Phayao

Phayao () is a city ("thesaban mueang") in northern Thailand, capital of Phayao Province. For administrative purposes the city is divided into 15 sub-districts ("tambons"), which are further subdivided into 172 administrative villages.
The town is on the shore of the Phayao Lake. It dates back to the semi-independent city-state ("mueang"), founded between 900 and 1,000 years ago.
As of 2005 Phayao had a population of 19,118. Phayao lies 726 km north of Bangkok.