Tourism

Experience Chiang Rai’s Asian Palm Civet (e-hen) Coffee

High up in the scenic altitude of Doi Tung, staff at a wildlife breeding centre are producing one of the world’s most prized coffee. From Civet excrement a furry, four-legged animal.

With expertise in animal breeding, several employees at the centre, located in Chiang Rai’s Mae Fa Luang district, have turned to a side job to make extra money. They use the Asian palm civet (e-hen in Thai), with the end-result being first-rate coffee beans noted for their unique taste and aroma.

The beans are packed and labelled “Civet [chamot] Coffee”.

Klinsak Pitiwong, head of the centre who initiated the project four years ago, said money from coffee bean sales is helping to wean his staff off the temptation to engage in legally questionable side jobs to supplement their family income.

Clean coffee bean cherries

Mr Klinsak said his employees at the centre grow fine Arabica coffee, which requires cultivation at an altitude of more than 700 metres above sea level and constantly low temperatures, under the Doi Tung Development Project. Therefore, the staff are experienced and skilled in both animal breeding and coffee cultivation.

However, even though coffee beans produced by the centre will be branded as civet or chamot coffee, the animals which eat and discharge the beans are the e-hen, not the chamot.

“Chamots don’t eat coffee beans, but the e-hen do. However, our marketing experts suggested we go for the word ‘chamot’ because Thai people are more familiar with chamot than e-hen,” he said. Chamot also sounds more pleasant to the ear.

e-hen raised at the breeding centre

In Thailand, e-hen are not on the list of protected species. Therefore, Mr Klinsak saw the opportunity to use these cat-sized mammals and make money.

With a distinctive and pleasant taste, coffee beans obtained from e-hens now fetch a whopping 20,000 baht a kilogramme, compared to normal beans which sell for around 1,000 baht/kg.

Mr Klinsak said selected ripe coffee cherries are collected from orchards in the afternoon and then fed to the e-hen in the afternoon.

“We normally feed them the cherries within two hours of the beans being harvested, to prevent glucose in the yield from turning rancid, which helps maintain the quality of the coffee,” he said.

The e-hen digestive system reacts chemically to the coffee cherries and enhances the taste in the beans, bringing out the full flavour. The staff look for the e-hen droppings and pick out the beans for the subsequent stages of processing.

Civets are small, nocturnal mammals

On the cleanliness and hygiene of the coffee beans, Mr Klinsak said those obtained from farmed e-hen are cleaner with less chance of being tainted by bacteria than those produced by e-hen in the wild.

Harmful bacteria in wild e-hens may come from shellfish and insects that the animals feed on.

Coffee beans separated from the droppings are left in the sun to dry five times. Alternatively, they are put in a dryer and sterilised.

Next, the beans are left to mature in an ageing process, which takes about six months, before they are hulled and kept in a dark vacuum storage with the temperature under 18 degrees Celsius.

Mr Klinsak said the product marketed as chamot coffee from Doi Tung is registered as Geographical Indication (GI) merchandise by the European Union to ensure the integrity of the product. It guarantees the coffee is acceptable for global commerce.

When the fledgling coffee project took off in 2012, he started small-scale production with two e-hen, which gave high-quality coffee beans. The product instantly generated profits so he decided to procure three more e-hen. Today, the centre has bred close to 20 e-hen.

Doi Tung chamot coffee is retailed as ground coffee

Mr Klinsak said raising e-hen is not complicated. They are fed two meals a day. The feed — which is made up of fruits, mainly gluay namwa banana, with an added raw egg — is given to e-hen in the morning while coffee cherries are fed in the evening.

But he said production is not without obstacles as each e-hen consumes in different quantities, depending on the weather conditions.

In cold weather, they will eat less cherries than usual. Some e-hen eat only 100 grams of cherries while others take in more than 500 grams. On some days, the e-hen don’t touch their food at all.

Mr Klinsak said the coffee harvesting season lasts about three months, from November to January.

Palm civets reach maturity at two years of age. The mating season occurs twice a year while their gestation period is about two months. They give birth to three to five babies each time.

Raising e-hen is not complicated

The expense of breeding and raising the e-hen comes to about 10 baht a day, or no more than 5,000 baht a year. It is a worthwhile investment with high returns, he said.

Despite the relative lack of complications in raising the mammals, Mr Klinsak refuses to let each member of staff take care of too many e-hen, as it could hurt the quality of the coffee beans.

Reflecting on his efforts to date, he said the chamot trade could do with more marketing and promotion in Thailand. Doi Tung chamot coffee is retailed as ground coffee.

The beans are also sold in small, individual packs, priced at 299 baht each, suitable for making a single coffee shot. The centre wants to establish a niche in the tourism market in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Phangnga.

Despite the steep price tag for Doi Tung chamot coffee, Mr Klinsak said it is much cheaper than other exclusive coffees on the shelves. Retail prices are dictated by investment and manufacturing costs.

“Today, with the capacity and resources that we have, we are able to produce about 50 kilograms of chamot coffee each year. However, we need more distributors to expand our market across the country because we believe we have the capability to beef up our product volume,” he said.

Besides coffee, Mr Klinsak said the palm civets, which have been fed cherries and are experienced bean “dischargers”, can be sold for more than 3,000 baht each. The e-hens which are raised as pets can command a price of 5,000 baht each.

“According to Coffee or Bust (coffee expert), the secret of the best ground coffee lies in a thin variety of arabica coffee, usually grown on Doi Tung, and healthy e-hens”

If your wishing to buy exotic blends of coffee Coffee or Bust has been helping everyone from beginners to more experience ‘coffee connoisseurs.’

The goal of Coffee or Bust is not only to recommend the best ‘tools of the trade’, but also to provide you with useful brewing guides, tutorials, and other information to help you make better coffee at home.

By Chamlong Boonsong

Tourism

Interior Ministry Introduces New 180 Day Destination Thailand Visa

People from more nations will be now able to enter Thailand without a visa beginning Monday. This is part of an effort to increase tourism and encourage visitors to stay longer, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Friday.

According to Ms. Traisuree, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has signed four documents that will make it easier for foreigners to travel. These modifications will all take effect on Monday, provided they are published in the Royal Gazette.

The instructions include 93 more nations on the list of individuals who can visit Thailand without a visa, up from 57 previously. People from these countries can stay for a maximum of 60 days. Additionally, from 19 to 31, nearly twice as many nations will be able to obtain visas on arrival in Thailand.

To attract digital nomads, artists, and tourists interested in learning or practicing skills such as cooking and Muay Thai, the country will also introduce the Destination Thailand Visa service.

The new form of visa, which is valid for five years, allows travelers to stay for up to 180 days.

According to Ms. Traisuree, students holding visas for master’s degrees or higher will not be required to leave Thailand immediately upon graduation. They will be able to stay for an additional year to hunt for work or vacation.

In order to enhance the economy and tourism, the cabinet took a general decision on these additional measures in May. The statement was meant to be released in June, but it was pushed back.

Ms. Traisuree believes that this is the greatest sort of visa for persons who want to work from home in the Land of Smiles and explore the nation without the various restrictions and complications that come with conventional tourist visas.

Getting a DTV will give you a 5-year multiple-entry visa that lets you stay in Thailand for a total of 180 days a year, with the opportunity to stay for another 180 days.

Ms. Traisuree said that the Destination Thailand Visa is great if you want to work from home in the Land of Smiles and see the sights without the many restrictions and problems that come with a regular tourist visa. The Destination Thailand Visa will cost 10,000 THB.

Qualifications for the Thailand Destination Visa (DTV)

According to Thai Embassy, to be eligible for the visa, you must fulfill the following conditions (which could change):

You have to be 20 years of age or older
You have to be able to afford the cost of the visa
To sustain your stay in the nation, you must demonstrate that you have at least 500,000 THB in your bank account
Proof of your employment with a recognized company is required.

For digital nomads or remote workers who want to make the most of their travels and yet have the opportunity to work while they’re there, the Destination Thailand Visa is designed just for you. Additionally, it is ideal if you are traveling to Thailand in order to partake in any of the following activities:

Thai food prepared with Muay Thai
Instruction and conferences
Sports medicine therapy
International talent International music and art events

Thailand DTV Visa Benefits

Additionally, there is uncertainty about these details and they could change:

In comparison to other Southeast Asian nations that provide comparable visas, Thailand has less stringent income requirements and charges for the visa. For another 10,000 THB, you can extend the visa once, for a maximum of 180 days.
There are ninety-three foreign nations that qualify for the Thailand DTV Visa.
With this visa, you can lawfully operate remotely for foreign clients and companies while in Thailand.
Your spouse and any children under the age of twenty may accompany you.
You are exempt from paying taxes on your foreign income because the visa allows you to stay in Thailand for up to 180 days.

Drawbacks of a Thailand DTV Visa

You are unable to work for a Thai company that needs a Thai work visa, even though you are still able to engage in some activities and make money. Your DTV will end if you decide to change the kind of visa you are currently on.

Additional information on the visa’s release date and application process will be available in late June or early July of 2024. You will most likely be able to apply for it via the Thai immigration office, a Thai embassy, or a Royal Thai Consulate.

Tourism

Hotels in Thailand Fret as German Itravel Group Files for Bankruptcy

Thailand’s Hotels Association (THA) reports that another German tour operator has gone bankrupt, but that this will have a far less effect than the recent bankruptcy of FTI Touristik.

Following notification from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Thai Hotels Association has now confirmed that the Cologne-based luxury tour operator Itravel Group has formally filed for bankruptcy.

Southern Thailand is home to numerous high-end resorts, which Itravel aims to attract, according to Thai Hotels Association president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun.

As a result of Itravel’s bankruptcy, he said, the hotels association is currently collecting data from its members.

On Monday, the organization wrote to the TAT and the Foreign Ministry, requesting that they assist hotel operators in keeping up with legal developments surrounding the bankruptcy of the German tour operator FTI, which resulted in a loss of almost 111 million baht for hotels around the country.

Hotels having issues with Itravel

On Monday, during the THA monthly meeting, Mr. Thienprasit noted that they also emphasized the case’s urgency to Minister Sermsak Pongpanit of Tourism and Sports.

In response to allegations that hotel operators with business partnerships with Itravel were experiencing issues with financial transactions, the agency issued an alert to the industry, according to Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.

He speculated that the losses might be lower with Itravel, an online travel agency that focuses on the niche luxury market, than with FTI, the third operator.

According to the Bangkok Post, at Monday’s THA meeting, Mr. Sermsak stated that the ministry will look into measures to assist hotels, especially since the goal of 3.5 trillion baht in tourism earnings for this year is still very ambitious.

According to Mr. Thienprasit, the organization is opposed to the government’s plans to increase the legal foreign ownership of condominiums from 49% to 75%. This, he added, might lead to an increase in unlawful accommodations and make other condo residents feel uneasy about having more guests around the clock.

Unscrupulous investors

He said that some international investors are already breaking the law by renting out their rooms to day guests, even though the Hotel Act only permits rentals of at least 30 days.

An increase in the foreign ownership quota for condos, according to Mr. Thienprasit, could entice unscrupulous investors and lead to the construction of even more unlawful rooms, which now exceed the number of registered hotel rooms by a factor of two.

The success of Thailand’s hotel industry is highly dependent on the business of tour operators. These collaborations bring in a constant flow of visitors, particularly during busy seasons.

It is more convenient for passengers to book comprehensive packages offered by tour operators, which include hotel accommodations and activities. Because of this arrangement, hotels may anticipate a specific amount of bookings without having to spend a lot on advertising.

Additionally, hotels are able to provide more affordable rates, which appeals to guests who are mindful of their budget. But if tour operators go through slumps or start focusing on other places, this dependence might be disastrous.

Source: Bangkok Post, Thai PBS

Tourism

Embracing Paradise: Your Guide to an Unforgettable Vacation in Los Cabos

Nestled at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, Los Cabos emerges as a paradise where the desert meets the sea, offering a unique blend of natural wonders, luxurious accommodations, and vibrant culture. Whether you seek serene relaxation, thrilling adventures, or cultural explorations, Los Cabos promises an idyllic escape that exceeds expectations.

Discovering Pristine Beaches

Los Cabos is renowned for its stunning beaches, each with its own charm and allure. Sink your toes into the soft sands of Medano Beach, a bustling stretch perfect for sunbathing and people-watching. For a more secluded experience, explore the rugged beauty of Santa Maria Beach, ideal for snorkeling amidst vibrant marine life in crystal-clear waters. Enhance your beach experience with guided tours and snorkeling excursions offered by https://boattripsloscabos.com/, where you can explore the coastline and underwater wonders with expert guides.

Embarking on Aquatic Adventures

Venture into the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean for thrilling water activities. Dive into snorkeling or scuba diving expeditions to discover underwater treasures like colorful coral reefs and curious sea creatures. Set sail on a whale-watching tour during the winter months to witness majestic humpback whales breaching against the backdrop of the Pacific horizon.

Exploring the Baja Desert

Beyond its pristine coastline, Los Cabos boasts dramatic desert landscapes waiting to be explored. Take an ATV or jeep tour through the rugged terrain of the Baja desert, where towering cacti and unique rock formations paint a striking contrast against the deep blue sky. Visit the Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve for hiking trails that lead to hidden oases and panoramic vistas of the surrounding desert.

Indulging in Culinary Delights

Los Cabos is a culinary paradise, offering a fusion of traditional Mexican flavors with international influences. Sample fresh seafood tacos at local taquerías or dine on gourmet cuisine crafted by world-renowned chefs at upscale restaurants overlooking the ocean. Savor authentic Baja cuisine with dishes like fish tacos, ceviche, and grilled octopus paired perfectly with locally produced wines and craft cocktails.

Experiencing Vibrant Nightlife

As the sun sets, Los Cabos transforms into a lively nightlife destination. Explore the vibrant nightlife scene in Cabo San Lucas with its array of beachfront bars, live music venues, and pulsating nightclubs. Dance the night away under the stars or enjoy a sunset cocktail overlooking the marina, where the atmosphere buzzes with energy and excitement.

Relaxing in Luxury Resorts

Los Cabos boasts a plethora of luxurious resorts and boutique hotels that cater to every traveler’s desire for relaxation and indulgence. Unwind in infinity pools with panoramic ocean views, rejuvenate with holistic spa treatments inspired by ancient Mexican traditions, or tee off on world-class golf courses designed by golf legends amidst stunning coastal landscapes.

Immersing in Local Culture

Immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Los Cabos with visits to historic landmarks like the Mission San Jose del Cabo Church or art galleries showcasing local and international artists. Browse through vibrant markets selling handmade crafts, textiles, and souvenirs, or attend cultural festivals and events celebrating Mexican traditions, music, and dance.

Planning Your Los Cabos Escape

Whether you’re planning a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or a solo adventure, Los Cabos offers a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and cultural immersion. With its breathtaking landscapes, diverse activities, and warm hospitality, Los Cabos ensures a memorable vacation that leaves you rejuvenated and inspired, promising a return to its paradise shores time and again.