Chiang
Mai Guest Houses
Many tourists like to visit Chiang Mai
and have vacation in the region. Some may want to stay at a guest house while
they are there. Some tourists may want a vacation in the region to see the culture
the history the tourist attractions the scenery and the society of the city. Some
may want a guest house that has good views and good access to culture, entertainment,
parking, transport and luxury facilities. Some may want a luxury guest house or
a cheap guest house. Some may want guest house that has access to good prices
and has a good reputation.
Chiang Mai also sometimes written as "Chiengmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand, and is the capital of Chiang Mai Province. It is located some 700 km north of Bangkok, among some of the highest mountains in the country. The city stands on the Ping river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya river.
In recent years, Chiang Mai has become an increasingly modern city; and although it lacks the cosmopolitan nature of Bangkok, it has many attractions for the thousands of foreign visitors who come each year. Chiang Mai's historic importance is derived from its strategic location on an ancient trade route. Long before the modern influx of foreign visitors, the city served as a major centre for handcrafted goods, umbrellas, jewelry (particularly silver) and woodcarving.
The city itself is subdivided into 4 wards (khwaeng): Nakhon Ping, Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kavila. The first three are on the west bank while Kavila is located on the east bank of the Ping River. Nakhon Ping district covers the north side of the city. Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kavila cover the west, south, and east side respectively. The central part (the old walled town) is covered mostly by Srivijaya and partly by Nakhon Ping and Mengrai wards.
King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning new city) in 1296, and it succeeded Chiang Rai as capital of the Lanna kingdom. To protect it against raids from Burma, the city was surrounded by a moat and a defensive wall. With the decline in power of the Lannathai kingdom, the city lost importance and often was occupied by either the Burmese or Thais from Ayutthaya. As a result of the Burmese wars that ended with the fall of Ayutthaya in April 1767, Chiang Mai was so depopulated that its remaining inhabitants abandoned the city from 1776 to 1791. During that time, Lampang functioned as the capital of what remained of Lannathai.
Chiang Mai formally became part of Siam in 1774, when the Thai King Taksin captured it from the Burmese. Chiang Mai rose in both cultural, trading and economic terms to adopt its current status as the unofficial capital of the north of Thailand, second only in national importance to Bangkok.
The people generally speak Kham Muang (also known as Northern Thai or Lanna) amongst themselves, but the Central Thai of Bangkok is used in education and is understood by most. English is generally used in hotel and travel related businesses and many locals speak English. The old Kham Muang alphabet is now only studied by scholars and Northern Thai is commonly written using the standard Thai alphabet.
Amphoe of Chiang Mai (An amphoe is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as district, amphoe make up the provinces. Amphoe are further subdivided into tambon.)
Mueang Chiang Mai, Chom Thong, Mae Chaem, Chiang Dao, Doi Saket, Mae Taeng, Mae Rim, Samoeng, Fang, Mae Ai, Phrao, San Pa Tong, San Kamphaeng, San Sai, Hang Dong, Hot, Doi Tao, Omkoi, Saraphi, Wiang Haeng, Chai Prakan, Mae Wang, Mae On, Doi Lo
Lanna was a kingdom in the north of Thailand around the city of Chiang Mai. The kingdom was founded in 1296 by King Mangrai the Great, when he succeeded his father as the leader of the Ngoen Yang city state. In 1262 he founded the city Chiang Rai as his capital, naming it after himself. The kingdom quickly grew by unifying the many local Tai rulers of the area under his leadership, as well as by enlarging to the south by annexing the Mon kingdom of Hariphunchai in 1292 - the area around the modern-day city Lamphun. In 1296 he founded the city of Chiang Mai as the new capital of the kingdom with help from allies Ngam Muang of Phayao and Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai.
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