Monuments

The Kavila Monument
Kavila, a son of the ruler of Lampang, joined with the King of Siam to fight against the Burmese and in 1775 drove them from the city of Chiang Mai and most of the other cities in the Kingdom of Lanna. It was, however twenty-nine years before the last of the Burmese were expelled from the country. Kavila ruled as King of Chiang Mai from 1781 – 1813. He was a vassal of the King of Siam which meant he had to go to Bangkok once every three years – no great hardship as he could do his shopping.

Several other rulers in the north were in turn Kavila’s vassals.

Chiang Mai, under-populated, largely destroyed and short of food was abandoned for twenty years until, in 1797, Kavila ceremoniously re-entered the city and the fortifications that can be seen today date from that period.

The Kavila Monument fittingly stands in front of the army barracks on the banks of the river Ping. There is, behind the statue, an elegant building that houses a small museum dedicated to this great Thai leader.

The Kavila dynasty ruled Chiang Mai as hereditary princes, although with much reduced authority, until 1939 and members of the family are still influential figures in the north of Thailand.

The Mengrai Memorial
In the heart of the city of Chiang Mai stands this small memorial of King Mengrai the Great.

The original inhabitants of northern Thailand were the Lawa. There was also a sophisticated Buddhist kingdom of Mon people at Lamphun. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries Thai people began to move into the area from the north.

The first real historical character we know anything about was King Mengrai the Great. He came from a royal Tai family in Yunnan and set up an independent state at Chiang Rai in 1263. It was probably in 1292 that he defeated the old Mon City of Lamphun and four years later he founded his new capital at Chiang Mai. He did much to bring all the different Tai tribes of the north together in a united kingdom called Lanna. At the time of his death, according to the Chronicle of Chiang Mai he was struck by lightening in 1317, a powerful Thai kingdom had been created that was to last for 250 years.

The small memorial situated at a crossroads in the heart of the city is in memory of this great ruler and is close to the spot where he is thought to have died.

The Naresuan Memorial
King Naresuan the Great of Siam died in Chiang Mai and this small, often ignored memorial is in honour of him.

King Naresuan the Great had virtually nothing to do with Chiang Mai or the Kingdom of Lanna except for the fact that he died near Chiang Dao whilst on an expedition to attack the King of Ava.

Naresuan was born in1555. At the age of nine he was taken as a hostage to Burma to ensure the loyalty of his father, King Maha Tammaraja of Siam, whose country had recently been conquered by Burma.

In 1581 King Burang Noung of Burma, who had destroyed Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam, as well as defeating Chiang Mai, died and in the following year Naresuan, on behalf of his father, renounced allegiance to Burma. War began and continued until 1592 when Naresuan won a decisive victory in which he slew the Crown Prince of Burma in single combat on elephant back.

Naresuan established control over large parts of Burma and Cambodia and he was extending his influence into the Shan States when he died of natural causes on May 16th, 1605.

A monument has been erected in memory of the greatest warrior king ever to sit on the throne of Siam. The memorial, a small museum and a reconstruction of an old fort are set against the dramatic backdrop of the Chiang Dao Mountains just off the Chiang Dao – Vieng Haeng road.

Not worth the journey for its own merits alone, a trip to Chiang Dao, for many Thais, should encompass a visit to show respect to the shrine. Because tours ignore the monument, hiring a car and doing it on your own may even be a better option.

The Three Kings Monument
Three great kings of Thailand are imortalised in this monument in the heart of Chiang Mai.
Although there was certainly previous habitation in the area, King Mengrai founded a New City at Chiang Mai in 1296 and it became the capital of his kingdom of Lanna, as the grouping of Tai states in what is now the north of Thailand was called. For two centuries Lanna was a powerful and prosperous Tai kingdom until it succumbed to the overweening might of Burma in 1558.

Old chronicles record that King Mengrai invited his probably less powerful friends, King Ramkanghaeng of Sukothai and Prince Ngam Muang of Phayao, to assist in the planning and auspicious founding of the city.

It is their recently erected statues that stand in a pleasant square at the very heart of the city, in-front of what used to be the Provincial Hall, but which it is now the Chiang Mai City Arts and Culture Centre.

Phra Kru Ba Sriwichai Monument
This monument is a memorial to a devout Buddhist monk who built the road up to Doi Suthep Temple. Residents of Chiang Mai pay respect to him at the monument located at the end of Huay Kaew Road before they continue their drive to the hilltop Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep.

Museums

The Chiang Mai City Arts and Culture Centre
This place is located in an old building of elegant architectural design built in 1924. Standing on the location of a former royal hall, the building was used as the central administrative unit of Siam, and later as the Provincial Hall of Chiang Mai. This place was received an award in 1999 for preservation of a public building from the Royal Society of Siamese Architects (Society of Siamese Architects under Royal Parsonage).

The museum has been divided into two sections. The front (eastern) part of the square-shape building contains permanent exhibits, while the rear section of the building has been dedicated to cultural activities, temporary exhibits, a souvenir shop, lecture theatre and exhibition hall for Lanna arts and an archive.

Opening hours: Tuesdays to Sundays including public holidays (closed on Mondays) from 8.30a.m.-5p.m. Admission fee is B90 for adult, B40 for children. For more information call 053-217793, 053-219833.

Chiang Mai University Art Museum
This museum is run by the Fine Arts Faculty of The Chiang Mai University, this is a fine museum indeed and is doing wonders for the promotion and understanding of art in the north of Thailand. There is not enough budget to fund a permanant exhibition, so it is often a tad hit and miss with the quality of exhibits. But whether it’s a young talent, a wondering foreign artist or a famous and established national artist, this museum is always of interest and the friendly art students wandering around are always helpful. Well worth visiting on the corner of Suthep and Nimmanhaemin Roads, Tel 053-944833. Opening hours: Tuesdays -Sundays, 9a.m.- 5p.m. (free)

Museum of World Insects & Natural Wonders
A fun little place to visit run by an eccentric couple showcasing an eclectic collection of insets, meteorites, fossil and other items of interest to the owners. On Sirimankalajarn road the museum is open daily from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. (100 baht adults, 50 baht children)

Postal Museum
Not much to offer, but those interested in the postal service of Thailand or stamps may find it of interest. The museum is located at Mae Ping Post Office, (1-2 km. to south of Wat Phra Singh) Open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (free)

Sbun Nga Textile Museum
This textile museum is at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre (near the airport). There are some 6,000 pieces on display. Quality textiles like these cannot be found anywhere else. Daily except Wednesdays. Starting from 10-12 a.m. and 1-9 p.m. Admission fee is 100 baht for adults, 50 baht for children, students and handicapped people.

Lanna Architectural Museum
At the city’s central intersection, open Mondays-Fridays except public holidays, admission is free, place contract 09-8954633.

Chiang Mai Numismatic Museum (The Treasury Hall)
This museum features a fascinating exhibition of antique Thai coins, insignia of rank, and other artifacts from private collections. Viewing hours are Mondays to Saturdays from 09.00 – 15.30 at 52 Ratchadamnoen Road. For further information call 053-22 4237/8.

Wat Gate Museum
This temple features an eclectic collection of artifacts. One of the most interesting art objects is an old Siamese ‘White Elephant’ flag. There is also a collection of old phonographs going back more than 100 years to the era of teak wallahs in Chiang Mai. The museum opens daily from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Waterfalls

Mae Pan Waterfall
About 16 kilometres from Mae Chaem town, on the road leading to Doi Inthanon, the awesome Mae Pan Waterfall can be found. There is a sign at the roadside directing travellers to these falls, the highest in Chiang Mai. Take the sign-posted road and follow it for 9 kilometres, then a 10 minute walk will bring you to the falls. Surging over a 100 metre high cliff, the white of the racing water stands out dramatically against the deep green of the surrounding forest. As the water hits the rocks below, a million tiny drops split the sunlight into rainbow colours and soak the vegetation nearby. Downstream from the falls are a series of pools where the traveller can swim in the chilly mountain waters. The sala on a mound close by the falls, affords a shady place to sit and enjoy a panoramic view of the waterfall.

Huay Sai Lueng Waterfall
Quite close to the Mae Pan waterfalls can be found the powerful, year-round Huay Sai Lueng Waterfall. The parking area is close by and shelters for visitors are plentiful. Although it is a multi-stepped cascade, lacking the drama of a single drop through space, this waterfall looks very beautiful as it dances through the rocks and trees.

Mae Sa Waterfall

Mae Sa Waterfall, an eight-tiered tumbling cascade, is 26 kilometres from town and occupies a natural setting among gigantic towering trees. Travel on the Mae Rim – Samoeng road, turn left directly at KM. 7 and enter the area of the National Park. This waterfall is one of the most famous in Mae Rim district. The Mae Sa waterfall is divided into levels, rising in eight stages up the slope of the foothills. The entire area is forested with large trees that provide cool shade year-round. The fall is a favourite recreation spot for the people of Chiang Mai and visitors alike.

Mae Ya Waterfall
Take the Chiang Mai-Jomthong route, turn right at the kilometre 56-57 marker, after about 1 kilometre, turn left and keep going for about 7 kilometres. Here visitors can picnic at the area’s tallest waterfall, some 250 metres high. The fresh water splashes down over 30 tiers of rocks and boulders into a small pond.

Bua Tong Waterfall
Bua Tong Waterfall and its remarkable seven coloured springs
47 kilometres from Chiang Mai, on the road to Phrao. The spring water is rich in calcium carbonate, which is deposited on the streambed and flows down the falls in seven distinct pastel colours. A great waterfall to visit with children as it is very safe to clamber and climb on as the lime stones are not slippery. Not particularly spectacular to look at but fun for a picnic.

Huay Kaew Waterfall
Huay Kaew waterfall has 2 separate waterfalls, Pha Ngerb and Wang Bua Baan. To have a good view of the falls and enjoy the refreshing and cool shade of the many trees you will have to stray a distance of about 100 metres from the main road.

However, do check with locals how clean the falls are as during the dry season the sewage from the villages further up the mountain trickles down the falls. Best to sit with a beer or glass of wine at the end of a day and chill out, rather than go for a dip.

This is the closet falls to Chiang Mai town, being a mere 10 minutes drive from city centre…a great place to relax with a picnic.

Wachiratharn Waterfall
The waterfall is a large cascade which plummets over the edge of a high cliff into a deep pool below. Opposite the fall is a tall and precipitous cliff called Pha Mon Kaew or more lyrically, Pha Gorn Kaew. The waterfall, some 750 metres above sea level, which was formerly called Tad Kong Yong, is an excellent picnic spot. To get there, turn right off the main road up Doi Inthanon at about 21 kilometres, then follow the sign-post to the waterfall a further 350 meters on foot.

Great fun for youngish kids to frolic around while mum and pop lie back and enjoy a chilled beer.

Siripoom Waterfall
The beautiful waterfall is in fact a pair of falls which plunge from a towering cliff. The best view is from the Hmong Village of Baan Lao Lee, after which the falls were originally named. To get there, take a right turn at around 30 kilometres up the main Doi Inthanon road and then drive a further 2 kilometres along the all-weather road. After a 200 metre uphill you will see the waterfall.

Galleries chiangmai

Panisa Opened in October 2003, Panisa was built by a business-tycoon owner, Sirinan Chindasilpa, and her passion for art. It was named after Sirinan’s daughter who is also a talented artist. Situated on a garden area of over 2 rais just round the corner from Chiang Mai International Airport, the whole area comprises of a main gallery, an exhibition hall and a studio. Its exhibition hall provides space for many young and unknown artists to exhibit up to 60 pieces of their paintings and drawings. Panisa offers a variety of arts ranging from impressionist, contemporary, modern to pop art. A small studio is used as a classroom for painting and drawing. Both Thai and foreigners at all ages are welcome for the class. The place is quiet and provides a perfect learning atmosphere as it is surrounded by natural bushes and trees. Students at the school will have a chance to display art at their yearly exhibition together at its exhibition hall. Contact Box: Galerie Panisa opens from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closes on Sundays. 189 Mahidol Rd., A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50100 Tel. 053-202779, Email: glrpanisa@loxinfo.co.th Ji Qoo Located inside soi 5 of Nimmanhaemind road, this gallery is brilliant with its white modern-style interior space and a range of contemporary paintings. Owned and operated by a talented artist, Chatchawan Nilsakul and his art-loving wife, Satoru, the gallery was just opened in January this year. The lack of space to exhibit contemporary arts in Chiang Mai is a reason behind the appearance of Ji Qoo. The place is simply named Ji Qoo, a Japanese word which means time and space. Ji Qoo implies a feeling of beyond time and beyond space. It connotes our intention to introduce our place as a new space for new contemporary arts, described Satoru. This 3-storey building occupies just one block of a colonial-style commercial building but it can display up to almost a hundred works throughout its three floors. The exhibition zone is divided into three areas on each floor respectively. The first floor houses the gallery’s collection. The second floor serves as an exhibition zone for any independent artists while the third floor will be dedicated for students to exhibit their works. Exhibitions on display on the second floor will be changed monthly. This young gallery has appreciated a warm welcome from its regular visitors and its network of artist friends. Chatchawan and his wife usually stage a small get-together party every month to feature some art pieces. Contact Box: Open: 11a.m. – 8 p.m. Closed on every Monday. 4/2 Soi5 Nimmanhemin Rd. Chiang Mai, 50200 Tel: 053-894250 artjiqoo@gmail.com, www.ji-qoo.com La Luna La Luna was established by three partners, Sommai Lumdual (Thai), Joanna MacLean (New Zealander), and Lasse Norgaard (Danish) in March 2004. The gallery is vibrant and lively with loads of eye-catching and colourful paintings on display inside. Most of the arts at La Luna are contemporary and abstract paintings. It aims at promoting arts from Asia and Pacific as well as encouraging local artists. La Luna does not only showcase paintings, but it also displays posters, photos and pottery which were mostly created by Asian and European artists. The gallery has been temporarily closed for extension purposes in September. A visit to the gallery is possible but only by advanced appointment. Contact Box: 190 Charoenraj Rd. T.Watgate, A.Muang, Chiang Mai 50000 Tel/Fax: 053-306-678, Mobile: 089-635-7667 laluna@lalunagallery.com, http://www.lalunagallery.com/ Pictory Pictory is one of the best choices to seek for interesting and unique prints and oil paintings. Located right in the heart of the JJ Designer Market, hundreds of their products come in classical, contemporary, modern, abstract and traditional Asian styles and are available in various shapes and sizes at affordable prices. Operated by Domi Duca Asia, this is the second branch of Pictory Bangkok. All of its prints and paintings are part of a limited collection. Pictory is a commercial gallery and it does not host any exhibitions. Contact Box: Open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed on every Wednesday. JJ Designer Market Number 11, Assadathorn Rd. Tel: 053-405142