thailand travel: Chaingmai

Million of people travel to Thailand every year. Many of them do not know what to expect, and they know very little about Thailand. However once they have been to Thailand, they will be sure to return. Thailand is an amazing country with marvelous excitement in every corner.
There are four natural regions in Thailand. The northern region is full of mountains and forests. Chaing Mai is a very popular tourist destination of this region. The central plain is very fertile. It is very suitable for agriculture. Many farmers produce rice in this area. Thailand has often been named,

"Rice Bowl of Asia". Bangkok is the center of this region. It is also the capital of Thailand. The southern region is full of beautiful beaches and landscape. There are many minerals and ores to be found in this area.

Thailand is a humid and hot tropical country. Many Thai people like to joke that it has three seasons, hot, hotter, and hottest. The average temperature is about 23 to 35 Celsius.
Thai people have great love and respect for the king and the royal family. If you have a chance to visit Thailand, it is not wise t to disrespect the loyalty. Do no say anything bad about the monarchy. It is illegal, and you can be arrested.

Thailand is great place for vacation. Some of the very popular tourist cities are Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Samui, and Pattaya.

It is a good idea to learn a little Thai, before you visit Thailand. Thai people admire people who can speak some Thai.

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History

King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning "new city") in 1296, and it succeeded Chaing Rai as capital of the Lanna kingdom. The ruler was known as the Chao. The city was surrounded

by a moat and a defensive wall, since nearby Burma was a constant threat. With the decline of the Lannathai kingdom, the city lost importance and was often occupied either by the Burmese or Thais from Ayutttaya. Because of the Burmese wars that culminated in the fall of Ayutthaya in April 1767, Chiang Mai was abandoned between 1776 and 1791. Lampang then serveed as the capital of what remained of Lannathai. Chiang Mai formally became part of Siam in 1774 by an agreement with Chao Kavila, after the Thai King Taksin helped drive out the Burmese. Chiang Mai then slowly grew in cultural, trading and economic importance to its current status as the unofficial capital of northern Thailand, second in importance only to Bangkok.

The inhabitants speak Kham Muang (also known as Northern Thai or Lanna) among themselves, though Central Thai is used in education and is understood by everyone. English is used in hotels and travel-related businesses and many educated people speak English. The Kham Muang alphabet is now studied only by scholars, and Northern Thai is commonly written with the standard Thai alphabet.

The modern municipal dates to a sanitary district that was created in 1915. This was upgraded to a municipality on March 29 1935, as published in the Royal Gazette, Book No. 52 section 80. First covering just 17.5 km² (7 sq mi), the city was enlarged to 40.216 km² (16 sq mi) on April 5, 1983.

Culture

Thousands of Khom Fai in Mae Jo during Loi Kratong

A truckload of people after getting hit by water during Songkran in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai hosts many Thai festivals, including:

Loi Kratong (known locally as Yi Peng): Held on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. In the western calendar this usually falls in November. Every year thousands of people assemble floating banana-leaf containers (krathong) decorated with flowers and candles onto the waterways of the city to worship the Goddess of Water. Lanna-style sky lanterns (khom fai) are launched into the air. These are believed to help rid the locals of troubles and are also taken to decorate houses and streets.
Songkran: Held in mid-April to celebrate the traditional Thai new year. Chiang Mai has become one of the most popular locations to visit for this festival. A variety of religious and fun-related activities (notably the good-natured city-wide water-fight) take place each year, along with parades and a Miss Songkran beauty competition.
Flower Festival: A three-day festival held during the first weekend in February each year, this event occurs when Chiang Mai's temperate and tropical flowers are in full bloom. The festivities include floral floats, parades, traditional dancing shows, and a beauty contest.
Tam Boon Khan Dok, the Inthakin (City Pillar) Festival, starts on the day of the waning moon of the six lunar month and lasts 6–8 days. In 2009, this is May 20-27. Centered around Wat Chedi Luang where the city pillar is housed, this is a celebration of brahmic origin. Offerings are made to the city pillar as well as the many other Buddhist and Lanna-era icons. Dancing, musical performances, carnival games, and the ubiquitous Thai vendor food is present. This is a very large celebration in which the Chiang Mai citizenry participate.