Lamphun is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Lanna world, and the smallest provincial capital in Thailand. It sits in a narrow valley on the Ping River, about half an hour north of Chiang Mai, and it moves at a pace that is easy to miss if you only pass through on the way to the hills.

Community and culture

Lamphun was the birthplace of King Naresuan, and the town has kept its craft economy rather than replacing it with souvenir stalls. Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, founded by Queen Chamadevi, is the centre of religious life and holds the Buddha image she is said to have carried here. Wat Chamathewi, its name compounded in English to Wat Jama Devi, is older still. Wat Phra Yuen holds a large collection of Chinese ceramics, including sancai and Ming-style ware.

Nature and landscape

Chom Thong, immediately north of the centre, is credited as the origin of Lanna textile weaving, which is why the brocade workshops here are a serious stop rather than a photo opportunity. Doi Khun Tan is the nearest forest, and the rice-growing plain around Pa Sang has kept its old field pattern.