What Is the Relationship Between Thai Tea and Southern Thai ‘Cha Chak’?

Thai Tea and Southern Thai Cha Chak share the same roots. Learn how Ceylon tea traveled through trade routes and evolved into distinct regional tea cultures.

Another key term in Thai tea history is Ceylon Tea—referring to tea from Sri Lanka. Before Cha Thai gained its distinctive identity, Thai hot and iced tea were almost exclusively brewed from imported Ceylon tea. In some southern provinces, it was even called Selong in the Hokkien Chinese dialect. Many traditional coffee roasters labeled their tea products simply as Ceylon Tea.

Thai tea and Southern Thai Cha Chak (or Teh Tarik, “pulled tea”) share the same origins—Ceylon tea brought in through Southeast Asian trade routes. While it remains unclear whether Chinese Hokkien immigrants or Indian-Muslim traders first introduced the method of brewing tea with condensed milk, the influence of British colonial tea culture is evident.

However, Thai tea and Cha Chak took different evolutionary paths. Thai tea became known for its vibrant orange color and unique vanilla-like aroma, whereas Cha Chak retained its distinct frothy texture created by repeatedly pouring the tea between containers.

Read Episode 4