Locally known as Mor Chor, the Chiang Mai University was founded in a Royal Charter which was granted by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the year 1964. It was the first northern higher education institute as well as the first provincial university in Thailand. The university had begun with 3 faculties and and today has 17 faculties under its name. It houses 107 individual departments and 1 graduate school. The university has 3 campuses under its name. The main campus, i.e. the Suan Sak campus is situated between Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai of the Chiang Mai Province and Chiang Mai downtown and is spread across an area of 725 acres of land. The other campuses include the 110 acre Suan Dok campus and the 864 acre Mae hea campus. The university offers 253 programs, 3 certificate programs, 87 undergraduate programs as well as 163 postgraduate and graduate diploma programs. The university also houses 3 research institutes, 2 non university schools and 19 libraries . The notable alumni of the university include Chaturon Chaisang, the Deputy Prime Minister from 2002-2006 amongst others.