Lamphun was part of the Mon Dvaravati civilization which developed along trade routes from the Gulf of Martaban (an arm of the Andaman Sea in the southern part of Burma) to the Chao Phraya River basin and beyond to the north and east.
Queen Chamadevi’s dynasty lasted until the mid 11th century, when Lamphun may have been temporarily evacuated due to a cholera epidemic. However it remained as the centre of the valley until it was captured by King Mangrai in 1281. King Mangrai used Lamphun as his capital for four years before founding a new capital. Since the foundation of Chiang Mai in 1296, Lamphun has been dominated by its northern neighbour.