Mueang Chiang Rai (Thai: เมืองเชียงราย, pronounced [mɯəŋ tɕʰiəŋ raːj]; Northern Thai: ᩮᨾᩥᩬᨦᨩᩭᨦᩁᩣᩭ: Mueang Chiang Hai; Lao: Mueang Xieng Hai) is a city in Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai, Changwat Chiang Rai. Chiang Rai is the northernmost large city in Thailand. It was established as a capital city in the reign of King Mangrai, in the year 1262 AD.

The city was founded by King Mangrai in 1262 and became the capital of the Mangrai dynasty. Subsequently, Chiang Rai was conquered by Burma and remained under Burmese rule for several hundred years. It was not until 1786 that Chiang Rai became a Chiang Mai vassal. Siam (Thailand) annexed Chiang Mai in 1899, and Chiang Rai was proclaimed a province of Thailand in 1933.

In 1432, during the reign of King Sam Fang Kaen of Mangrai dynasty (1402–1441), the Phra Kaeo, or Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha statue, was discovered in Chiang Rai when an earthquake split the Chedi at Wat Phra Kaeo of Chiang Rai City. The beautiful jade figure was then seen concealed within. Another telling of the story has the 'Emerald Buddha' hastily covered in mud just before marauders entered to pillage. Many years later, the clunky-looking mud Buddha was found to actually house the magnificent jade statue, perhaps by way of the earthquake mentioned above - which caused a piece of the clay to break off - revealing the jade beneath.

In 1992, the City Pillar was moved from Wat Klang Wiang to Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong, where it is known as Sadue Mueang (Thai: สะดือเมือง), the Navel or Omphalos of the City.

Chiang Rai City lies in the flat alluvial plain of the Mae Kok River, a tributary of the Mekong, between the Daen Lao Range in the north and the Phi Pan Nam Range in the south. The Mae Kok River runs along Chiang Rai's north side, flowing eastwards out of Burma at Taton town, bending northeastwards and joining the Mekong River about 40 km northeast of the city. The Lao River, a tributary of the Kok, flows south of Chiang Rai.

There are four bridges spanning the Mae Kok river within the town's boundaries, each running south/north. Most of the terrain surrounding Chiang Rai town is either flat or has moderate hills. The exception is outward in the west and northwest directions, where limestone hills are evident, some of which have straight-up exposed cliffs. Not surprisingly, that is also the direction where most of the region's Hill Tribe people have their villages, further afield.

The city is located 860 km north of Bangkok, about 200 kilometres northeast of Chiang Mai City, 62 kilometres south of Mae Sai and the Burmese border; 60 kilometres southwest of the town of Chiang Saen on the Mekong River across from Laos; and 90 kilometres north of Phayao town. The Golden Triangle, the tripoint of the Thailand, Laos and Myanmar borders, is 55 km northeast of the city.

Climate

Chiang Rai has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). Winters are fairly dry and warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is hot with the average daily maximum at 34.9 °C (94.8 °F). The monsoon season runs from late April through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.