Location Resources Chiang Rai

17 4 Brief introduction to 5 selected cities

4.1 Chiang Rai

Population : 141,291 Economy : Agriculture, Trade Role in the province : Administrative, Commercial and Educational Center Major Climate hazards and impacts : Floods, Landslide, Tropical storm; River erosion; : Water pollution

4.1.1 Location

Chiang Rai province is Thailand’s northernmost province. Clipped to the north by the Mae Kok River, Chiang Rai city is 60 kilometers far from Thailand’s northern border where the Mekong River skirts the boundaries of Thailand, Lao PDR and Myanmar. Muang Chiang Rai, the district capital of the province of the same name, approximately 785 km north of the nation’s capital, Bangkok and located at 19 55 ’ N, Longitude-99 50 ’ E and with an elevation of 395m is included in the Lower Mekong basin with its boundary stretching to Lampang in the south, Phayao in the east and Chiang Mai in the west. The watershed area of the Mae Kok River is 7,895 square kilometers with an annual run-off of 5,119 million cubic meters. The general landscape consists of a large fertile plain, set within a midst of crisp and scenic mountain ranges. These form into a pan shape with elevations at approximately 580 m above sea level. Figure 4.1. Map of Chiang Rai district Source: GISTDA 18

4.1.2 Resources

Formerly part of the Golden Triangle, the substitution program to replace opium production with tea, coffee and rice cropping has led to the increase of border trade and commerce. Thus the economy of the city relies mostly on agricultural resources, small business owners, especially with the extension of tourism. Although over 30 of the land area is officially classed as farmland, only about 19 is really considered suitable for cultivation – and most of the cultivatable area is located along the Phaholyothin highway, which runs through the districts of Phan, Muang and Mae Chan and ends in Mae Sai. Moreover through the development of tourism and its associated increasing transport facilities, the city is gradually becoming a privileged gateway to reach China, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Cambodia. The city currently plays the role of a major transport hub in the whole region, using also the river as a transportation channel. These dynamics contribute to the urban extension of Muang Chiang Rai over the past years.

4.1.3 Climate