Chiang Mai city, 700 kilometers north of Bangkok, was founded in 1296, and is located in a fertile valley 300 meters above sea level and Chiang Mai was the capital of the Lanna Thai (Kingdom of One Million Rice fields) the first independent Thai kingdom within the Golden Triangle.
Chiang Mai flourished as a major religious, cultural and trading center until 1556 when a Burmese invasion reduced it to a vassal state. The Burmese were expelled in 1785, and Lanna Thai again became part of northern Thailand, surrounded by mountains and lush countryside, it is much greener and quieter than the capital, and has a cosmopolitan air and a significant expat population, factors which have led many from Bangkok to settle permanently in this "Rose of the North".
The city is subdivided into four wards (khwaeng): Nakhon Ping, Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kawila. The first three are on the west bank of the Ping River, and Kawila is on the east bank. Nakhon Ping district comprises the north part of the city. Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kawila consist of the west, south, and east parts, respectively. The cities center-within the city.