Chiang Mai sometimes written as “Chiengmai” or “Chiangmai”, is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province, a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna (1296–1768) and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is located 700 km north of Bangkok, among the highest mountains in the country. The city is along the Ping River, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River.
