This uniqueness has also made the city an attraction for tourists all over the world who come to visit the "city of cultural glory."
Although Chiang Mai has existed for 700 years,the Tai Yuan groups is even older, with one Tai Yuan legend stating that they have existed for more than 1,000 years. Evidence also exists that this Tai groups settled their own communtiy along the Mekong Basin where the Sai, Ing and Kok rivers merge together. This area is now in Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai province and can be rearded as the birth place of the Lanna Kingdom and the first settled community of the Tai Yuan.
According to a legend, before the Tai Yuan settled in this area there existed a city called "Muang Suwan Komekham." After this city became weak, a group of Tai pepple led by "singhonwat Kumarn" moved in and re-established the city on the Kok River Basin. This nwe city was named "Veing Yonok Nakphan" out of the belief that the city was foundad with the help of a serpent.