Amazing grace

Horizons News - Thursday December 20, 2007

Amazing grace

It wasn't conceived as a tourist destination, but a royally initiated project in the hills of Chiang Mai to help ethnic minorities has become just that by virtue of its popularity

STORY BY KARNJANA KARNJANATAWE, PHOTOS BY ARTHUR JONES DIONIO

Doi Angkhang, where flowers bloom all year round and the average temperature is a pleasant 17 degrees Celsius - although it can get quite cold in winter - is often referred to as the Switzerland of Thailand, and therefore it is the wish of most Thais to visit this mountain retreat in Chiang Mai at least once in their life time.

The cool breeze and beautiful scenery aside, they travel to admire a royally initiated project that seeks to improve the lot of ethnic hill tribe minorities to whom Doi Angkhang is home.

In fact, there are many places in the country that have variously been labelled the Switzerland of Thailand - Doi Tung in Chiang Rai, Khao Kho in Phetchabun, Pang Oung in Mae Hong Son and Wang Nam Khiew in Nakhon Ratchasima - but none merit the tag more than Doi Angkhang, owing to its unique charm and the presence of a research and development centre that promotes farming of cash crops such as kiwi, strawberry, plum, apricots, vegetable and flowers. It is called the Royal Agricultural Station.

The road leading to the centre is dotted with Mexican sunflowers this time of the year and along the way there are a few spots worth a visit, such as Tham Ngob in Chai Prakan district on Highway 1340, the former stronghold of Kuomintang (KMT) troops led by Gen Lee Wen Huan who moved to Thailand after the communists came to power in China.

"We have tried to preserve things as they used to be 30 years ago,"said Paranee Chaisiri, 47, the eldest daughter of Gen Lee.

Her family spent years restoring the seven-rai plot that served as headquarters and home of Gen Lee and 1,000 soldiers of his Yunnanese Division III. Most of the houses are single storey and made from clay.

Gen Lee's house looked simple but neat. It had a radio room, a meeting room and a living room where visitors can admire pictures of his activities, including one that shows the general presenting a piece of rock to His Majesty the King. The rock taken from Doi Pha Mon in Chiang Rai following victory in a battle symbolises the recapture of Thai territory from communists.

KMT troops were mostly volunteers from Yunnan who sought refuge in Thailand after Mao Zedong and his communist party came to power in China. Their leader Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan. All in all five groups of KMT troops moved into northern Thailand via Burma. Divisions I, II and IV after a while joined Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan, while the other two stayed behind. Division III headed by Gen Lee, who died in 2000, and Division V of Gen Tuan Shi Wen, who died in 1981, and their men - numbering about 4,000 - found refuge in Mae Salong.

In 1970, as the communist movement gained steam, these troops were granted the status of temporary refugees and dispatched to remote and sensitive parts of the country to quell insurgency after Gen Kriangsak Chamanand, then deputy chief of the Supreme Command and later prime minister of Thailand, enlisted the support of the two KMT generals.

In the wake of victories on the battlefield, the government granted them and their families Thai citizenship. "We still speak Mandarin and continue to preserve our tradition, culture and lifestyle," said Paranee who plans to turn the general's house into a museum.

The soldier dormitories now serve as inns; it costs just 150 baht for a night's stay, while the command centre comprises conference and communication rooms.

Driving further on the same road, you will arrive at Ban Luang, a village where you will find shops selling Khao Soi Yunnan (home-made egg noodles with fried chicken curry but without coconut milk), Salapao Yunnan (steamed Chinese bun stuffed with sweetened red beans) and other items. Unfortunately, the buns were sold out by the time we called in for lunch.

From the village, you can take the same dirt road for about five kilometres to the main entrance of the Royal Agricultural Station. Those who like taking pictures of flowers will find this place is a paradise because flower belts stretch out in every direction. On view are rhododendron, Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus), European gerbera, various types of roses and other flowers.

The centre established in 1969 encourage hilltribe people to switch from opium cultivation to cash crops and to stop deforestation caused by the clearing of land for growing poppies.

His Majesty the King first summoned to duty Prince Bhisadej Rajani and later M.R. Chawanisanadakorn Worawan of Kasetsart University and several other lecturers to carry out his initiatives.

The centre did intensive research and development on temperate-zone corps, soil and water conservation, watershed management and reforestation, and received financial and technical assistance from several countries, among them Taiwan, the United States, Japan, Italy, Israel, and Germany. Border patrol police volunteered to teach hill tribe people how to cultivate crops, fruit and vegetable. That spelled the end of cat-and-mouse game these villagers used to play with police then.

At present, the centre plants more than 50 varieties of temperate climate vegetables such as turnip, zucchini, lettuce and red-and-green oak, more than 30 types of local and imported flowers, various kinds of fruit trees and field crops such as red kidney bean, mushroom and Arabica coffee.

Researchers at the centre are currently busy experimenting new techniques to raise crop yield in tandem with local labour. Once they perfect a technique they pass the knowledge to hill tribe villagers joining the scheme. Current beneficiaries include the villages of Ban Luang, Ban Khum, Ban Pang Ma, Ban Khob Dong and Ban Nolae.

If you have more time to spare, you can explore these villages where you can buy fresh strawberry and other produce and bring them back with you as souvenirs.

MORE INFO

Doi Angkhang is around 137 kilometres from Chiang Mai city. It is home to several bird species such as the brown-breasted bulbul, the giant nuthatch and the red-tailed laughing thrush. If you visit the centre during January, you will be able to see cherry blossom.

To get there: There are two choices. Take Highway 107 to Chai Prakan district. At Km 137 near the Mae Kha market, take Highway 1249 to Doi Angkhang. It is 25 kilometres up the mountains and this route is very steep and has several hairpins. Or take Highway 107 and drive about six kilometres past Chiang Dao district. Turn left at Muang Ngai T-junction and drive on Highways 1178 and 1340 to the centre.

Alternatively, from Chiang Mai take any public bus bound for Fang district and get off at Mae Kha market and hire a songthaew or motorcycle to Doi Angkhang.

Accommodation: Angkhang Nature Resort (053-450-110 to 9), Angkhang Villa (053-450-010), Ban Luang Resort (053-450-010, Angkhang Hill (053-450-043). For those wishing to

stay at the centre itself, call 053-450-107 to 9.

Bangkok Post