Chiang May

Chiang May (in Thai เชียงใหม่, the “pink of North”) sometimes also called “Chiengmai”, is the second plus big city of the Thailand, culturally most significant in the north of the Thailand and the capital of the Province of Chiang May. It is located at 18° 47 ' 20 ″ NR, 98° 59 ' 00 ″ E, 800 kilometers in the north of Bangkok, among more the high mountains of the country. The city is located on banks of the river Ping, an important tributary of the river of Chao Phraya.

These last years, Chiang May became an increasingly modern city, although it misses the cosmopolitan gloss of Bangkok. The city proposes many attractions for the thousands of foreign visitors who come in Chiang May every year. The historical force of Chiang May derives from its important strategic situation close to a southernmost branch of old the Silk route, and a long time before the modern surge of the foreign visitors the city was used as important center for its craft industry, the sunshades, the jewels (in particular money) and these woodcarvings.

The province of Chiang May has an estimated population from approximately 1,6 million inhabitants, including 6 to 700.000 in the town of Chiang May. The figures concerning the population vary much: some think that only people living in “the central zone” (Amphoe Muang) of Chiang May must be counted like residents of the city, but Chiang May is an undeniable case of urban spreading out. A person living Mae OJ or Hang Dong, can be counted as a resident of town of Chiang May? Similar questions apply to New York, Los Angeles, and Tōkyō. In conclusion, however, it is rather easy to know when you are in the town of Chiang May (pop 700.000), and when you are outwards in the province of Chiang May (pop 1.600.000).

However, there is no doubt, the city develops quickly, because she was perceived like the most livable city of all Asia.

History

King Mengrai founded Chiang May (meaning “new city”) in 1296, and it succeeded Chiang Rai like capital of the kingdom of Thai Lanna. Mengrai built a ditch and a wall around the city to protect it from incursions coming from Burma. With the decline of the kingdom of Lannathai, the city lost its importance and was often occupied by the Burmeses or the Thais of Ayutthaya. During wars carried out by the Burmeses, culminating with the fall of Ayutthaya in April 1767, Chiang May was emptied of its inhabitants and it remained abandoned during fifteen years (1776 - 1791) (Lampang was the capital of what remained Kingdom of Lannathai lasting this period).

Chiang May formally became an area of the Siam in 1774, when King Taksin took it again to the Burmeses. Chiang May was raised as well culturally as economically, to become gradually the official capital of the north of Thailand, second city in importance after Bangkok.

The people generally speak Kham Muang (also known under the name of Scandinavian Thai or lanna) between them, but the Thai central of Bangkok east employed in education and are included/understood by the majority of people. The old alphabet Kham Muang is now only studied by scholars and Scandinavian Thai is generally written by using the Thai Alphabet standard.

Buddhism

Wat Phrathat DOI Suthep

Wat Phrathat DOI Suthep is a Buddhist temple of the province of Chiang May. The temple is often indicated under the name of DOI Suthep although it is actually the name of the mountain on which it is localized. The temple is located at 15 kilometers of the town of Chiang May and is a site crowned for Thaïes. Since the temple, there is an impressive sight on the town of Chiang May, Wat Phrathat DOI Suthep remains always a very popular destination near the foreign visitors.

Wat Chiang Man

Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple of Chiang May. King Mengrai lived in this temple while supervising the construction of the city. This temple shelters two very important and venerated images of Buddha, Phra Sila (marble Buddha) and of Phra Satang Man (a crystal Buddha).

Wat Phra Singh

Wat Phra Singh is located inside the walls of city, going back to 1345, this temple is an example of classical architecture of the north of Thailand. It places the Buddha Phra Singh, a very venerated image, transferred here several years ago coming from Chiang Rai.

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang วัดเจดีย์หลวง, temple of large the stupa, was founded in 1401 and is dominated by large the chedi of model of Lanna, whose construction was spread out over several years. An earthquake damaged the chedi in XVIe century, maintaining only two thirds of this one is still visible. In the beginning, it was composed of three temples, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin.

Wat Ched Yot

Wat Ched Yot is located at the periphery of the city, this temple, is built in 1455 accommodated the eighth World Buddhist Council in 1977.

Wiang Kum Kam

Wiang Kum Kam is the site of an old city located on the southernmost peripheries of Chiang May. king Mengrai employed this city during ten years before the foundation of Chiang May. The site has a great number of temples in ruins.

Wat U Mong

Wat U-Mong is a forest temple in a cave in the hills in the west of the city, close to the University of Chiang May. Wat U-Mong is recognized for its image of fasting Buddha and its hundreds of Buddhist proverbs in English and Thai posted on the trees on the site.

Wat Suan Dork

Wat Suan Dork is a temple of the 14th century located just at the west of the old walls of the city. It was built by king Lanna for a révéré monk of Sukhothai like residence during its retirement of the rain season. The name of the temple results roughly in “field of flowers”. It has several single aspects, of which large the ubosot , or hall of ordination. It is not very common not only by its size, but also by the fact that it open on the sides than completely is rather closed. Another characteristic of the temple is the great number of chedis sheltering funerary ashes of the sovereigns of Chiang May. This temple is also the seat of a monastic university among most important of Thailand, the Buddhist University Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya.

Culture

Economy

Tourism

Transport

External bond

http://www.tourismethaifr.com/chgmai.shtm

http://www.chiangmai-news.com/

http://apcm.fcomfrench.com/

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