Chiang Saen travel guide

One of the oldest towns in the country, is ringed by tall jungle-covered mountains

Across the river are the hills of Laos. Once the capital of what was probably the first Thai principality on territory that is now part of Thailand, Chiang Saen seemed to have descended into a long slumber, even though it did gain some fame as the source of the so-called Chiang Saen style. Recent finds of tools have confirmed the theory that the region was settled as far back as the early Stone Age. The present-day settlement also dates back over 2000 years and was at its peak between the 10th and 13th centuries, especially under King Saen Phu. King Mengrai, who later established capitals in Chiang Rai in 1261 and Chiang Mai in 1296, was born in Chiang Saen in 1238. The countless wars with the Burmese kings and those of Ayutthaya left their mark on the town, which was occupied by the Burmese from the mid-16th until the late 18th century. King Rama I had the entire settlement razed to eliminate it as a target for his enemies. It did not come back to life until the time of King Rama V (Chulalongkorn).

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