I feel kind of embarrassed, however I am from the DaLi countryside, and this may explain why have got no idea how to find a cheap return airticket to Chiang Mai ?
Our local dealers sell only pricy stopover tickets via Bangkok.

However, there was a return ticket deal www.thaiairways.com.cn/eng/promo/promo-km090612.php for 1.700 RMB but this has already gone a few weeks ago.
Has someone got an idea ?

try this 13888937940

not sure what's his/her name but i heard plane ticket here is quite cheap.

good luck!! ;)

I had to travel to Chiang Mai last month for business and as far as we knew there used to be a direct flight but its been canceled and the only things we could find went through Bangkok. We flew Thai air and I guess also that flight is not daily but only offered few times a week.

You can always take the bus, but I prefer to make it in short stints since I don't like long bus rides. You would have to make it to Luang Nam Tha and then catch a bus to the Lao Border with Thailand where you can catch buses to Chiang Mai. Or you can fly Lao Airlines to Vientiane and then to Chiang Mai. Hope that helps!

There is only the flight to Chiang Mai via Bangkok available, either with Thai Air or through GuangZhou with China Southern (i think). I'm pretty sure Laos Airlines only fly to Vientiane from Kunming, and then the only flight to Chiang Mai is out of Luang Prabang.

You can overnight to JingHong, then get a bus to Huay Xai and cross the border into Thailand, from there you can grab a minibus after jumping off the boat with one of the hostels. It could be achieved within 24 hours.