Genetics: Unknown, likely Northern Thai Landrace
Type: Point of Origin, Open Pollinated
Style: Ganja, Seeded Flowers
Farmer: Unknown
Sourcing: Unknown
Village(s): Unknown
District: Pai
Province: Mae Hong Son
Area: Pai Basin
Region: Northern Thailand
Appellation: Pai
Country: Thailand
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Cultivation Details:
Regional Planting: July-September
Regional Harvest: January-March
Height: 2-3m
Classification: NLD type landrace accession
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Description:
The Pai landrace population is a rare remnant of traditional Thai cannabis cultivation in Mae Hong Son Province, an area once known for its highland ganja production. Plants from this region exhibit tall, open-structured sativa morphology, with long, narrow leaves, extensive internodal spacing, and highly resinous, wispy buds suited for humid tropical environments.
The terpene profile is said to feature fruity, herbal, and woody incense-like notes, common among historical Thai landraces. Effects are energetic, long-lasting, and mentally stimulating, consistent with the psychedelic high of true tropical sativas.
However, with modern hybrids flooding the region, pure Pai landrace populations have become increasingly rare, if not extinct in recent years.
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Context:
Pai, once a quiet rural village, has transformed into a popular backpacker destination, leading to drastic shifts in local cannabis cultivation. Historically, hill tribes and local farmers cultivated highland ganja, integrating it into their agriculture, medicine, and trade.
During the peak of Thai cannabis exports in the 1970s-80s, Pai was part of the broader Northern Thai cannabis trade, producing some of the legendary Thai Stick varieties that became famous worldwide. However, by the early 2000s, government crackdowns, tourism-driven gentrification, and changing market dynamics had all but erased large-scale traditional cultivation.
Today, while some local farmers and tribal groups may still maintain hidden plots of traditional landrace cannabis, the region has largely shifted toward modernized hybrid cultivation aimed at the domestic Thai market.
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Accession Details:
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Current Status:
Landrace cultivation in Pai district is in severe decline, the landrace is probably extinct, with most farms either abandoned or converted to hybrid production.
A return expedition is necessary to assess the region’s remaining landrace populations, determine whether traditional growers still exist, and explore conservation efforts before this historic variety disappears completely.
Join us on Patreon to support preservation and help prevent more landraces from going extinct!
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Pai
According to the Single Convention on Narcotic drugs signed in Vienna in 1961, the possession, importation and traffic of hemp seeds are not subject to regulation. This treaty expressly excludes cannabis seeds from the list of narcotic substances that are subject to international oversight. However, while the possession of hemp seeds is not a criminal offense in France, the cultivation of cannabis can result in administrative and penal sanctions as stipulated by Article 222-35 of the Penal Code.
