Phayao street pano

On Thanon Don Saman

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Taken on: 25th November, 2009. Copyright: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License - See Geoff_B's page of Flickr

Read more about Phayao

Lying between Chiang Mai and Nan provinces and due south of Chiang Rai, Phayao province is split between lowland rice growing areas and mountains home to substantial hilltribe populations.

The province was administratively separated from Chiang Rai in 1977 but further back in Thai history it was an autonomous city-state, though generally still under the tutelage of one of its more powerful neighbours. Unfortunately, little of Phayao city's rich heritage remains to be seen today.

Phayao is rarely visited by backpackers, though it is beginning to creep onto bus tour itineraries. It does remain quite popular with Thai tourists who flock here from as far away as Bangkok, and foreign visitors will find that the local infrastructure is tailored more to domestic tastes. Regardless, it is a worthy destination for travellers, thanks in part to its scenic lakeside location.

Believed to have been first built by the king of Read our complete Phayao travel guide

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