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By Benjamin Malcolm
You can still see the remains of this bygone era. It exists a little
distance south of the Chiang Mai of today, along the road to Lamphun,
about five kilometers out of town. The scattered remains spread
through a bit of suburbia along the Ping River - red brick walls
and historical leftovers fighting for space with grass and jungle
alongside modern temples and concrete houses.
This area is called Wiang Kum Kam, or “The Underground Empire.”
For Thais, especially Northern Thais, it is a sacred place, a rich
reminder of the 700-year Lan Na Thai Kingdom, literally “the
Million Thai Rice Fields,” that existed before the modern Thai
state took form.
Wiang Kum Kam had only a short life in terms of the Lan Na Kingdom.
King Mengrai, the most important and revered Lan Na ruler, deemed
the spot the centre of his empire (the fifth in a series of capitals
for Mengrai) and went on a building spree, before moving on after
only ten years to what is now Chiang Mai, in 1296.
He was not, however, the original founder of that area - it is
the oldest known settlement in the Chiang Mai area. Its origins
have been traced as far back as the 11th century when it acted as
a satellite town for the Hariphunchai Kingdom (the centre of which
was what is now known as Lamphun). As such, Wiang Kum Kam is one
of the oldest sites in Thailand.
For visitors, Wiang Kum Kam is a rare opportunity to view a historic
site before over-development sets in. In a sense, it is reminiscent
of Ayuttaya or Sukhothai before restoration, and large parts of
it have yet to be excavated and “cleaned up.” Of all the
sites listed on the maps given out to visitors, as many as half
are termed as “non-renovated” sites. Renovation efforts
began as early as 1984, but Chiang Mai tourist authorities have
only recently begun to promote the area’s attractions. Over
1300 inscribed stone slabs, bricks, bells and stupas have been excavated
at the site. Some of these are on display at Chiang Mai’s National
Museum.
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Although there are explanations in English at most places, a lot
of the signage is in Thai. There is a yet-to-be-truly-discovered
aura to Wiang Kum Kam, even as it becomes more and more discovered
by tourists every day. One has to keep a sharp eye out for signage,
some is easily missed, especially if travelling by vehicle or motorcycle.
The best and most leisurely way of exploration is to make one’s
way to the area’s centrepiece, the restored temple complex
of Chang Kum and rent a bicycle, tricycle, or horse-drawn carriage.
Other options include a tour trolley (one should bring a Thai translator
for this as the tour is conducted by local monks), and elephant
rides for those desiring the full experience of Lan Na classic transportation.
Chang Kum was the first portion of Wiang Kum Kam to receive attention,
and it is here that tourist potential is most realized. There is
ample evidence of the local people’s affections for the former
Lan Na king. Thai visitors stream into a shed-sized temple to pay
homage to him, before a multitude of his images, which are all backed
by royal nine-tiered umbrellas. A sign just outside “the Spirit
Chamber of King Mengrai,” states that “it is a holy place
for Chiang Mai people for they believe it is a place where the spirit
of King Mengrai lives.”
At Chang Kum, there is a gigantic Bodi tree (one of four from the
former Lanka kingdom imported to Thailand) where many offering sticks
have been left. These stand in a pile on one side, helping to “prop
up” the Bodi tree and gain merit for the person who leaves
the stick. Two “holy water” wells are hidden toward the
back of the complex and signs in Thai warn that these are “male-only”
places. Refreshment stands offer fresh lamyai and pennywort juice
for parched throats and there are a number of cooler spots both
under trees and Salas to hide from the brutal attentions of the
mid-day sun (a good resting area for a day-long bike tour).
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Another must-visit area is the official museum and information center,
just south of Chang Kum, for it is here that the entire history
of the surrounding area and the attempts to renovate are outlined
in both Thai and English. The museum is also a bike-rental area
and makes a good jumping-off point for a tour of Wiang Kum Kam.
Wiang Kum Kam’s history, its rise and decline, is an interesting
study of area and water flows.
King Mengrai selected the site because of its location next to the
Ping River, its readily arable land and because it existed at what
was then the centre of his empire. There are conflicting reports
as to why he moved northward to Chiang Mai, but according to some
legends, Mother Nature forced him to reconsider, when the area began
repeatedly flooding. Others dispute this claim, offering alternative
scenarios.
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Nevertheless, Chiang Mai became the sixth and final capital city
of the Lan Na Kingdom and Wiang Kum Kam regained its status as a
satellite kingdom. It was not always a peaceful existence - Wiang
Kum Kam suffered from a variety of problems, including recurring
floods as well as the ignominy of being used as a stepping-off point
for various armies in their attempts to conquer Chiang Mai.
The most severe flood, in 1657, occurred during the Burmese occupation,
and was so severe that it altered the course of the Ping River leaving
large portions of the town under a layer of mud and silt. Wiang
Kum Kam slowly disappeared after this and all accounts of it dropped
off the record books after 1758.
Following the formation of the Thai nation, Chiang Mai opened up,
primarily due to the advent of the railroad. More people moved steadily
from the city of Chiang Mai to its outlying areas. The remains of
Wiang Kum Kam were for the most part buried, forgotten in the rush
of history. All that changed in 1984, when excavations began into
the “legend” of Wiang Kum Kam.
With the excavations continuing, it won’t be long before Wiang
Kum Kam becomes another fully-developed site, although the presence
of a functioning urban centre ensures it remains a challenging affair,
as archeologists have to work around an active community with pressing
land use issues.
All of this suggests the wisdom of taking the opportunity to visit
Wiang Kum Kam now; the better to appreciate the process of discovery
and to capture a little of the whisper of history of one of the
great northern cities in existence prior to the advent of the great
northern city of Chiang Mai.
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