First Royal Factory at Fang Museum

The First Royal Factory at Fang Museum occupies the compound of Thailand’s original royal food-processing factory, set up in 1972 under King Bhumibol Adulyadej as a crop-substitution programme for the hill-tribe communities of what was then called Doi Fin — opium mountain. The plan was direct: buy cold-weather produce from farmers at fair prices, process it on-site and sell it under a royal brand. What began with a converted Volkswagen driving village to village to buy strawberries, longan and vegetables grew into the Doi Kham brand, now one of Thailand’s best-known royal-project food labels. The name Doi Kham — “mountain of gold” — captures that shift.

The museum was rebuilt after the October 2006 floods and mudslides destroyed the original plant, reopening as a living site museum under the patronage of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Five themed zones trace the full arc: the Ban Yang community’s origins, including its Yunnanese Chinese settlers; the early Royal Project Foundation; the factory’s operations, with the original Volkswagen unit and replica machinery; flood-damaged equipment kept as a record of the disaster; and the social mission behind Doi Kham today. Photographs of the king with hill-tribe farmers anchor the history in real lives.

Entry is free. The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday, 08:30 to 16:30, and closes for annual maintenance from 15 to 30 September. An on-site shop sells Doi Kham products — cherry-tomato juice, mango juice, dried strawberries, longan — and a restaurant serves meals on the compound.

Insider Tip: Most tour groups stop here on the way up to Doi Ang Khang, not on the way back — arrive before 10:00 if you want the five exhibition rooms without a queue at the shop counter.

Getting there

The factory is about 150 km north of Chiang Mai city on Highway 107, towards Doi Ang Khang before turning into Ban Yang village. Visitors to Fang can combine it with Doi Ang Khang and The Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang further up the same road, or detour to Fang Hot Springs on the way back. It is worth calling ahead on +66 53 051 021 to confirm opening days before the drive. View on Google Maps.