Thailand | Chiangrai
When you drive into Chiangrai, you notice straightaway that the wide roads that lead into the city have been built as true boulevards. There are nearly no high-rise buildings in Chiangrai. It is a medium-sized provincial city, which does however contain large shopping centres and all sorts of other amenities. The predominant building style has a typically Asian chaotic touch to it. It is a mixture of an older building style often still using wood and the quickly assembled houses from the 'boom period', which have recently been added to with magnificent villas and modern buildings. Since a few years, Chiangrai has a 'Commission for Beauty', which is slowly trying to bring the appearance of the city more into balance. The footpaths everywhere are a source of pride to the city.
Nightlife
Chiangrai is not really a city with an extensive nightlife. The busy activities finish at around 11pm, although some pubs do remain open until the early hours. There are two cinemas in Chiangrai, where English films with Thai subtitles are most screened. There are regular cultural get-togethers and film and theme evenings, which are organised by the Alliance Francaise. The hotels play a leading role in the nightlife scene. Nearly every hotel has a music room, dance room and karaoke.
For the real nightlife, you can spend a weekend in nearby Chiangmai. There, one finds theatres, many cinemas, drama productions, concerts and a very diverse selection of restaurants and bars. In addition, the more wild nightlife is available there, although at present, this is being kept in constraint. That for which Thailand was once so infamous for, no longer exists very much.
In the city centre, next to the most important street, a variety of shops can be found, which are centrally located, although hidden by narrow access road. This is the 'Night Bazaar'. It is much smaller than the well-known market of Chiangmai and definitely much more intriguing. You can discover handcrafts from diverse mountain tribes who have their territory in the mountains surrounding Chiangmai. Furthermore, there are two podiums where traditional Thai dances and music are performed. And of course, there is no shortage of food stalls. A great number of stalls are to be discovered around the square, each with its own specialties, and accordingly, one can conjure up the most delicious combinations of dishes.
Another part of the city is the actual shopping suburb. There are many shops with the most diverse products that are located in and around a housing block, in the centre of which the large market is situated. This market offers fresh fruit, vegetables and meat, as well as a broad range of household items and clothing. As a matter of fact, nearly everything is available. Here also, a lot of ready-made food and drinks can be purchased. Try the iced coffee and ice tea some time. Much better than in most luxury restaurants and hotels!
Events and Celebrations
Chiangrai is a cultural city. They are proud of their 'Lanna' culture. 'Lan' means 'one million' and 'na' means 'rice field'. Hence, the region is called the 'land of the million rice fields'. Rice is, however, not the only product that is grown. Chiangrai is also well known for its high quality lychees. In the harvest season, there is a big celebration with impressive parades where boys beat on large drums, others dance around wildly, and the graceful traditional dances are performed. In addition, there are the well-known Thai celebrations 'Loi Kratong' and 'Songkran', which play an important role in the Chiangrai events. 'Loi Kratong' is in fact a kind of New Year 's Eve celebration, even though it is held in October or November when the dry season starts again.
A celebration that elsewhere in Thailand only lasts for one day or possibly a few days is the 'Songkran', which can last for a few weeks in Chiangrai. It is a celebration where good wishes are exchanged by means of large amounts of water. In Chiangrai, there are also a few event centres, where all kinds of organised events, ranging from car shows to pop concerts are held.
Just as elsewhere in Thailand, there are many temples to be found in the city. A number of them are most definitely worth a visit. The very first 'Wat Phra Keaw' is located in Chiangrai. It is also known as the temple of the emerald Buddha. The picture, which is actually crafted out of one very exceptional piece of jade, can now be found in Bangkok, in the temple of the Grande Palace. It was however, discovered in Chiangrai when a flash of lightening split a Chedi on the temple grounds. The Thai people attach a special value to the picture and also to the temple where it originates from. The temple is furthermore richly decorated and definitely worth a visit.
The city offers many places to eat. There are large and small restaurants everywhere you look and especially in the main streets, you can also find restaurants with a western menu. There is a real 'Khantoke dinner' restaurant where you sit on the floor and can enjoy Thai folklore dances during the whole evening, while you eat. There is also an authentic North-Thai restaurant. In addition, there, accompanying music and dancing is a feature.
A few specialised Western restaurants exist, such as the authentic Italian, known as 'da Vinci', where the pizzas are still baked in a wooden oven. In addition, there is the European restaurant 'Aye'. In Chiangrai, there is even an authentic brown pub, where the most delicious Dutch food is served. This is fittingly called the 'Old Dutch'. One does not however come to Thailand to eat in these places. But many people, who have been living in Thailand for a long period of time, are happy to have these excellent establishments.
Chiangrai is relatively abundant in museums. They are mostly small and own a small collection. A few possibilities are the Hill-tribe museum, the Lanna Thai museum, the Mai Fah Luang exhibition, as well as the Opium museum and a number of galleries with paintings. Especially noteworthy is the pottery "Din Deng'.