Category:Chiang Rai Province

Map Keys
	Large Prasats		Arogyasalas
	Large Ruins		Dharmasalas
	Medium Prasats		Ancient Bridges
	Medium Ruins		Ancient Cities
	Medium Tuols		Ancient Kilns
	Small Prasats		Ancient Quarries
	Small Ruins		Ancient Reservoirs
	Small Tuols		Ancient Villages
	Museums		Carvings
	Depositories		Other Structures
	Wats		Prehistoric Sites
	Neak Ta's		Unknown Sites
	Unconfirmed Sites

Early historical sites in far northern Chiang Rai Province are generally assigned to Mon or associated groups with the earliest Tai (Thai) (1) settlements appearing in the early 14th century - notably along the right bank of the Mekong River in the vicinity of today's Chiang Saen. Ethnic Tai expansion into the region does coincide closely with the decline of the Angkorian empire in the early 14th century - post-Jayavarman VII - era and while Khmer control never extended this far north, a knock-on effect, as a power vacuum developed further south is plausible. Other determinants have been identified for the Tai migration southwards during this period, such as 13th-century Mongol expansion into the traditional Tai areas of southern China and this southern movement, through what is today northwestern Vietnam and Laos, had certainly been ongoing for some time before the earliest Tai settlements were established in the Chiang Rai region.

While we wouldn't discount Khmer artefacts appearing in Chiang Rai museums or certain prestigious wats (2) these will have been deposited there in more recent times but for now, our solitary listing for the province consists of privately owned artefacts displayed in the unusual surroundings of the lobby at the Siam Triangle Hotel. These consist of 2 remarkably well-preserved lintels of unknown provenance and unconfirmed authenticity. While staff maintain they are genuine the owner appears less forthcoming but whether this is because he doesn't want to admit to them being copies, or that they are genuine but he obtained them under dubious circumstances or simply that he doesn't want to draw attention to extremely valuable artefacts is uncertain.

(1) Tai is generally employed to refer to the wider ethnic/linguistic group which today includes Lao, Shan and the myriad sub-groups such as Black, White and Red Tai along with Tai Lue etc while Thai refers to citizens of modern-day Thailand. During the 13th and 14th-century migrations of ethnic Tai groups from southern China there would of course have been far less distinction between these sub-groups with regional variations in dialect, traditional costumes and cultural aspects developing among relatively isolated groups over subsequent centuries.

(2) The historical museum at Wat Phra Kaew is a case in point which, while small in size, does house some interesting artefacts such as a genuine Dong Son drum.