Doi Tung (ดอยตุง) is a mountain in the

Thai highlands The Thai highlands or Hills of northern Thailand is a mountainous natural region in the north of Thailand. Its mountain ranges are part of the system of hills extending through Laos, Burma, and China and linking to the Himalayas, of which they ma ...

Mae Fa Luang District Mae Fa Luang ( th, แม่ฟ้าหลวง, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in the northern part of Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand. History The area of Mae Fa Luang was separated from Mae Chan district and created as a minor distr ...

, Chiang Rai Province,

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

Location

While not the highest elevation of the province, the 1,389 m high Doi Tung rises steeply close to the Thailand-Myanmar border. It is the highest point of the

Doi Nang Non Doi Nang Non ( th, ดอยนางนอน, ; 'Mountain of the Sleeping Lady') is a mountain range in the Thai highlands in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. It is a karstic formation with numerous waterfalls and caves rising at the southern ...

, a subrange of the

Daen Lao Range The Daen Lao Range ( th, ทิวเขาแดนลาว,
; my, Loi La) is a mountain range of t ...

, in the area known as "

Golden Triangle Golden Triangle may refer to: Places Asia * Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia), named for its opium production * Golden Triangle (Yangtze), China, named for its rapid economic development * Golden Triangle (India), comprising the popular tourist ...

Description

Apr 18,55 BE 0068 Wat Phra That Doi Tung

Most of the bedrock of the mountain is

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

and granite. The vegetation below 1,000 m is mostly

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...

forest, and the vegetation above this height is evergreen. The population of Doi Tung is about 11,000 people, consisting of various tribes including Akha, Lahu, Tai Lue, and Lawa. Wat Phra That Doi Tung is on top of the hill. According to the chronicles, this Buddhist place of worship dates back to the year 911. It is an important pilgrimage spot for the devout.

Economy

Coffee plantations cover an area of 15 km². There are 3.5 million

coffee trees Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of th ...

on Doi Tung. Almost half of Doi Tung's population is in coffee farming, providing a stable source of income for nearly 900 families. The Doi Tung Development Project is focused on the area of Doi Tung and has infused life into a previously moribund economy. Per capita incomes in the area have increased sixfold from 1988 to 2016.

Doi Tung Royal Villa

Doi Tung Royal Villa, former residence of Princess Mother

Srinagarindra Princess Srinagarindra ( th, ศรีนครินทรา; ; 21 October 1900 – 18 July 1995) née Sangwan Talapat ( th, สังวาลย์ ตะละภัฏ; ) was a member of the Royal Thai Family and the House of Mahidol, whi ...

, is high up on the hill. The villa was originally built as a summer residence for the princess mother and now houses a museum displaying her work to improve the life quality of local tribes people. The Mae Fah Luang Gardens are a botanical park on the slopes below the royal villa. Flowers and plants grow among rock formations. Due to the princess mother's interest and encouragement, the hills were reforested. She was also instrumental in fighting against the

opium trade Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...

. As a result, the local hill tribes stopped growing

poppies Poppies can refer to: *Poppy, a flowering plant * The Poppies (disambiguation) - multiple uses *'' Poppies (film)'' - Children's BBC remembrance animation *"Poppies", a song by Patti Smith Group from their 1976 album '' Radio Ethiopia'' *"Poppies", ...

and began to grow other crops.

References

External links

*
Doi Tung

Wikimapia - Doi TungThe Switzerland of Thailand - Doi TungEconomic Geology Report
{{Royal palaces in Thailand Geography of Chiang Rai province Mountains of Thailand Daen Lao Range