City guide · เชียงใหม่ Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Old capital of the Lanna kingdom: a moated old city, more than 300 temples and Doi Suthep
In Thai, Chiang Mai means 'new city'. A square moat surrounds the old city, which is full of temples; on Doi Suthep west of town, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep looks down over the city. Loy Krathong and the sky lanterns in November are Chiang Mai's most beautiful time of year.
History
How the city came to be
In 1294 or 1296 King Mangrai founded Chiang Mai at a place the Lawa people called 'Wiang Nopburi', replacing Chiang Rai as the new capital of the Lanna kingdom. As Lanna declined, Chiang Mai was taken by Burma's Toungoo dynasty in 1556 and remained under Burmese control for most of the next two centuries. After King Taksin helped drive out the Burmese, an agreement with Kawila in 1774 formally brought Chiang Mai into the Thonburi kingdom. Today the city is divided into four districts, two of them named after Mangrai and Kawila.
- 1296King Mangrai founded Chiang Mai as the new capital of Lanna
- 1383Wat Phra That Doi Suthep was built
- 1556Taken by the Toungoo dynasty of Burma
- 1774An agreement with Kawila brought it into the Thonburi kingdom
Stories
Stories of the city
History · Chiang Mai
King Mangrai's new city
Chiang Mai means 'new city' in Thai. At the end of the 13th century Mangrai, founder of the Lanna kingdom, founded Chiang Mai at a place the Lawa called 'Wiang Nopburi' as a new capital to replace Chiang Rai; the founding year is generally given as 1296. Mangrai's mother was a daughter of the Tai Lue ruler of Chiang Hung in Sipsongpanna; he also mediated a dispute between the king of Phayao and Ram Khamhaeng of Sukhothai, and the three kings formed an alliance — commemorated today by the 'Three Kings Monument' in the centre of Chiang Mai's old city.
Legend · Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
The mountain chosen by a white elephant
Legend says a monk from Sukhothai, Sumanathera, was guided in a dream to find a relic of the Buddha. The king of Sukhothai doubted the relic was genuine and told him to keep it himself. In 1368 the monk took the relic north to Lanna, where it split in two: the smaller piece was enshrined at Wat Suan Dok, and the king placed the other on the back of a white elephant and released it into the forest. The elephant climbed Doi Suthep, then called 'Sugar-cane Elephant Mountain', stopped, trumpeted three times and fell dead. Taking this as a divine sign, the king immediately ordered a temple built there.
People
People connected with Chiang Mai
Local life
Food and local daily life
Before you go
Rules to know in Chiang Mai
Drones must be registered in Thailand
- Register with Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) within 30 days of arrival or purchase, even if you don't plan to fly
- Bringing in an unregistered drone
Fines of up to THB 100,000 or 5 years in prison, or both.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Thailand travel advice
E-cigarettes are completely illegal in Thailand
- Leave e-cigarettes, pods and e-liquids at home before you travel
- Carrying or using e-cigarettes, pods, e-liquids or heated-tobacco devices
Confiscation, fines (usually THB 5,000–30,000), detention and prosecution; no exceptions for tourists or personal use.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Thailand travel advice
Never insult the Thai royal family
- Treat portraits of the royal family and related topics with respect and care
- Posting or sharing any criticism of, or jokes about, the royal family, online included
The lèse-majesté law is interpreted very broadly and can bring long prison sentences; it applies to past and present members of the royal family.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Thailand travel advice
Temples and the Grand Palace: cover shoulders and knees
- Wear sleeved tops and long trousers or skirts below the knee
- Take off your shoes before entering a hall
- When seated, don't point the soles of your feet at a Buddha image
- Entering in a vest, shorts or see-through clothes
- Covering a sleeveless top only with a shawl may not be accepted at the Grand Palace
You will be refused entry and will need to rent or buy a sarong at the gate.
Not yet verifiedSource: Grand Palace dress code and visiting rules (travel guide)