History of CMU

Stepping forward with sustainability Under royal patronage

Days of Royal visits on rugby field, pineapple factories on campus and Siam tulip developments may all be stories of the past, but they have all paved the way to where Chiang Mai University stands today…and all of its possibilities for tomorrow.

Putting together a campus

This black and white sketch features the various zones of the then about-to-be Chiang Mai University, featured in a book dating back nearly six decades titled, ‘News of the Founding of the Chiang Mai University’. Colloquially known as the Mor Choeng Doi, or Uni at the Foothills, this is the story of how the university’s acclaimed campus came about.

Blue Birds and Old Newspapers A Slice of Chiang Mai University’s History

The two images shown are of the same event yet set far apart by time. One is a simple photograph of a degree, posted to Twitter with the hashtag #graduated and #CMUgraduate56th, the other, photographs published in a faded old local newspaper.

CMU Baby Elephants’ Transportation to the Future

This image, fondly named ‘Transportation to the Future’, depicts the first train heading north carrying the first group of students from Bangkok to Chiang Mai University. The train arrived in Chiang Mai on the 9th June 1964.

Clock Tower

One of Chiang Mai University’s most recognisable landmarks is the clock tower which stands in the middle of a roundabout with Doi Suthep mountain as its backdrop.

CMU Logo

For sixty years, the observant will have noticed variations and incarnations of the classic Chiang Mai University symbol of an elephant raising a flaming torch, spotted across campus. Whether it be the recognisable outline in blackened brass on the university gates, a modern interpretation symbolised on a faculty’s signage, a stamped imprint on a book or as a proud sculpture standing tall on campus, this image is ubiquitous across campus and well known by the people of Chiang Mai and beyond.

Chiang Mai University’s Faith and Knowledge at the Spirit House

While all of the many Chiang Mai University campuses are both spacious and sprawling, there is no parcel of land so small yet so significant as the few square metres on which the university’s spirit house sits.

Ang Kaew: A Gift of Time

This postcard of Ang Kaew from 1966 might not boast the greenness of Doi Suthep and might not be the stunning scene we’re used to seeing on social media today, but there is more to this faded image than the eye can see. The real value of the postcard lies in the fact that it is an image set in the past, one which many people will have not seen before.

Time Tracking Seven big trees in Chiang Mai University

Chiang Mai University’s campus is without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most spectacular in Thailand. The university’s main campus sits on a vast piece of land at the foothills of the Doi Suthep-Pui mountains, and is filled with trees, large and small, as the university seamlessly merges into the forests of the national park.

A Wooden Sign and Milestone at The Original House Chiang Mai University’s First Building

“Ruen Derm” or “The Original House”, is a small one-storey wooden house, built at the foothills of Doi Suthep for the single purpose of supporting the upcoming grand project that would be Chiang Mai University. The detail engraved on the wooden sign above the stairs to the old house read “Preparation for the establishment of Chiang Mai University started at this place on May 18, 1961, at 3:45 p.m.”.

Dormitory Tales and a Degree in Life.

The building layout of the dubbed “female dormitory 5” resembles that of an English H with two sides divided and parallel to one another. The two sides of the building are connected to each other by the single-story common area. The common area has high ceilings made with transparent glass converging together to resemble a graduation cap when viewed from a wide angle. It is said that this symbolism serves to remind the students to persevere through hard times and that success will be waiting for them at the end.

Contact

Chiang Mai University 239, Huay Kaew Road, Muang District,Chiang Mai Thailand, 50200
Telephone : +66 5394 3661 to 5
Fax : +66 5394 2670
e-mail : irdcmu@cmu.ac.th
International Relations Division, Office of the University, CMU.
Telephone : +66 5394 3661 to 5
Fax : +66 5394 2670
e-mail : irdcmu@cmu.ac.th
Contact Corporate Communication and Alumni Relations Center
Telephone : +66 5394 1300
Fax : +66 5394 4900
e-mail : ccarc@cmu.ac.th

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