In 1551 the King of Chiengmai, who had no son, died. One of his daughters was married to
the king of Laos. She had borne one son, named Prince Chaichettha. When the king of
Chiengmai died the ministers of Chiengmai invited the prince, who was fifte en, to become
king and he accepted. However, when his father, the king of Laos, passed away, King
Chaichettha wanted to go back to his own country, so in 1552 he returned to Luang Prabang,
the then capital of Laos, taking the Emerald Buddha with him, and promised the ministers of
Chiengmai to come back. He never returned nor did he send back the Emerald Buddha, so the
image remained at Luang Prabang for twelve years.