Chiang Mai - online puzzles

Chiang Mai (, from Thai: เชียงใหม่ [tɕʰiəŋ màj] ( listen), Lanna: ᨩ᩠ᨿᨦ ᩲᩉ᩠ᨾ᩵ [t͡ɕīaŋ.màj] ( listen)) sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province and was a former capital of the kingdom of Lan Na (1296–1768), which later became the Kingdom of Chiang Mai, a tributary state of Siam from 1774 to 1899, and finally the seat of a princely rulers until 1939. It is 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok and is situated amongst the highest mountains in the country. The city sits astride the Ping River, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River.

Chiang Mai means "New City " and was so named because it became the new capital of Lan Na when it was founded in 1296, succeeding Chiang Rai, the former capital founded in 1262.

In May 2006 Chiang Mai was the site of the Chiang Mai Initiative, concluded between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the "ASEAN+3" countries, ( China, Japan, and South Korea ). Chiang Mai was one of three Thai cities contending for Thailand 's bid to host the World Expo 2020. The others were Chonburi, and Ayutthaya). Ayutthaya, however, was the city ultimately chosen by the Thai Parliament to register for the international competition.

In early– December 2017, Chiang Mai was awarded the UNESCO title of Creative City.