Travel
Info
 Chiang
Mai, 761 kms. by rail, approximately 700 kms.
by road north of Bangkok, with an area of 20,107.1
sq.lms., is Thailand's second largest city and
capital of the northern region. panded to be
the busy mosaic of department stores, shops,
and vendors that it is today.
ChiangMai is administratively divided into
22 Amphurs districts) : Muang Situated between
north latitude 17-21 and east longitude 98-99,
the province of Chiang Mai is found in the upper
area of Thailand's northern region. Chiang Mai
valley is 310 meters (1,027 feet) above sea
level. The widest point of the province measures
136 kms. (85 miles), and the longest 320 kms.
(200 miles). To the north, a 277 kms. (141.82
miles) stretch of mountains divides Chiang Mai's
northern districts of Fang and Mae Ai from Myanmar's
(Burma's) Chiang Tung (Shan) State. In certain
areas, the Kok River also acts as a border between
Chiang Mai and Myanmar. On the east, Chiang
Mai is bodered by the Chaing Rai, Lampang, and
Lamphun provinces. The Mae Tuen River, Ream
Mountain, and Luang Mountain separate Chiang
Mai's South from the province of Tak. Some portions
of Chiang Mai's South also border the Lamphun
province. Tothe west, Chiang Mai is bordered
by Mae Hong Son province.
History
Chiang Mai is Thailand's principal northern
city. ChiangMai is the provincial capital of
a largely
mountain-ous province, also called Chiang Mai,
which is some 20,000 square kilo-metres in area.
Chiang Mai city is 700 kilometres north of Bangkok,
was founded in 1296, and is located in a fertile
valley some 300 metres above sea level. Chiang
Mai was the capital of Lanna Thai (Kingdom of
One Million Ricefields), the first independent
Thai kingdom within the fabled Golden Triangle.
Chiang Mai flourished as a major religious,
cultural and trading centre until 1556 when
a Burmese invasion reduced it to a vassal state.
The Burmese were expelled in 1785, where upon
Lanna Thai once again became part of northern
Thailand. Many lowland Thais regard Chiang Mai
city and province as being something of a national
Shangri-la, thanks to its beautiful women, distinctive
festivals, historic temples dating from the
1300s, arresting scenic beauty, temperate fruits
such as apples peaches and strawberries, and
a crisp, invigorating cool season climate.
 Population
With a population of 1,547,085 Chiang Mai is
one of Thailand's largest provinces. Of the
above number, 170,348 are currently living in
Chiang Mai's city area with the rest distributed
throughout Chiang Mai's 21 districts, 2 sub-districts.
80% of the people in Chiang Mai are locals by
birth, and speak a sialext that is a slight
variation of the central Thai language. The
remaining 20% is made up of Thai nationals and
foreigners who have moved to Chiang Mai to work,
study, or retire.
There are many hilltribe people living in the
mountainous districts surrounding Chiang Mai
such as Omkoi, Mae Jam.
The majority (80%) of the Chiang Mai people
earn a living through agriculture and agricultural
related professions. The second largest vocation
is tourism and its directly and indirectly related
jobs. General commerce and industry-mainly in
the form of handicrafts, and of processing agricultural
products-are the two other major professions
in which the Chiang Mai people are involved. |
