Chiang Rai province covers some 11,678 square kilometres with a population of 1.23 million.The average elevation is 580 metres above sea level, Myanmar borders on the north, and Laos on the north and northeast. The provincial capital is 829 kilometres north of Bangkok. Chiang Rai was founded in 1262 by King Meng Rai and was the first capital of Lanna Thai (Kingdom of a Million Ricefields). The province contains Thailand's northernmost point at Mae Sai which is well known for its crisp mountain scenery, and hilltribes. North Chiang Rai and falls within the region known as the Golden Triangle, the area where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos converge.