Phayao (; ,) is a city (thesaban mueang) in northern Thailand, capital of Phayao Province. For administrative purposes the city is divided into 15 sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 172 administrative villages.
The town is on the shore of the Phayao Lake. It dates back to the semi-independent city-state (mueang), founded between 900 and 1,000 years ago. thumb|475px|View of Phayao Lake