a series of travel images from Thailand, the North, around Chiang Saen. It was once one of the major cities of the Lanna kingdom, it was originally called Wiang Hiran Nakhon Ngoen Yang and served as the capital before King Mengrai established Chiang Rai in 1262. It remained an important town and a centre of Buddhism until early in the 19th century. Nowadays it's a sleepy town with temples and ruins dotting the surrounding countryside well worth exploring. The town is situated on the banks of the Mekong River and close to both Laos and Myanmar, a region referred to as the "Golden Triangle"