can be found on either side of the moat's eastern flank (in the Thapae Gate area), with some live music venues along the Ping River near Nawarat Bridge, along Immanent road in the western part of the city or in the vicinity of the night bazaar.^{[citation needed]} The Playhouse Theatre off Chang Puak road in the old city offers nightly shows and entertainment performed by Thai national performers. They also offer a unique Lanna dining experience surrounded by mountains and waterfalls. At the Galare Centre, there is a free display of Thai cultural dancing and music.

There is also a cluster of bars, American franchise fast food and coffee outlets together with more eclectic restaurants near the intersection of Chang Klan and Loi Kroh Road.^{[citation needed]} Karaoke lounges can be found all over the city. Many are found at Chiang Mai Land Road, and some very large establishments along the length of Chang Klan Road, extending south from the famed night bazaar. There are only a couple of go-go bars in Chiang Mai.

Activities[link]

• Shopping: Chiang Mai has a large and famous night bazaar for local arts and handicrafts. The night bazaar sprawls across several city blocks along footpaths, inside buildings and temple grounds, and in open squares. A handicraft and food market opens every Sunday afternoon till late 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 motorized traffic.^[25]
• Thai massage: The back streets and main thoroughfares of Chiang Mai have an abundance and variety of massage 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 (see also Thai food).
• For IT shopping, there's Pantip Plaza just south of Night Bazaar, as well as Computer Plaza, Computer City, and Icon Square near the northern moat and IT City department store in Kad Suan Kaew mall.
• As a major Thai city, Chiang Mai has hypermarkets of all major chains represented in Thailand, including two Tesco Lotus Supercenters, three Big C's, and three Makro stores. They are located along the highways in the peripheral areas of the city.

Transportation[link]

Tuk-tuks waiting for passengers near Tapae Gate in Chiang Mai

Bus, train and air connections serve Chiang Mai well. A number of bus stations link the city to central and northern Thailand. The Central Chang Pheuak terminal (north of Chiang Puak Gate) provides local services within Chiang Mai province and the Chiang Mai Arcade bus terminal north-east of the city (requires Songthaew or tuk-tuk ride, see below) provides services to over 20 other destinations in Thailand including Bangkok, Ayutthaya, and Phitsanulok. There are several services a day from Chiang Mai Arcade terminal to Bangkok (a 10–12 hour journey).

The state railway operates 14 trains a day to Chiang Mai Station from Bangkok. Most journeys run overnight and take approximately 12–15 hours. Most trains offer first-class (private cabins) and a second-class (seats fold out to make sleeping berths) service..

To get to cities such as Mae Hong Son or Chiang Rai a plane or bus must be used. No trains are available to cities north of Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai International Airport 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, Phrae and Mae Hong Son. International services also connect Chiang Mai with other regional centres, including cities in other South East Asian countries.

The local preferred form of transport is personal motorbike and, increasingly, private car.

Local public transport is provided in four forms: tuktuks, songthaews, less frequently rickshaws and the recently re-launched, though infrequent, Chiang Mai Bus service. Local Songthaew fare is usually 20–50 Thai baht per person for trips in and around the city. If the group of people is larger, the fare per person will be less. Tuktuk fare is usually at least 20 baht per trip (comfortable for two, but some can squeeze in four passengers); fare increases with distance. Chiang Mai's local bus service was relaunched in 2006. It serves routes in and around the city, although the service itself lacks the frequency and route mass as is available in other major cities.

Air pollution[link]

A continuing environmental problem facing Chiang Mai is the incidence of air pollution which primarily occurs for a period of several weeks up to the beginning of April. This issue has been acknowledged for some time. Back in 1996, speaking at the Fourth International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement conference, which was held in Chiang Mai in that year, the then governor of Chiang Mai, Virachai Naewboonien invited guest speaker Dr. Jakapan Wongburanawatt, the Dean of the Social Science Faculty of Chiang Mai University at that time, to discuss the state of Chiang Mai air pollution efforts. Dr. Wongburanawatt stated that back in 1994, there were already increasing numbers of city residents coming to hospitals suffering from respiratory problems associated with city air pollution.^[26] The Thailand Pollution Control Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is actively engaged in finding solutions with public awareness campaigns and other initiatives. During this period, unlike the majority of the year, air quality in Chiang Mai often remains below recommended standards with fine-particle dust levels reaching twice the standard.^[27] The northern centre of the Meteorological Department has reported that low-pressure areas from China trap forest-fire smoke in the mountains along the Thai-Myanmar border. Chiang Mai’s air quality has been perceptibly deteriorating over the past ten years.^[28] This is being addressed by a number of initiatives, and in part, is often seen in cities with increasing economic growth at the expense of a strong corresponding programme to counteract the negative effects of environmental impact. The city is often shrouded in smog during this period leading up to the rainy season. Fine particulate dust levels have sometimes been tested between 190 micrograms and 243 micrograms per cubic meter. (The standard acceptable level in Thailand is 120 milligrams per cubic meter, while the World Health Organization acceptable level is 50 milligrams per cubic meter.^[29]) Amongst the minor sources of particulate matter pollution in Chiang Mai is the prevalence of burning in the city, with cremations, burning garbage, or vehicular emissions from poorly maintained diesel vehicles contributing. Added to these minor causes is dust raised during building and excavations.^{[citation needed]}

Sister cities[link]

• Kunming, Yunnan, China
• Manama, Bahrain
• Chongqing, Chongqing, China

Harbin/China 2008.05.29

Gallery[link]

• 

  Inthakhin—city pillar building, Wat Chedi Luang.

• 

  Street food at the Sunday Evening Market.

• 

  Selling umbrellas at the Sunday Evening Market.

• 

  A police tuktuk at Tapae Gate.

• 

  A street scene in Chiang Mai, showing (center right), a gate of the old city wall.

• 

  Looking south along the eastern moat of the historical city center of Chiang Mai. The road on the right is Moon Muang, on the left, Chaiya Poom.

• 

  The Ho Trai (library) of Wat Phra Singh

• 

  The Sunday Evening Market is one of the main attractions of Chiang Mai

• 

  Huai Tueng Thao lake, on the northwestern outskirt of Chiang Mai

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Chiang Mai

• Chiang Mai Creative City
• Chiang Mai Metropolitan Area
• Royal Flora Ratchaphruek
• Chiang Mai University
• Prince Royal's College
• Chiang Mai Initiative
• Child's Dream
• Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Chiang Mai

References[link]

External links[link]

• City of Chiang Mai (English)
• City of Chiang Mai (Thai)
• Chiang Mai travel guide from Wikitravel