In the cultural haven of Chiang Mai , the temples and religious reverence is what you 'd expect . But look closer and you 'll find the edgy charm of a modern city , from the cafes populated by digital nomads to artists and creatives . And somehow much of it is expressed with a wink and a nod to the noble Lanna Kingdom , the historical roots of Northern Thailand . Katie Jade Hawker , a curator and artist from Britain came to Chiang Mai a few years ago to connect artists worldwide with the unique creative energy of the city . `` I think they 've got a lot of amazing culture to select inspiration from , and there 's a lot of artwork produced with kind of underlying Buddhist influences touching on Thai tradition , '' she says . There is also a practical side to all this creativity ; a campaign in Chiang Mai to give this city a UNESCO Creative City designation . Nopporn Kaewnew , the head of Don Designs , says that getting his furniture pieces to a wider clientele would be much more difficult without the Creative Chiang Mai campaign . `` Chiang Mai was unseen before in the world but now I think with social networks ... you can see what we have , '' he says . The essence of Chiang Mai 's creative spirit is firmly grounded in the past but the modern take here is all about a shared concept of sincerity and authenticity .
Chiang Mai is known for its religious traditions . CIty also has a modern side with a creative class . Campaign for city to gain UNESCO Creative City status .