Hello, this review is about a trip to Chiang Rai with CP ALL, which was another activity that CP ALL, in collaboration with PANTIP.COM, took lucky participants from a fun event to.


Last November, we organized a special trip to Chiang Rai, where we flew to enjoy coffee, share smiles, visit coffee plantations, and learn about coffee production methods on Doi Chang.

A major coffee production area in Thailand, and we are one of the lucky ones to participate in this activity.

Before we embark on a coffee-sipping, smile-sharing journey, let's follow the coffee production process from the coffee plantations on Doi Chang, Chiang Rai province.


Let's get to know ALL CAFE, delicious and affordable coffee from the convenience store we all know well, 7-Eleven. What's the story behind it?

ALL CAFE was born from the concept of wanting to blend two good coffee bean varieties together, namely:



– 80% Arabica beans, sourced directly from Doi Chang, Chiang Rai Province.

– Robusta variety 20 percent from Chumphon Province

Another important coffee-growing region in Thailand, where both coffee varieties are known for their

Distinctive identity, full of premium quality and can be used to create a variety of menus.

Whether it's a cold, hot, or blended menu, every cup is freshly made to the highest standards.



Thank you for the picture from IG: caffemuanchon

In addition to ALL CAFE, there is also Caffe Muanchon, a coffee project that creates jobs.
by Dr. Naris Thamkeawkool, Chairman of Human Resources, Charoen Pokphand Group
, Deputy Managing Director of CP All Public Company Limited and CP Retailink Co., Ltd.
The initiator of the coffee training project to create jobs for society and communities under the objective of creating jobs for coffee shop operators.
To have standards, reduce the number of unemployed people, stimulate the coffee business market to expand, help circulate the economy of the country, and raise the standards of Thai coffee to international standards.
More than 65 training courses have been organized, with a total of more than 7,000 people.

It is a free training course: no fees and no conditions whatsoever.
It also supports people in the community and society to have income, as well as reducing the area of cultivation caused by forest burning.
To return to its original state by planting coffee instead and developing knowledge to create jobs for the community and society to improve further.



Let's start our journey for this trip. This trip is truly special because it's the first time I've had the opportunity to travel alone without anyone following me. At first, I was worried about going with people I didn't know, but when I met my fellow travelers, my worries disappeared immediately. The staff and all the fellow travelers were so lovely. For this trip, we flew with Thai Smile Airways from Suvarnabhumi Airport, which is close to my home. I really liked it.



For this trip, the photos may not be beautiful because we went as lucky winners, so we didn't bring a camera.


All photos were taken with a Samsung Galaxy K-Zoom mobile phone.

And this is my first time flying Thai Smile. The service is good, and they offer water and snacks.



After a short flight, I arrived at Mae Fah Luang Airport in Chiang Rai. While waiting for my luggage, I was treated to a performance of Thai music by children.



As soon as we left the airport, our group went to visit the Choui Fong tea plantation.
I've been to Chiang Rai many times, but this is the first time I've been here.
The Choui Fong tea plantation we visited is located in Mae Chan district and is the second largest tea plantation in the area.
The tea plantation here is beautiful and perfect for sightseeing. The plantation is vast and offers delicious tea, coffee, cakes, and food for tourists.
Getting there is quite convenient as the road is paved and not too winding.
Along the way, you will see pineapple plantations on both sides of the road.



Sipping tea with a wide smile in the middle of the Choui Fong tea plantation, surrounded by delicious cakes and drinks, our group ordered and shared them among ourselves.



This resulted in everyone getting to try every flavor. Oh, I forgot to mention that upon arrival at Chiang Rai Airport, we were divided into groups.

We competed in various activities together, not just sightseeing, which made it a lot of fun. I'm proud to say that our group won the competition this time.

STRONG!!!



This corner, if you come in the late afternoon, the sun is not hot, the view is very beautiful. But when I went, the sun was still hot, so no one was sitting there.



The atmosphere of the fellow travelers was fun to take pictures.



The view inside the tea plantation is very beautiful.





The building above is the factory and restaurant where we are sitting.



After leaving the tea plantation, we continued on to Mae Sai to cross the border and go shopping in Burma.


However, the army must march on its way, so we stopped by the Yinping Yunnan Restaurant for some delicious Chinese food.



Let's see what delicious food we have. The table is full of delicious food. Yinping Yunnan Restaurant.


It is a famous restaurant in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province.

This is a Yunnan-style Chinese restaurant located in a two-story shophouse. The taste is good, but if you prefer a stronger flavor,

It might be a bit bland, but if you like Chinese-style food, it's delicious.



After a satisfying meal, we continued our journey, this time switching from a van to a bus.



While waiting to cross over to the Burmese side, there was some small talk and introductions.





The atmosphere of the shops on the Thai side. It's a pity that I didn't have the chance to walk around this side.


I will have the opportunity to return to Mae Sai again because I still feel that I haven't shopped enough.



Crossing over to our neighboring country, the first place we stopped was the White Jade Buddha Temple, a three-dimensional Buddha.


At first, we were confused as to why it had to be three-dimensional. But according to the guide, if we walk around and look at the Buddha statue,

As we walked around, we noticed that the Buddha statue seemed to be following us with its eyes. However, we didn't test it out, as we were too busy taking photos.



From the White Jade Temple, the next stop is the Shwedagon Pagoda replica, which is a 5-fold smaller replica of the real thing. In fact, we think the replica is already big, so the real thing must be huge if it's 5 times bigger. Personally, I haven't seen the real thing yet, so I came to pay my respects to the replica first.
The real Shwedagon Pagoda is located in Yangon, Myanmar. It is believed to be a great stupa containing 8 strands of the Buddha's hair relics.
At the very top of the pagoda, there are 5,448 diamonds. The top layer has a 76-carat diamond and 2,317 rubies.
There is a large emerald in the center to receive the first and last rays of the sun.



Please pay respects to the holy relics for good luck. Then, enjoy the view around the Great Stupa.



City view.



After paying respects to the Buddha, it was time to go shopping. The atmosphere of the Tachileik market was a mix of cheap and expensive shops.


Strolling around, enjoying the sights and sounds, time seemed to fly by. As I wandered, I realized I had lost sight of my group. I continued browsing for a while, hoping to catch up with them later.

Then I hurried back to the meeting point, feeling like I hadn't shopped enough. I'll definitely go back and visit again when I have the chance.



Returning to the meeting point is the King Bayinnaung Monument. Inside, there are trees planted for shade. The entrance fee is 5 baht per person.



After a while, we got on a bus and returned to the Thai side. We changed to a van like before and continued our journey to Doi Chang.


The atmosphere is dim, carrying gold to wait for delicious food on the mountain. At this time, many people are sleeping to regain their strength, napping in rows.



At Doi Chang, the food is ready and waiting. The weather is cool and slightly chilly, as Doi Chang is known for its cool weather all year round.
Our group is having a great time, and even the HOT bloggers are still taking pictures.
But we, the lucky group, are enjoying ourselves without having to wait.



During the meal, there was an activity to introduce ourselves and explain the details of All CAFE, including its origin and history.


I will summarize it for you later when it starts to make sense. Please continue reading.



The activities are all done. We're full and tired, so it's time to go to our rooms. There was a bit of confusion about the rooms, but we sorted it out. Our room is like this:





Cut to the morning atmosphere, on the balcony in front of the room


It's a pity that the weather wasn't cold enough when I went.

It was just a little cool, there was a beautiful girl next door standing taking pictures by the balcony.





On the other side, enjoy the morning view with a scarf.


It's a souvenir from 7-Eleven that you put in the room for me. Thank you so much.



As a blogger who loves to review hotels, I couldn't miss the opportunity to review Doi Chang Hill Resort, a beautiful resort on Doi Chang.

Although I didn't get to see the full view, I've never slept on Doi Chang before. This is my first time here.

It's hard to compare to other places, but before I came here, I did some research and found that it's a good resort on Doi Chang.

The Doi Chang Hill Resort is built in a cascading style on the mountainside, with stairs leading up to the individual guest rooms.





Walking up here, you will see the rooms and views like this.



There are stone benches for sitting and enjoying the view.



This is the parking lot. There is enough space to park cars. And this is the dining room where we had dinner last night.



The road in front of the resort, walk out to play in front of the resort because there is a beautiful friend who said that in the morning, walk a little further.


The sea of fog will be there, so we told others that we were going to see it, and some people followed us out, especially the handsome young man with glasses.

But, but, but, I didn't see anything but coffee trees. Everywhere I looked, there were coffee trees. It's perfect for the purpose of my visit.

Let's go see coffee at Doi Chang. When I turned back, the handsome young man with glasses had already walked back. I thought I would be a bodyguard for the girls for a while. 5555



They walked back with a slight disappointment.



The atmosphere in front of the resort is full of people taking pictures, but I'd rather go find something to eat. I'm hungry.


This morning's breakfast features CP fried eggs and CP sausages, a familiar taste that can be found at 7-Eleven.



Our breakfast was delicious. CP ALL was afraid that the breakfast would not be enough, so they prepared a lot of food for us.
My favorite sausage and ham and cheese sandwich is now on sale at 7-Eleven, buy 7 get 1 free.
Don't forget to ask for a coupon to stamp the sandwich when you buy it.

As for the small glass, it is civet coffee. I won't describe the taste.
It depends on your taste. Try it yourself.



After finishing our meal, we said goodbye to the little civet. Next, it was the highlight of the trip: sipping coffee and sharing smiles.
Next is the informative section.
Let's take you to see the coffee production process, which I must say is not easy. It goes through many stages before we can drink the delicious, aromatic coffee we enjoy every day.



Let's start by getting to know the types of coffee first.


There are two main varieties of coffee that can be grown well around the equator:

This is Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee.

And a rough illustration of the coffee journey, from producer to consumer.



We traveled from the resort to the coffee factory.


With the help of our speaker, Mr. Kiti Masak, who will explain our coffee production process today.

That is Dr. Naris Thamkeawkools position >>> (scroll up because it's very long)

And Mr. An, the owner of the coffee factory





Coffee beans from the tree, which will be ripe and ready for harvest.

Approximately from the end of October to around January of each year.

Coffee Production Process



Coffee production is quite a complex process and requires great care to ensure the best quality coffee beans.



Translation:



The process begins with coffee beans grown on Doi Chang. Farmers harvest the fresh coffee cherries, known as "cherries".

The coffee beans are delivered to the factory because the coffee grown on Doi Chang, a different variety from other mountains, gives the coffee on Doi Chang a distinct and clear identity.

This paragraph describes the coffee varieties grown on Doi Chang, a mountain in northern Thailand. The text mentions Arabica coffee, specifically the Cattura variety, which is prevalent in the region. It also mentions the presence of Catuai and Caturra varieties, though to a lesser extent.

Here's the translated text:

The coffee grown on Doi Chang primarily consists of Arabica coffee, specifically the Cattura variety. This variety is widely cultivated in the region. Additionally, Catuai and Caturra varieties are also present, although in smaller quantities.

Once the coffee beans are harvested, they must be processed immediately to prevent spoilage and maintain quality.



Translation:



After weighing, the fish are placed in a pool, which is essentially a spa pool, and sprayed with water to clean them.



The coffee will flow down into the lower basin. This lower basin will examine the coffee beans that are floating. If any beans are floating, it means that they are shriveled and do not have weight.



These shriveled beans will be considered low-quality coffee beans. These low-quality coffee beans will be sorted and placed in another pool.



The officers are sorting the floating coffee beans, along with various debris that may be attached to the coffee beans. They then leave it for one night to soften the coffee husks.



Translation:



The amount of coffee in the pond



After that, the coffee beans will be put into a quality sorting machine, and then sent to a hulling machine.


You can see that at this point, the coffee beans are of high quality and still have a beautiful color.



The washed and graded quality coffee beans will be sent to the hulling machine.


The coffee beans will be sent to another pool below, while the shells will be removed. The picture shows the officers scooping out the coffee shells.



These coffee husks will be sucked up into the truck for the farmers to take to the pond behind.


This coffee husk fertilizer can be used by farmers to fertilize various plants. It has been observed that coffee husk fertilizer really helps plants grow well.



After the coffee beans are hulled, they need to be soaked in a holding tank for another night to break down the remaining slimy mucus on the surface of the coffee beans.


During this stage, the coffee beans that float to the surface, which are of poor quality, are scooped out.



Translation:



After soaking in the mucilage pool for one night, the coffee beans will be transported to the next pool to enter the mucilage removal machine.


After the grinding process is complete, the coffee beans will be sent to the final tank to be thoroughly cleaned. During this stage, it is still necessary to check that there are no coffee bean husks.

When you see coffee grounds floating in your drink, you have to scoop them out.



Once you have high-quality coffee beans that have been washed and sorted, the coffee beans


Translation:


The fish will then be sucked into a cement pool and transported by truck to be dried.



The next step is the drying process, which is crucial because if the coffee beans are not dried properly, they will become moldy.


This results in subpar coffee that does not meet the usual standards.

Coffee drying methods vary depending on the location and the desired outcome. During a visit to the Royal Project, we observed various drying methods, including coffee ovens and drying sheds.

Or it may be dried on a coffee drying yard, but for here, a coffee drying machine will be used.

This coffee was specifically imported and roasted for the factory, as they require a large quantity of coffee.

This helps to shorten the drying time and also ensures the quality of the coffee.

The coffee beans will be placed in the tank and then sucked into the machine above by a round pipe. Then they will be blown with hot air.

Using thermal energy from lychee wood, which is a high-quality firewood that provides good and long-lasting thermal energy.



After roasting, the coffee beans are not 100% dry. They need to be sun-dried for about 2 more days to reach the standard moisture level.

The coffee beans are then bagged and left to age in a warehouse for about 6-8 months.

The coffee beans are then fed into a hulling machine, similar to a rice huller, to remove the shells. The hulled coffee beans are then sorted by quality.

Once again to get real quality coffee, then roast it to be fragrant and ready to brew coffee.

It is clear that the process of making a cup of fragrant coffee is not simple at all.

To produce 1 kilogram of roasted coffee beans, it takes a whopping 6 kilograms of coffee cherries.



After that, we walked to the back of the factory to see the wastewater treatment pond.


Walking past the coffee husk pond, where farmers come every day to collect it for use as fertilizer.



This section is a water treatment pond. In reality, Mr. A built it to treat water, but in fact, it's not wastewater at all.


The picture above shows the first pond. The water that flows into the pond has caused trees to grow beautifully.

This means that the water used to wash the coffee grounds is not wastewater from chemicals, but rather good fertilizer water.



After watching the coffee production process, we got on the bus to visit the coffee plantation.


The path ahead requires a truly skilled navigator, as it is both winding and steep.



And then we arrived at the coffee plantation. Everywhere we looked, we saw coffee trees, their branches laden with red and yellow berries.



Coffee cherries from the tree, which are both red and golden yellow.



The next part was a walk through the coffee plantation. I don't know how long we walked, but I know it was fun.



Both walking down the mountain, walking up the hill down the slope, panting and eating in a row, but what we got was that we saw coffee trees, we saw coffee plantations as far as the eye could see.


Doi Chang is a renowned source of premium coffee in Thailand, with its exports generating significant revenue for the nation.



After visiting the coffee plantation, we returned to the plant for lunch.


Enjoy the beautiful view of Doi Chang, capture the memorable moments before heading back.



View of Doi Chang Village



This meal, I must say, is incredibly delicious.



It's time to move on. On the way down from Doi Chang, we enjoyed the scenery and took some photos.


Translation:


Let's take a look at one picture from the way up the mountain. It was dark and we couldn't see the view, but on the way back down the view was amazing.



Afterwards, we stopped by the 7-Eleven branch in Tha Lo, Chiang Rai, to see and taste the delicious All Cafe coffee.


And it's not expensive. The iced cappuccino that we like to order is only 35 baht.



Fragrant roasted coffee, ready to be ground and brewed for us to enjoy. From the various production methods that have been shown to us.


In the end, it will be like this. Then grind it and mix it with a drink.



Our next destination is Wat Rong Khun. Since we're in Chiang Rai, we can't miss the opportunity to admire the beauty of Wat Rong Khun.


I haven't been here for many years. It's much more beautiful now. The Rong Khun Temple has developed a lot. Besides being a beautiful temple, it's also a very clean temple.



Walking to the back to go to the bathroom, I saw that the temple was building many other things. Both the Phra Phikanet Shrine, which is under construction, and the bathroom at the back are also clean. The temple itself also has seating for tourists to relax. It is a very good and peaceful atmosphere.



The picture above shows a Bodhi leaf on which people have written their names and tied it to the tree. This has resulted in the Bodhi tree that you see. It is noticeable that both Thai and foreign tourists have written their names on the leaves.


The picture below shows a bathroom that is incredibly beautiful. It's hard to believe it's a bathroom! However, it was closed for renovations when I visited.



This corner is for lost items that the temple has collected and kept in a display case. If you have ever lost something, please come and take a look. Most of the lost items are hats and umbrellas, which I guess people forget to take with them.



Another angle of the temple.



I have been there and impressed with every corner. I was able to make merit and see the beautiful architecture of Wat Rong Khun. If you visit Chiang Rai, don't forget to visit and make merit.



Here's another picture of Wat Rong Khun, this one taken from the front of the temple.



From Wat Rong Khun, we went to find something cool to drink and relax by the water at "ชีวิตธรรมดา" restaurant, which is a restaurant with a good atmosphere located by the Kok River. The interior of the restaurant is decorated in a cute and lovely style.



The exterior of the "Simple Life" shop is surrounded by large trees, making it very shady. There are seats by the water where you can relax and enjoy the cool breeze and be close to nature. It's a shop with a really good atmosphere.



Translation:



The food and drinks were delicious. Our table ordered a variety of dishes, and everything was delicious. The cheesecake and other cakes were all good, but our favorite was the honey butter bread with whipped cream. I can't remember what it was called on the menu. The smoothies were also good, but my favorite was the honey plum lemon. It was so tart and refreshing, it really helped to cool us down.



After enjoying our afternoon snacks, we continued our journey to Wat Huai Pla Kang, the last stop before ending our trip, not counting the souvenir shop.


It's my first time visiting this temple as well. It's a temple located on a hill. We went in the evening, so the atmosphere around the temple was amazing.

The cool breeze is comfortable. The weather is pleasant, not too hot and not too cold.

The temple is located on a hill, offering stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area.



Translation:



The atmosphere around the temple If we have the opportunity to visit Chiang Rai, we will definitely visit again.


Translation:


If you're visiting Chiang Rai, don't forget to stop by.

That's all for our coffee-sipping, smile-sharing trip.

And finally, about coffee, coffee scrub and coffee soap, which coffee scrub is a scrub made from coffee grounds.

I'm not sure where it's available.

If anyone is interested in trying out the coffee scrub, feel free to inquire. Check out the Facebook page in the picture.



Smiley

Finally, I would like to thank CP ALL and PANTIP.COM for this special event.



Thank you all for watching the review. May you all be happy and successful.

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