ABSTRACT
Location: Northwestern Thailand, on the Ping River, near the center of a fertile valley. Average elevation is 1,100 feet.
Description: Historically Chiang Mai served as the royal residence and the capital of the independent kingdom of Lan Na. Now this city serves as the religious, economic, cultural, educational, and transportation center for northern Thailand and parts of adjacent Myanmar (Burma). The city also has strong cultural ties to Laos.
