Mae Salong

Cash crops, especially tea, have now replaced the growing of opium poppies, and Mae Salong today is a tourist attraction known as "Little Switzerland".

In October 1949, after Mao Zedong's communist party victory in China, the defeated Kuomintang (KMT) armies led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek retreated to Taiwan, except for the 3rd and 5th Regiments of the 93rd Division, which refused to surrender.

When the communists marched into the provincial capital of Kunming in January 1950, 12,000 troops from the 3rd and 5th Regiments, commanded respectively by Generals Lee Wen-huan (Li Wenhuan) and Tuan Shi-wen, fought their way out of Yunnan and escaped into Burma's jungles.

[5] After the soldiers reached Mae Salong, China and Thailand struck an agreement to transfer the administration of the group to the Thai government.

Santikhiri meaning "hill of peace" was introduced by the Thai government in an effort to disassociate the area from its former image as an established opium zone.

[12] King Bhumibol Adulyadej and other members of the royal family made regular visits as a sign of their support for the old soldiers who had fought against their own country for Thailand.

[13] Since 1994, Mae Salong has capitalised on its unique history and has developed into a tourist attraction, with its narrow winding streets lined with inns, noodle shops and teashops.

The old soldiers carry on their normal lives peacefully now, but still retain their Chinese identity; the main language spoken remains Yunnanese.

[3] The crop substitution programs successfully encouraged the cultivation of tea, coffee, corn, and fruit trees, replacing the opium poppies that had previously been grown.

Although the narrative is supposed to be set in the rural southern province of Yunnan, director Thom Fitzergald stated that difficulties in obtaining permission from the Censorship Authority resulted in the decision to shoot the segment in Mae Salong instead.

The traditional costume of the Akha people features heavily in the segment, however the blood selling scandals mostly impacted rural villagers in Henan province.

It has an alpine-like climate, with crisp cool air all year round and chilly in the winter months of November through February.

Mae Salong has long been the home of many hill tribes such as the Akha, Yao, Karen, and Hmong that originated from southern China and Myanmar.

The combination of climate and soil conditions at Mae Salong is ideal for growing high quality oolongs ("black dragon" in Chinese).

The festival celebrates the culture of the hill tribe people from the Chiang Rai area, and includes a handicraft sale, a light and sound show, a parade by the tribespeople, and a beauty contest.

The museum also features exhibits describing the struggles of the KMT soldiers and the development of the Doi Mae Salong valley.