Lanna was first established as a Kingdom by King Nangrai in 1296 after comquering Haripunjaya, but had its roots in the many small principalities of the region, the largest of which was the legendaryYonok. The Tai Yuan people derive their name from this legendary Kungdom, Being called Tai Yonok, Tai Yonor Tai Yuan. Many chronicles speak of the Lawa Changkarat Dynasty leading up to the legendary Khun Chuang, the hero-king of Yonok who was said to have extended his borders north into Sipsong Pan Na and northeast into Muang Phuan, the Lao Province of Xieng Khouang today. The capital of Yonok is thought to have been in the Chiang Sean area or on the opposite bank of the Mekhong River to present-day Chiang Saen. The mordern areas of northern Laos, Sipsong Pan Na, Lanna and eadtern Burma were occupied by Lawa, Khom, Mon and Tai groups and it was not until the 13th century that teh Tai established themselves as the ruling class in Lanna. King Nangrai, after establishing his dynasty in ChiangMai, allied himself with King Ngam Muang of teh Phayao Kingdom and King ramkhamhaeng of the Sukhothai Kingdom. This alliance established the Tai as a culteral and military force which saw the ebb of Lawa, Khorn and Mon influnce in the north of Thailand

Lanna, at the begining of the Mangrai Dynasty, controlled the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chaing Rai, Chaing Saebg, Lamphun and Lampahg and was allied with Phayao, and later in the region of King Tilokaracha(1441-1487 A.D.), which was the golden age of Lannd, it expanded to include Phrae and Nan.

Contemporary to the Lanna Period, other kingdoms of power and influence included the Lan Xang Kingdom, on the east bank of the Mekhong river and Sipsong Pan Na which was the Tai Lue stronghold at the source of the Mekhong River. These kingdoms had ties in their Buddhist religion and trade.

In periodic wars, the people migrated across the borders bringing exchange of ideas and cultural aspects. The features of woven textiles found in the northernregion of Thailand have a cultural relationship with three main groups, namely:

1. Tai Yuan Nowadays known as "Khon Muang", the Tai Yuan are a large group who established Lanna culture in eight provinces in teh Upper Northern Region. This group of people also migrated to the provinces of Uttaradit and Tak as well as to Tambon Khu Bua and Tambon Don rae in Muang District of< Ratchaburi Province in the central region. Consiquently, woven textiles from these areas also bear Tai Yuan characteristics.

2. Tai Lue The Tai Lue nigrated from Sipsong Pan Na into the Lanna region through many periods and generations. Today Tai Lue weaving ateas situated in the Lanna region can be found in the districts of Tha Wang Pha, Pua, Chiang Klang and Thuan Chang in the province of Phayao, and Chiang Khong District in Chiang Rai Province.

3.LaoThis group migrated from the former Lan Xang Kingdom. Of this group, the Tai Phuan or the Lao Phuan, who can be found in the villages of Hat Sieo and Hat Sung in Si Satchanalai District, Sukhothai Province, the Lao group living in the vicinity of Nam Pat and Fak Tha Districts in Uttaradit Province, and the Lao Khrang, who can be found scattered throughout the provinces of Uttaradit, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet (and as far as the provinces of Uthai Thani and Chai Nat in the central region), are particularly renowned for their weaving skills.

Even though these three groups have today influenced each other in their weaving styles, a careful study reveals teh individual characteristics of each group.

In former times, weaving was an important task for women. Materials included cotton and silk. The Lao bred silkworms for their own weaving purposes and for sale to the Tai Yuan and the Tai Lue. Silkworm breeding was not poppular among the tai Yuan and the tai Lue possibly because of their Buddhist beliefs. It was belived that it was wrong to boil the cocoons because to do so would kill the insect. Consequently, most textiles woven by the Tai Yuan and the Tai Lue were of cotton. However, cotton and silk combinations can be found, particularlu in textiles woven with special decorative techniques.