Chiang Mai

Not to be confused with Chiang Mai province, Mueang Chiang Mai district, Chiang Rai, Chengmai County, or Chennai.
This article is about the city. For other uses, see Chiang Mai (disambiguation).
Chiang Mai
เชียงใหม่
ᨩ᩠ᨿᨦᩉ᩠ᨾᩲ᩵
City municipality
Chiang Mai City Municipality
เทศบาลนครเชียงใหม่
From top, left to right: Aerial view of Chiang Mai, Wat Phra Singh, Tha Phae Gate, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, and Wat Chiang Man
Official seal of Chiang Mai
Seal
Map
Chiang Mai is located in Thailand
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Location within Thailand
Chiang Mai is located in Asia
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Location within Asia
Chiang Mai is located in Earth
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Location within Earth
Coordinates: 18°47′43″N 98°59′55″E / 18.79528°N 98.99861°E / 18.79528; 98.99861
Country Thailand
Province Chiang Mai province
AmphoeMueang Chiang Mai
City
municipality		29 March 1935[1]
Districts
4
  • Nakornping District
  • Kawila District
  • Mengrai District
  • Sriwichai District
Government
 • TypeCity municipality
 • MayorAtsani Puranupakorn
Area
40.216 km2 (15.5274844 sq mi)
 • Urban
405 km2 (156.371 sq mi)
 • Rank11th
Elevation
304 m (997 ft)
Population
 (2019)[2]
127,240
(Municipal area)
 • Rank8th
 • Density3,164/km2 (8,190/sq mi)
 • Urban
 (2022)
1,198,000 (Principal city area/เขตเมือง)
 • Urban density2,958/km2 (7,660/sq mi)
 • Metro
(To be announced)
Time zoneUTC+07:00 (ICT)
Postal code
50000
Calling code053 & 054
AirportChiang Mai International Airport
Inter-city railNorthern Line
Websitecmcity.go.th
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Chiang Mai[a] is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in Thailand. It is 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok in a mountainous region called the Thai highlands and has a population of 1.2 million people as of 2022, which is more than 66 percent of the total population of Chiang Mai province (1.8 million).[3][4][5]

Chiang Mai
"Chiang Mai" in Thai language (top) and
Northern Thai with Tai Tham script (bottom)
Thai name
Thaiเชียงใหม่
RTGSChiang Mai
Northern Thai name
Northern Thaiᨩ᩠ᨿᨦᩉ᩠ᨾᩲ᩵
[t͡ɕīəŋ.màj]

Chiang Mai (meaning "new city" in Thai) was founded in 1296 as the new capital of Lan Na, succeeding the former capital, Chiang Rai.[6]: 208–209  The city's location on the Ping River (a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River) and its proximity to major trading routes contributed to its historic importance.[7][8]

The city municipality of Chiang Mai (thesaban nakhon) officially only covers parts (40,2 km²) of the Mueang Chiang Mai district in the city centre and has a population of 127,000.[4] This census area dates back to 1983 when Chiang Mai's municipal area was enlarged for the first and last time since becoming the first City Municipality in Thailand (then under Siam) in 1935. The city's sprawl has since extended into several neighboring districts, namely Hang Dong in the south, Mae Rim in the north, Suthep in the west and San Kamphaeng in the east, forming the Chiang Mai urban area with over a million residents.

The city municipality is subdivided into four khwaeng (electoral wards): Nakhon Ping, Sriwichai, Mengrai, and Kawila. The first three are on the west bank of the Ping River, and Kawila is on the east bank. Nakhon Ping District includes the northern part of the city. Sriwichai, Mengrai, and Kawila consist of the western, southern, and eastern parts, respectively. The city center—within the city walls—is mostly within Sriwichai ward.[9]

  1. ^ [1],"พระราชบัญญัติจัดตั้งเทศบาลนครเชียงใหม่ พุทธศักราช ๒๔๗๘"
  2. ^ "สถิติทางการทะเบียน" [Registration statistics]. bora.dopa.go.th. Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA). December 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2020. Download จำนวนประชากร ปี พ.ศ.2562 - Download population year 2019
  3. ^ "National Statistical Office Thailand – Population Data 2022". statbbi.nso.go.th. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  4. ^ a b "Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), Population data for the year 2022".
  5. ^ "Chiang Mai, Thailand Metro Area Population 1950-2022, Data provided by the United Nations' Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division". www.macrotrends.net. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Coedes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Chiang Mai Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand". Lonely Planet. 2011-10-24. Archived from the original on 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  8. ^ "มหาวิทยาลัยนอร์ท-เชียงใหม่ [North – Chiang Mai University]". Northcm.ac.th. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  9. ^ "Chiang Mai Municipality" (in Thai). Chiang Mai City. 2008. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-04.


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