Established in 1260 by King Meng Rai, Chiang Rai was the first capital of the Lanna Thai kingdom – literally, The Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields. Renowned for its cooler climate, spectacular mountain scenery and many hill tribes, Thailand’s northernmost point, Mae Sai is also in Chiang Rai province. Northern Chiang Rai forms the region known as the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos converge.