☕️ Coffee Stories – Choo Jai, the Mindful Coffee Farmer and Roaster at Jing Jai Market in Chiang Mai, Thailand

It’s Sunday, my third day in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Since I haven’t fully adjusted to the new time zone yet, my days start late. I’m totally missing the recommendation to visit the Jing Jai Market in the northern part of Chiang Mai early in the morning. Instead, I find myself in the scorching midday heat, at 34 degrees Celsius, around noon, riding a bicycle on a 5 km route to Jing Jai Market. Five kilometers doesn’t sound like much, but the bike is probably the least suitable mode of transportation on the car- and scooter-filled road I’ve chosen. Dripping with sweat but happily surviving, I finally enter the market.

My head is still a bit trapped in FOMO thoughts:

I also want to visit a roastery in Chiang Mai today! How on earth am I supposed to manage that in this weather and with this bike?!

Little did I know I was about to meet a coffee farmer and roaster who would likely remain in my memory forever.

Feel free to draw me

The first thing I notice is people with their sketchbooks and drawing pads. They sit there quietly and attentively, as they draw a man wearing a hat. What a lovely hobby: traveling the world with a sketchbook, lingering in places, and capturing people or other things through drawing. It’s something I will see more often in Thailand.

In front of the man is a sign that reads:

Feel free to draw me.

Some have already followed this invitation.

Light Roast Hand Brew

I approach because I’m somehow drawn to the presence of the man with the hat. Then I notice the pile of used coffee filters. My gaze wanders further: in front of the man with the hat, there are carafes with porcelain filters and a few bags of coffee beans. Only now do I realize: There’s coffee here!

The woman at the stall notices me and quickly offers me a stool. From the suggested varieties—medium or light roast—I choose the light roast. She emphasizes again: “No sugar, no milk.” I have to smirk. I hadn’t expected these well-known, almost dogmatic specialty coffee rules of not “adulterating” coffee here.

Mindful Coffee Brewing

I watch the man with the hat brewing the coffee. Rarely have I seen someone make coffee so calmly and attentively. While the coffee drips through the dripper, he sits there quietly with closed eyes. First, the medium roast is served to the others. I’m told that my light roast needs another moment.

A Hand-Drawn Illustration on Every Cup

A short time later, I’m holding my paper cup in my hand. The woman proudly explains that each paper cup is decorated with a hand-drawn illustration. What a beautiful, personal idea.

I taste the coffee. An intense pleasure spreads in my mouth—what a delicious coffee! And honestly, I’ve already had a lot of coffee from various roasteries and countries. This one effortlessly makes it onto my personal top list.

Choo Jai, the Man with the Hat

I express my enthusiasm for his coffee to the man with the hat. We start talking, and I quickly learn that his name is Choo Jai and that this is his heart’s project. He’s a coffee farmer and owns a farm in the Chiang Mai region at an elevation of 1,200 meters. He took over the farm from his parents and converted the entire operation to organic farming. Every Sunday, he sits right here at the Jing Jai Market, serving his coffee.

Freedom to drink. Pay as you like.

The calm and restraint I noticed while he was brewing coffee runs through his entire being. He tells me he doesn’t want to set a fixed price for his coffee. Everyone should have the opportunity to try it and then pay what they like. The idea of offering his coffee without a fixed price has its origins in his insecurity, but also in his desire for honesty and authenticity. By giving each guest the freedom to determine the value of their coffee themselves, he creates a space of mutual trust.

I ask Choo Jai if I can take photos of him. He’s a bit shy and gestures toward the people drawing him. I can do whatever I want, he says. He grins and looks away from me. I press the shutter button.

Choo Jai’s Coffee Beans

After tasting the coffee, you can, of course, buy it. Each bag is also illustrated by hand. Naturally, I take one home as a souvenir.

This is a coffee encounter I will remember forever. Some people radiate a special atmosphere and energy. Choo Jai is one of those people. His calmness spread throughout the entire setting. I could have watched him brew coffee for hours.