The Burmese era

In 1615, the Burmese King of Ava reestablished control over Lanna, which lasted for more than a century. Actual Burmese presence in the north, however, remained minimal and had very little effect on most of the population. The darkest period in the history of the north began with the rebellion of General Thip, who defeated a Burmese army and proclaimed himself King of Lampang in 1727. His successors eventually ruled in the 19th century, but before that, the King of Ava sent army after army into Lanna and Siam.  After the fall of Ayutthaya, Kawila of Lampang and King Taksin of Thonburi joined forces against the Burmese.  Having reconquered Chiang Mai in 1776, however, the Thais were forced to abandon the impoverished city. Lanna and Laos were decimated by the endless war; towns such as Chiang Saen, Luang Prabang and Vientiane, previously spared by the Burmese, were destroyed by the Thais to prevent their recapture. The strain, accumulated over many hard-fought battles, took its toll on Taksin and affected his mental health. He becamc eccentric and cruel toward his subordinates. In 1782, an elite group of officials led by Phya San rebelled, forcing Taksin to abdicate.

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