ChaTraMue — Thailand's Legendary No.1 Tea Since 1945
ChaTraMue is Thailand's most famous tea brand, founded in 1945 and instantly recognizable by its hand-holding-a-cup logo. It's the original blend behind classic Thai Iced Tea, used by street vendors and top cafés across Bangkok.
BRAND HISTORY
The story began in the 1920s, when a family of immigrants from Chaozhou, China settled in Bangkok's Chinatown on Yaowarat Road and opened a small shop called Lim Meng Kee, importing Chinese tea. The business survived a wartime bombing and forced relocation, later expanding into red tea.
Thailand's tropical climate shaped the brand's future: hot Chinese tea never caught on locally, so the shop developed a red-tea recipe for iced Thai milk tea instead. In 1945, the name ChaTraMue — "Number One Brand Tea" — was officially born.
Today the brand is produced by Cha Thai International Company Limited, holding roughly 70% of Thailand's tea market. Leaves are sourced from the highlands of Chiang Rai province, where cool mountain air and mineral-rich soil give the blend its signature depth of flavor.
NATURAL QUALITY
Every batch goes through careful selection, using hand-picked leaves from northern Thailand's highlands combined with natural Thai spices that create the brand's signature spiced, caramel-toned flavor. The recipe has stayed essentially unchanged for nearly 80 years.
EFFECTIVENESS & USE
ChaTraMue tea is a versatile base for classic iced Thai tea with condensed milk, hot tea, milk smoothies, and even desserts and ice cream. The blend holds its flavor well even when diluted with ice and milk.
POPULARITY
ChaTraMue is the most recognized Thai tea brand outside Thailand — cafés across Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore serving "authentic" Thai tea often specify they use ChaTraMue leaves.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is ChaTraMue?
ChaTraMue is a Thai tea brand founded in 1945, known for its distinctive hand logo. It's the original base for classic Thai Iced Tea.
What's the difference between ChaTraMue red and green tea?
Red (black tea with Thai spices) is the classic base for milky Thai Iced Tea; green tea has a lighter, grassy flavor, often used in cold drinks and desserts.
How do you brew authentic ChaTraMue Thai tea?
Steep 1-2 teaspoons of tea in hot water for 3-5 minutes, strain, add condensed milk to taste, and pour over ice.
Can I buy original ChaTraMue with international shipping?
Yes, Pattaya-Shop.com ships original ChaTraMue tea directly from Thailand worldwide.
