In the remote northern regions of Thailand stately indigenous tea trees flourish in the tropical climate of the heavily forested mountainous Chiang Rai Province. Anthropologists and tea historians believe the birthplace of tea to be adjoining areas of remote jungle wilderness that runs from Assam, India to China’s south- ern Yunnan province, across the top of Laos and what today is Myanmar, down into northern Thailand, and across the northern regions of Vietnam. |
Ethnic minority tribes of Akha, Hmong, Labu, Lisu, Kosen, and Lua that originated in Mainland China and Myanmar (formerly Burma), have been settled in the mountain- ous remote jungle regions of northern Thailand, surrounded by the borders of Laos and Myanmar.Centuries old wild tea plants have grown into huge stately tea trees in these jungles, from which local populations have made tea from the leaves, as well as foraging the forest floor for other roots and herbs.For generations the people of these regions |
staple for many people of the region, as well as being used as an offering on religious occasions, served to elders as a sign of respect, and also served on special occasions.To make letpet, fresh tea leaves are first steamed, then packed into large bamboo stalks, before being buried and left to fer- ment for several months. While fermenting the letpet acquires an extremely pungent flavor and aroma. Pickled tea isn’t served as a beverage, but rather mixed with oil fried shrimp, and fresh Taiwan oolong tea. How a class- Taiwan, other soldiers posted The Thai government allowed them to settle in Chiang Rai province, and one of their first The Chinese refugees received clonal tea bushes devel- oolong tea production The Thai king, Bhumibol Adulyadej announced an ambitious new initiative that encom- The king’s goal behind these new programs was to improve the More than 34 different programs taught everything from crop |
Throughout the 1970s and 1980’s experts from the Taiwan Tea Agricultural Research Center supplied Thai tea producers with tea processing equipment. The tea farmers in the northern highlands received intense training in soil management, proper farming techniques, and improved manufacturing.The Taiwanese also provided new hybrid clonal varieties of oolong tea to help increase Thailand’s oolong tea production is small and most is consumed internally, dispersed Emphasis is on Hmong and Akha fabrics and jewelry, as well as the delicious Chinese and Thai food, and, of course, Enjoy. |