Lamphun Province Guide: History, Towns and Local Products
Lamphun is only half an hour from Chiang Mai, yet it is the older of the two by several centuries. As Hariphunchai, it was the capital of a Mon kingdom that the chronicles trace back to Queen Chamadevi, and its golden chedi at Wat Phra That Hariphunchai still stands at the heart of the old moated town.
This guide follows Lamphun from its Mon beginnings to its absorption into Lanna, visits its eight districts, and looks at the longans and silk its farms and weavers are known for.
Lamphun
Hariphunchai, Longans and Brocade Silk
A small northern province that was a Mon kingdom long before Chiang Mai existed, and that now fills the country's markets with longans.
By the SnapSellGo Thailand Desk · Updated September 2026 · 8 min read
Made in Lamphun
Local favourites from Lamphun, soon available from the makers themselves.
These cards show what the province is known for. They make way for real products as local sellers join.
Why Lamphun is older than Chiang Mai
Before the Tai kingdoms of the north, the Ping valley belonged to Hariphunchai, a Mon kingdom with its capital at Lamphun. Its chronicles say it was founded by Queen Chamadevi, a princess from Lavo, today's Lopburi, and its temples keep a Mon style seen nowhere else in the region, such as the stepped chedis of Wat Chamadevi.
In 1292 King Mangrai of Lanna took the city and made the valley his own; he founded Chiang Mai a few years later. Lamphun kept its great relic temple and its role as a religious centre. Today it combines longan orchards, weaving villages and the Northern Region Industrial Estate, one of the first industrial zones outside Bangkok.
Hariphunchai
The capital of a Mon kingdom, centuries before Chiang Mai.
Wat Phra That Hariphunchai
The golden relic chedi at the centre of the old town.
Longan country
Orchards that make Lamphun one of Thailand's big longan producers.
Brocade silk
Silk woven with raised patterns, a speciality of the province.
Lamphun: a timeline
Lamphun's timeline starts with a Mon queen and runs through Lanna to the railway age.
- 7th–8th centuryAccording to the chronicles, Queen Chamadevi arrives from Lavo to rule Hariphunchai.
- 1100sWat Phra That Hariphunchai is founded; the chronicles credit King Athitayarat.
- 1292King Mangrai of Lanna captures Hariphunchai.
- 1878Khruba Siwichai, the north's most famous monk, is born in Li district.
- 1918The Khun Tan tunnel opens, bringing the railway through the hills towards Chiang Mai.
Eight districts between the Ping valley and the hills
Lamphun has 8 districts and roughly 400,000 residents, making it one of the smaller provinces of the north. These are the most visited.
| District | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Mueang Lamphun | The old moated town, Wat Phra That Hariphunchai and Wat Chamadevi. |
| Pa Sang | Weaving villages and shops selling cotton and silk. |
| Mae Tha | Doi Khun Tan National Park and the Khun Tan railway tunnel. |
| Li | Birthplace of Khruba Siwichai and hill temples in the south. |
| Ban Hong | Longan orchards along the valley. |
What happens when in Lamphun
Lamphun's calendar follows its harvest and its temple. Here is what to aim for.
What Lamphun makes: local products and OTOP
OTOP ties each product to the sub-district that makes it, and in Lamphun the best known are longans, sold fresh in summer and dried the rest of the year, and brocade silk with raised gold or silver patterns, registered as a geographical indication.
Pa Sang and the villages around it weave cotton and silk by hand, and Lamphun's markets sell dried longan, longan honey and woven goods from across the province.
Once Lamphun sellers publish their items, the carousel above shows them first. Shops pay a flat yearly fee and no commission.
Short on time? Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, then Wat Chamadevi. Into history? The Mon-style chedis of Wat Chamadevi. Visiting in August? The Longan Festival. Buying local? Dried longan and a length of brocade silk.
Frequently asked questions
What was Hariphunchai?
A Mon kingdom with its capital at Lamphun. According to its chronicles it was founded by Queen Chamadevi, and it lasted until King Mangrai of Lanna captured it in 1292.
Is Lamphun older than Chiang Mai?
Yes. Hariphunchai was flourishing for centuries before King Mangrai conquered it and then founded Chiang Mai in 1296.
What is Lamphun famous for?
Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, its Mon heritage, longans and brocade silk.
What is the Khun Tan tunnel?
A railway tunnel through the Khun Tan range on the Lamphun and Lampang border, opened in 1918 on the line to Chiang Mai.
Sources: Wikipedia entries for Lamphun province, Hariphunchai, Chamadevi, Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, Mangrai, Khruba Siwichai and the Khun Tan tunnel. Confirm dates with the local tourism office, as lunar festivals move every year. Cover photo: Wat Phra That Hariphunchai by Supanut Arunoprayote, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.