Chiang Rai College was approved for establishment by the University Council on July 18, 2003, and is permitted to provide undergraduate studies under the supervision of the Ministry of Education in accordance with the Private Higher Education Institutions Act (No. 2) B.E. 2535.

Chiang Rai College was established from the idea of ​​Dr. In Chancharoen who was determined to create opportunities and develop the educational foundation for Chiang Rai people and people in the Greater Mekong Subregion. He therefore requested to establish the college under the name "Mangrai College" but was not approved because it was the name of the former Lanna king. Therefore, he requested to change the name to "Krung Thon Chiang Rai College". Later in 2004, he requested to change the name to "Chiang Rai College" to be in line with the college's philosophy that is determined to develop human resources in Chiang Rai Province and the Greater Mekong Subregion.

The first faculty that Chiang Rai College established in the academic year 2004 was the Faculty of Business Administration. The first program offered was the Bachelor of Business Administration program at the bachelor's degree level in Accounting, Marketing, and Business Computers, a 4-year program and a 2-year continuation program. Later, a request was made to improve the Bachelor of Business Administration program in Accounting to be the Bachelor of Accountancy program in Accounting.

In the second semester of the 2004 academic year, the Faculty of Engineering was established to offer undergraduate programs in three fields of engineering: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Engineering. The program is a four-year program and was opened for teaching in the 2005 academic year.

In the second semester of the 2005 academic year, the Faculty of Nursing, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Communication Arts were established to offer undergraduate programs in Nursing, Law and Communication Arts respectively, to be opened for teaching in the 2006 academic year.

In the academic year 2008, the Faculty of Health Sciences was established to offer a bachelor's degree in Public Health. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences was established by combining the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Communication Arts, and the General Studies Group to facilitate management flexibility.

In the academic year 2009, the Teachers Council approved the curriculum to open a one-year professional teaching certificate program at the Graduate School.

In the academic year 2010, the Master of Public Health program in Public Health Administration was opened in the Graduate School and was approved by the College Council to open for teaching outside the school in 2 places: in Nan Province, the program offered the Diploma in Teaching Profession and in Roi Et Province, 3 programs were offered: the Diploma in Teaching Profession, the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Business Information Systems and the Bachelor of Accountancy (B.A.) in Accounting. In addition, a project was submitted to the Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC) to request a change in type to a "university".

In the academic year 2011, the Master of Education program in Educational Administration and the Master of Engineering program in Electrical Engineering were opened in the Graduate School. The College Council approved the name change of the Faculty of Health Sciences to the Faculty of Public Health for greater appropriateness.