Tea in Mae Salong, Thailand
In 1949, when the China civil war was declared ended and the People’s Republic of China was formed, many people from the defeated Nationalist party fled for Taiwan. Some also fled to Burma.
Later many of these Chinese in Burma from the original Nationalist party later went to Thailand, settling in Mae Salong.
They were known for involving themselves with the opium trade and a solution was offered that tea would be grown instead of opium.
The original tea trees were imported from Taiwan.
The Ahka are the indigenous hill tribe people originating from China and similarly they also fled from the civil war in China and migrated to Mae Salong.
First the tea is plucked from the plants then withering takes place, which is basically air drying. Rolling and crushing is performed by placing the sorted tea in a cloth and squeezed in machines.
The Mae Salong village is known for producing both Oolong tea and green tea.