Located 785 kilometres north of Bangkok, Chiang Rai is the
capital of Thailand’s northernmost province. At an average
elevation of nearly 600 metres above sea level and covering an
area of approximately 11,700 square kilometres, the province
borders Myanmar to the north, and Lao PDR to the north and
northeast. The area is largely mountainous, with peaks rising to
1,500 metres above sea level, and flwing between the hill
ranges are several rivers, the most important being the Kok,
near which the city of Chiang Rai is situated. In the far north of
the province is the area known as the Golden Triangle, where
the Mekong and Ruak Rivers meet to form the borders of
Thailand, Myanmar and Lao PDR Inhabiting the highlands are
hilltribes like the Akha, Lahu, Karen, and Hmong.