Chiang Rai, the northernmost province of Thailand is about 785 kilometers north
of Bangkok. Situated on the Kok River basin, Chiang Rai covers an area of approximately
11,678 square meters with an average elevation of 580 meters above sea level.
The province, which is located within the renowned Golden Triangle area where
Myanmar, Laos and Thailand converge, is also known as the gateway to Myanmar,
Laos and Southern China.
Chiang Rai, which was founded in 1262 by King Meng Rai, was the first capital
of the Lanna Thai Kingdom (Kingdom of a million rice fields), which was later
conquered by Burma. It was not until 1786 that Chiang Rai became a Thai territory
and was proclaimed a province during the reign of King Rama VI in 1910.
