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Introduction : The town of Chiang Rai was founded in the 13th century (at least that is when it was first mentioned in the annals). It was founded by King Mengrai who also founded Chiang Mai further south), a very successful politician and ruler. He made Chiang Rai the first capital of his new kingdom and has a fortress built to hold the Mongols at bay who kept invading the country from the north).


Stresses in Chiang Rai : Little remains of this interesting past, and Chiang Rai today is mostly popular for its pleasant, relaxed atmosphere, and its rich cultural diversity. It is the best starting point for trekking tours to the tribal villages in the hills around the Golden Triangle and also for sightseeing tours to the region. Nevertheless, there are some nice spots in Chiang Rai that are worth a visit. They are all in the old part of the town and you can easily walk from one to the other, with the exception of the museums.

Let's start at Wat Phra Singh. It is located in the north of the old town, south of the Kok river (Mae Kok). It holds one of the oldest Buddha images in Northern Thailand. It is also famous for its modern doors on which two really fierce looking guardians are depicted.

From this temple walk to left and at the next corner again to the left. You are now on Ruang Nakhon Road. On the left side is a market that you can explore. After the visit to the market proceed walk right (towards the river). You will reach Wat Phra Kaew - it has the same name as the famous temple in Bangkok, and for the same reason: "Temple of the Emerald Buddha". It is here, in its Chedi that in the year 1436 the small jade Buddha image was found or "stolen", as some might say :-) that is now displayed in Bangkok. Recently a copy was made that is now on exhibit in a small new viharn (chapel). The inauguration of the building and the statue was an important event attended by the king and high officials; pictures of the ceremony are displayed inside the building. Apart from that Wat Phra Kaew is a lovely traditional Lanna style Temple with the typical rich decor of woodcarvings and leaf gold. There are lots of other temples in Chiang Rai, but Wat Phra Singh and Wat Phra Kaew are the essential ones.

Entrance Gate of Wat Phra Kaew : The two museums are located a bit farther away - take a tuk-tuk, as the distances are several kilometers. The first one is the Haw Kham Mae Fah Luang Royal Museum. You can find it on Rajyotha Road, in a a beautiful Lanna style teak wood building. Its focus is on religious objects - wooden Buddha images, monk's fans, and carved wooden screen, swords, stone markers, and so on. It is surrounded by nice gardens with a lake. The second interesting museum is the Oub Kham, also located in a lovely garden. It is located near the military hospital and Den Ha wet market. This museum offers interesting relics from Lanna's royal past: processional chairs, peacock fans, cloths and costumes, silver work, and statuary. The museum is named for the golden bowl that in old Lanna was part of the regalia and to be used only by the king and its family.