kingdom · Mainland Southeast Asia
Kingdom of Chiang Mai
Origins
After Kawila of Lampang helped expel the Burmese from Lan Na, he rebuilt the depopulated city of Chiang Mai from 1796, bringing in war captives from the Shan and Tai Lue regions. In 1802 the Rattanakosin Kingdom recognised him as king of Chiang Mai, a vassal state.
Rule and society
Kawila and his successors of the Chet Ton dynasty governed Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Lampang as related principalities, sending tribute and troops to Bangkok. Chiang Mai prospered on rice and teak, and in the late 19th century British firms from Burma operated large logging concessions, which led to disputes and Siamese intervention.
Decline and legacy
From the 1870s Bangkok placed commissioners in Chiang Mai, and the Chiang Mai treaties with Britain strengthened Siamese control. In 1899 Lan Na was turned into a regular monthon. The princely title lapsed with the death of Kaew Nawarat in 1939, and Chiang Mai is now Thailand's main northern city.
Lineage
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Chiang Mai. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-chiang-mai
- MLA
- “Kingdom of Chiang Mai.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-chiang-mai. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Chiang Mai.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-chiang-mai.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Chiang Mai’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-chiang-mai (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻