CHIANG RAI The northernmost province of Thailand.

History of Chiang Rai Thailand !

CHIANG RAI The northernmost province of Thailand, Chiang Rai is situated on the Kok River basin 416 meters above sea level. With an area of some 11,678 square kilometers. It is about 785 kilometers from Bangkok. Mostly mountainous, it reaches the Mae Khong River to the north and borders on both Myanmar and Laos. The province is rich in tourism resources in term of natural attractions and antiquities, evidence of its past civilization. It is also home to several hill tribes who follow fascinating ways of life. Chiang Rai is also a tourism gateway into Myanmar and Laos. The location is now known the world over as the focal point of the Golden Triangle, the so-called homeground of opium production and trading. CHIANG RAI  BACKGROUND Chiang Rai had a glorious place in history. It was the first capital of the independent, northern Thai Kingdom, Lanna Thai, established in 1262. The revered status of the royal founder of Chiang Rai, King Mengrai, now stands at the main square of Chiang Rai principal street. The Lanna Thai capital, now Chiang Saen distict of Chiang Rai, was later changed over to Chiang Mai. Being of the same Thai race, the Chiang Rai people joined up with the central Thai kingdom in the south in 1786, and Chiang Rai became a full Thai province in 1910. Chiang Rai's population on the plain and valleys is about on million people. The principal livelihood is farming of the traditional crops: rice, bean, tapioca, jute and tobacco, supplemented by fishing. Other farming enterprises, being started in Chiang Rai, are lychee and longan orchards, barley growing for beer production and sweet grass plantations for exports. The provincial terrain is about 78% mountain, and 22% valley. Chiang Rai thus also have a large number of highland population of various hill-tribes, the Akha tribe, which lives only in Chiang Rai ; and others, such as the Yao, the Meo, Lisu, Lahu, Karen. Each tribe speaks its own language and follow a mixture of animist customs and conventional religions. They are scattered in the high hills that cover the whole region. Their colorful customs and unchanged ways of life draw in large number of tourists to see the people who stop by the wayside and let the world go by. Hotels In Chiang Rai

The province is subdivided in 16 districts (Amphoe) and two minor districts (King Amphoe). These are further subdivided into 124 communes (tambon) and 1510 villages (muban)

Amphoe King Amphoe 1. Mueang Chiang Rai 9. Mae Sai 17. Wiang Chiang Rung 2. Wiang Chai 10. Mae Suai 18. Doi Luang 3. Chiang Khong 11. Wiang Pa Pao 4. Thoeng 12. Phaya Mengrai 5. Phan 13. Wiang Kaen 6. Pa Daet 14. Khun Tan 7. Mae Chan 15. Mae Fa Luang 8. Chiang Saen 16. Mae Lao