Chiang Mai, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lanna ( the kingdom of a million rice-fields ) is now the modern capital of northern Thailand. During its golden age through-out the 15th century, this powerful kingdom controlled most of what constitutes northern Thailand, north-western Laos, the eastern Shan States of Burma ( Myanmar ) and Xishuanbanna in south Yunan. With the assistance of his two allies, King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai and King Ngam Muang of Phayao, King Mengrai established the new capital of Chiang Mai.

       Over 700 years old and lying on the banks of the Ping river, the city is a wondrous blend of ancient art, culture and history, yet with all the conveniences and facilities of a modern metropolis. Parts of the old wall and a moat surround the city, filled with magnificent ancient temples and steeped in culture.

       Situated 310 meters above sea level, it covers a land area of 20,107 square kilometers, a large part of which is covered by undulating hills and mountains and lush-green forests. Doi Inthanond, at 2,565 meters, is Thailand's highest mountain peak. The city's largest and most important river is the Ping river. Originating in the mountains north of Chiang Dao, the river flows south-wards for 540 kilometers and flows into the Chao Phaya River at Nakhon Sawan.

       With a population of 1,571,962 Chiang Mai is one of Thailand's largest provinces. Currently 171,595 people live in the city area while the rest reside in the province's 22 districts and 2 sub-districts. Eighty per cent of the population are locals by birth, speaking the local dialect, which is slightly different from the central Thai language. The remaining twenty per cent constitutes of Thais and foreigners who have moved here to work, study, teach or retire. The majority of the people worship Buddhism.

       As regards the weather, Chiang Mai has three main seasons: summer ( February to May, average temperature is 30C ) rainy ( June to October, average temperature is 25C ) and cool ( late October to mid-February, average temperature is 21C ).

No wonder this city, abounding with beauty, charm, culture, history, nature and splendid hospitality is appropriately known as the "Rose of the North".

Lanna Thai Architecture
         Although influenced through contact with Burma and Laos, Lanna Thai architecture has a unique style of its own, a good and clear example of which is the Lanna Thai temple ( Wat ). Lanna style temples are built on a low base of stucco-covered brick-work and compared with the soaring temples of the Central plains, they appear rather squat. The bountiful northern teak forests has allowed the extensive use of wood, both to clad the buildings and to provide intricately-carved decorations along the gables.

          Another distinctive feature of Lanna architecture can be seen in people's houses. Northern homes are generally built of teak, with walls that slope out-wards and not in-wards, like houses built in the Central plains. Houses are said to represent the water buffalo, on which the people are so dependent on. The columns represent the beast's stout legs, the outward sloping walls and roof is the massive body while the cross- peaks called galae, are the horns of the animal

Religion
         Although Mahayana Buddhism may have come to the region first, via the Khmer empire and the Silk road, Theravada Buddhism became the dominant form of Buddhism from the end of the 14th century onwards.
         Theravada Buddhism, in its essence, is about the dhamma, the true path, according to Buddhist belief. As the state religion of Lanna, it became entwined with Brahmanic court traditions, which came from the Indianised empires of the Khmer at Angkor

and the Burmans at Pagan, both of which were then at the height of their powers in the 12th and 13th centuries.  
         Prior to the dominance of Buddhism, the Tai were animists with a fertility cult centered on the wet-rice cultivation cycle. This blend of animism and Buddhism has resulted in a variety of customs and religion as practiced today.

Thai Values : While Buddhism is the prime factor influencing and shaping Thai moral behavior, several other important values are prominent too. One is "sanuk", a concept which translates roughly as 'fun'. Thais judge the value of an endeavour by the amount of sanuk it has; anything that is not sanuk is to be avoided. Another Thai attitude that should be understood is "mai pen rai" which can be roughly translated as 'it doesn't matter' or 'no problem' and is usually accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders.

Hilltribe
         Six major (Hmong, Lisu, Lahu, Akha, Yao, and Karen) and several minor hill-tribes are found in northern Thailand. Each tribe is divided into clans or sub-groups, with their own distinct customs, rituals, and clothing.
         In the past, the slash and burn technique of shifting cultivation, used by these tribes, to grow food crops and opium poppies, was in conflict with national efforts to preserve water-sheds against de-forestation and to curb drug production.

         To address these problems, H.M. King Bhumiphol initiated royal projects while both government and international aid development programs began promoting cash- crop cultivation, such as coffee, red kidney beans, potatoes and cabbages. These programs were highly successful in bringing the hill-tribe villagers into the cash economy and in reducing opium production at the same time.