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Chiang Rai province,
which covers some 11,678 square kilometers, is bordered by
Myanmar (Burma) to the north, and Laos to the
north and northeast. This provincial capital is
785 kilometers north of Bangkok and is 580 meters above sea
level and it is a popular place to start
hill-tribe treks.
Chiang Rai was
founded in 1262 by King Meng Rai and was the
first capital city of Lanna Thai (Kingdom of a
Million Ricefields). Thailand's northern most
point at Mae Sai is located in this province.
Chiang Rai is well known for its crisp mountain
scenery and hilltribes, and it falls within the
region known as the Golden Triangle. Chiang Rai is also known as a gateway to the
Golden Triangle, the area
where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos
converge, a mountainous frontier where the opium
poppy is a cash crop for this region's ethnic
minorities. Wat Phra Kaew (Phra Kaew Temple) and the Hilltribe
Museum and Education Centre are among the few
attractions found here in Chiang Rai.
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