City history
Discover the history of Chiang Mai, the former capital of the Lanna Kingdom, where ancient traditions meet modern Thai life.
Chapter one
Indigenous name
"New City"
Established as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom, the name signifies a fresh beginning for the regional power under King Mengrai.
New City
Founding name used since its establishment as the Lanna capital.
Chapter two
The government began formalizing formal time standards across the kingdom, which significantly impacted regional administrative hubs like Chiang Mai.
Thailand standardized its time zone to Indochina Time, which remains the current official standard for the entire Southeast Asian region.
Chapter three
King Mengrai established the city as the center of the Lanna Kingdom, creating a fortified settlement that became a regional powerhouse.
Increased interaction with European and regional traders brought new technologies and standardized measurement concepts to the historic northern region.
The transition from absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy led to centralized administrative and timekeeping reforms throughout the country.