Chiang Rai province covers some 11,678 square kilometers with a population of
1.23 million. The average elevation is 580 meters above sea level, Myanmar
borders on the north, and Laos on the north and northeast. The provincial
capital is 829 kilometers north of Bangkok.
Chiang Rai was founded in 1262 by King Meng Rai and was the first capital of
Lanna Thai (Kingdom of a Million Rice fields). The province contains Thailand's
northernmost point at Mae Sai which is well known for its crisp mountain
scenery, and hill tribes. North Chiang Rai and falls within the region known as
the Golden Triangle, the area where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos
converge.
The province is rich in tourism resources in terms of natural
attractions and antiquities and evidence of its past civilisation. It is also
home to several hilltribes who follow fascinating ways of life. Chiang Rai is
also a tourism gateway into Myanmar and Laos
