Sa Pa 15th century and represent local cadastres. Then came the highland minorities of the Hmong and Yao. The township is one of the main market ones in the area, where several ethnic minority groups such as Hmong, Dao (Yao), Giáy, Pho Lu, and Tày live. These are the four main minority groups still present in Sa Pa district today. The Kinh (lowland Vietnamese) never originally colonised this highest of Việt Nam’s valleys, which lies in the shadow of Phan-Xi-Pǎng (Fansipan, 3143 m), the highest peak in the country. It was only when the French debarked in highland Tonkin in the late
Phan District ("tambon"), which are further subdivided into 229 villages ("muban"). Mueang Phan is a township ("thesaban tambon") which covers parts of "tambon" Mueang Phan. There are a further 15 tambon administrative organizations (TAO). Phan District Phan (; ) is a district ("amphoe") in the southern part of Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand. Neighboring districts are (from the south west clockwise) Wiang Pa Pao, Mae Suai, Mae Lao, Mueang Chiang Rai, and Pa Daet of Chiang Rai Province, Mae Chai of Phayao province and Wang Nuea of Lampang Province. The mountains of the Phi Pan Nam Range dominate the landscape of the