King Mengrai the Great—Chiang Rai, Thailand. - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

This gentleman is the founder of what is now the northern Thai city of Chiang Rai, and the founder and first King of the Lanna Kingdom (an early Thai state). A successful and well remembered life.

King Meng Rai the Great (various spellings of his name abound), was born in the year 1238 in the town of Chiang Saen, on the Mekong River. At that time the Thai people were divided into a varying number of small states spread across what is now northern Thailand. These disunited small kingdoms were, at different times, under the suzerainty of either the Burmese Kingdom or the Cambodian Empire, the two dominant powers in the region. Seeking to unify and to give the Thai people political independence (under his rule), Meng Rai spent his adult life fighting battles against these two dominant powers, against local Thai rulers who did not understand his ambitions, and in the construction of towns, cities, temples and economic infrastructure.

In 1262 he founded the city of Chiang Rai, and made it his capital. Over the following decades he continued to conquer and liberate, expanding his rule and in the process creating the Lanna Kingdom. In 1296 he founded and made the city of Chiang Mai the new capital of this new Kingdom.

The Lanna Kingdom was to continue to exist as an independent state through to the 15th century, with good and bad times. At that stage it came under Burmese rule. Following this it was liberated and its lands became, eventually, part of the modern Kingdom of Thailand. The King himself died in 1317, a long life.


This statue of the King is a major feature of the city. This somewhat life-sized statue stands in a large open space in the city centre of Chiang Rai. The King is in formal dress, with a sword held in his left hand, striding left foot forward, and wearing a crown. The statue stands on a tall plinth, which has a biographical plaque on its front facing surface. Behind the King are gold, decorative pillars, designed to enhance his prominence. This open area is on the main road through town.

As with most public statues in Thailand locals do come by to pay their respects to the King. This is also the site of several annual public events.


Interestingly, Chiang Rai is one of the very few provincial capitals that do not have a statue of King Chulalongkorn outside their provincial hall. Possibly the prominence of King Meng Rai mitigated against such a placement?

URL of the statue: Not listed

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