Discover Thailand’s tea heritage through Associate Professor Dr. Piyaporn Chueamchaitrakun and the people behind every cup. 

When people think of Thai tea, they often imagine the bright orange, sweet iced drink served in cafés and restaurants. However, Thai tea is much more than that. It reflects culture, supports livelihoods and connects communities around the world.

Did you know that although Thailand has only a small area suitable for tea cultivation it is surrounded by some of the world’s most renowned tea-producing regions? With China to the north, India and Sri Lanka to the west and Japan nearby, the country’s Chiang Rai occupies a unique position that every tea enthusiast should know about. 

I learned this while chatting with Associate Professor Dr. Piyaporn Chueamchaitrakun, one of the dedicated individuals working to improve the quality of Thai tea and promote its value in Thailand and around the world. Through our conversation, I realised that behind every cup of Thai tea are people working to preserve its heritage and shape its future. 

“Countries that produce tea surround Thailand. China is to the north, Japan is nearby, Vietnam is to the east, while India and Sri Lanka are to the west. Thailand is like the egg yolk in the middle. We are not a country that produces tea in mass quantities, so the question is how we can become an inevitable point on the world map for tea lovers.” 

This story explores Ajarn Piyaporn’s work and how she is helping to raise the profile of Thai tea on the global stage. 

Finding a Place in Tea

Ajarn Piyaporn’s path into tea began with a role she never expected to take. She joined Mae Fah Luang University in 2003 as a lecturer in Food Science and Technology at the School of Agro-Industry. At that time, her research focused on agricultural products including rice rather than tea.

In 2004, Mae Fah Luang University established the Tea Institute under the leadership of Professor Dr. Vanchai Sirichana, who was the university president at the time. Dr. Sailom Sampanvejsobha became the first head of the institute and Ajarn Piyaporn joined the team as one of the researchers.

The opportunity introduced her to Chiang Rai’s tea industry and the people behind its production. Although tea was new to her, she accepted the responsibility given by the university. 

In 2015, Ajarn Piyaporn left Mae Fah Luang University to pursue her PhD in Agro-Industrial Product Development at Kasetsart University. After around five years of study, she returned and took responsibility for the Tea Institute’s research and academic services in 2016.

“I wasn’t interested in tea at first. It was the assignment I received from the university and once I was given this responsibility, I felt that I had to do it well. And when people talk about tea in Thailand, Chiang Rai is the place that comes to mind.” 

Courtesy of teaandcoffeeinstitute.mfu FB 

At first, her work focused on sharing research with farmers and processors in the province. With a background in food science rather than tea, she had to learn every part of the industry, from cultivation to processing. 

“It was like starting another bachelor’s, master’s and PhD. I needed to know about tea in every dimension.”

Supporting the People Behind Tea

By studying tea industries around the world, Ajarn Piyaporn saw how each country developed its own identity. China, Japan, India and Sri Lanka each have different tea traditions. Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka and Darjeeling tea from India, for example, are recognised as having different characteristics. 

Ajarn Piyaporn believes Thailand should learn from these examples while developing its own strengths. She tells producers that they do not need to master every type of tea, but should understand the whole industry and focus on what they do best. 

Courtesy of teaandcoffeeinstitute.mfu FB 

“A tea expert from Japan changed my perspective. He told me, ‘Don’t think the best green tea must come from Japan or the best black tea from India. First, understand your own tea resources, then choose the process that brings out their best qualities. That was a turning point for me – knowing ourselves and the resources we have is the first step.”

One of her biggest challenges is helping the next generation recognise the value of the tea businesses they inherit. 

“We try to show them the value that already exists in what their parents and grandparents created. The value has been there for a long time, but we want them to see it and feel proud of it.”

Beyond production, Ajarn Piyaporn works to connect producers with markets. She brings knowledge from overseas back through workshops and training. She also connects producers with buyers so they can better understand market needs and improve their products.

“If I were a tea lover, I would want to visit Japan, Vietnam and China to see their tea cultures. I have had the opportunity to visit many tea-producing countries, including India and Sri Lanka, and each place has its own charm. I want Thailand to become a destination where tea lovers feel that, at least once in their lifetime, they should come to experience Thai tea.”

With limited tea-growing areas compared with major tea-producing countries, Ajarn Piyaporn believes Thailand should focus on high-value, low-volume tea.

“Tea is a combination of art and science. Tea from the same garden can taste different each year because of changes in climate. The challenge for producers is how to maintain quality while adapting to these changes.”

Stepping Onto the World Stage

During the Covid-19, Ajarn Piyaporn encouraged some Thai tea producers to enter international competitions, while others chose to compete by themselves. For the producers she supported, she helped check quality standards and improve packaging before they presented their tea to international judges. The awards helped producers recognise the value of their work and the knowledge passed down through generations. For Ajarn Piyaporn, the biggest change was their confidence.

“When they received the awards, the biggest change I saw was their confidence. The younger generation who inherited tea knowledge from their parents began to feel proud of what they received from their ancestors. They realised that the knowledge passed down to them had value and that what their families built was worth continuing.”

More producers then began entering competitions to test their tea and receive feedback from international judges. These competitions became a way for producers to step outside their usual practices, learn from external evaluations and discover new ways to improve their products. Her contributions to Thai tea research and development have also received recognition, including the CHAllenge Award 2025 from the World Green Tea Association, which honours her work in advancing knowledge and supporting the growth of Thailand’s tea industry. 

Telling Thailand’s Tea Story 

“Each country has its own charm. Each place has its own story and history. China and Japan have passed down their tea cultures for thousands of years. For Thailand, we need to ask what makes our tea valuable.”

Thailand’s tea story begins with its ancient Assam trees in northern Thailand. Before these trees became the source of green tea or black tea, they were part of the local tradition of miang, a fermented tea leaf product rooted in northern culture.

Over time, some communities shifted from miang production to tea production. In Huai Nam Khun village, where Ajarn Piyaporn has worked with local producers, families rely on the same Assam tea trees passed down through generations to create new tea products.

“The tree used for miang is the same tree that can be used to make tea. From this Assam tree, we can produce green tea or black tea depending on how we process it.”

Miang uses mature leaves, while tea focuses on young shoots with one bud and one or two leaves. This connection between miang and tea represents an important part of Thailand’s tea heritage. Although miang consumption has slowly declined, the knowledge and ancient Assam tea trees remain part of the story behind Thai tea. The shift from miang to tea production has allowed communities to preserve their traditional knowledge while giving these heritage tea trees a new role for future generations.

Another message Ajarn Piyaporn hopes to share is that Thai tea is not limited to its familiar orange colour.

“Many people still think Thai tea must be orange, but tea itself does not need added colour. The colour should come naturally from the tea production process.”

She explained that the orange Thai tea many people know today developed as a flavoured tea product, where colour and flavours were added to create a recognisable taste. The orange tea has become a strong identity and an accessible product for mass consumption. However, she hopes people will also recognise that Thai tea has more than one identity. Similar to Taiwanese bubble tea, which uses black tea as a base and creates different flavours, Thai tea can also develop its own character through different varieties, flavours and production methods.

Ajarn Piyaporn became more convinced of this after seeing a Thai tea shop in Shibuya, Japan, where customers queued for hours. The owner told her that their Thai tea was brown, not orange, because they wanted to present Thai tea in a different way. The experience encouraged Ajarn Piyaporn to work with producers to develop premium Thai tea defined by quality and flavour rather than colour. 

Brewing the Future

Today, Ajarn Piyaporn continues her work as a lecturer at the School of Agro-Industry at Mae Fah Luang University. Although she is no longer responsible for managing the institute, she remains involved in tea research and academic services that support the industry.

Over the past decade, Ajarn Piyaporn has worked with tea producers facing different challenges and needs. She sees her role not as someone who leads from the front, but as a partner who works alongside them.

“I don’t want to walk ahead and ask them to follow. I want to walk together as friends and partners, because when we work together, we do not leave anyone behind.”

Her goal is to help communities become independent by sharing knowledge so they can continue developing without relying on outside support. Over time, she has seen producers apply what they learned with growing confidence, improving their tea and passing that knowledge on to the next generation.

“I want to change their lack of knowledge into understanding, their difficulties into happiness and their tears into smiles.”

She believes the future of Thai tea lies in combining tradition with science and innovation. By preserving Thailand’s tea heritage while embracing new ideas, she hopes the country will become known for premium, specialty and wellness teas.

Sustainability is equally important. Protecting ancient tea forests, improving traceability and adopting recognised production standards will strengthen Thailand’s reputation and help secure the future of Thai tea.

“Our goal is not to become the biggest tea producer. It is to become a country recognised for quality, innovation and the unique story behind Thai tea.”