Betel Nut in Thailand

We visited Newt's Aunt Ontang and Uncle Rian a few times in December 2007. During one of our visits, we watched Aunt Ontang prepare her "betel nut" chew mixture. Chewing betel nut is a custom mostly (from my unscientific observation) found in the rural parts of Thailand, and usually amongst the older women. I doubt that many city residents indulge, as chewing stains the teeth a dark color, and gives the gums a reddish tinge (we didn't see these "markers" in Bangkok, for example, but saw a couple of instances in Ubon). Chewing betel nut is said to be mildly stimulating (less than smoking tobacco, but more than strong coffee). Some men do chew, but they are few, older, and in the farming areas.

The betel nut is a palm nut. When the nut is red, it is ripe. The photo shows Lawan using a "naak," which is a purpose-made betel nut cutter; the cutting action is like that of an gardener's anvil pruner. This betel nut has a green outside husk, so it is slightly under-ripe, which makes for a softer nut.


Aunt Ontang's betel nut set (or "paan khan maak") actually doesn't reside on a tray (a "paan") but in the clear plastic purse in the left of the photo. If you zoom into the purse, you'll see the bit of reddish brown bark, which is called "sisiet," and can be part of the chew mixture. Newt said that the "sisiet" can be pounded or hammered to make it more chewable (?!). Bits of wood are also used in some chew mixes--the wood is called "gan coon."

Ontang is holding a small metal-and-ceramic container--inside this container is lime, which is usually made from oyster shells, or seashells, that are crushed and then heated. The lime is supposed to intensify the betel nut's effect. The container has a brass cap (partially obscured, sitting on the mat), and a matchstick-like spreader (the "fat toothpick") that fits into the "eye" fitting on the side.

Here, Ontang uses the tubular spreader to spread some lime on a "bye pu" leaf ("bye" is Thai for "leaf"). Bye pu is almost always part of the chew mixture, and can also be chewed alone. The leaf is quite large, about hand-size when unfolded.

So, with a bit of betel nut, some bye pu leaf with lime, and a few slivers of sisiet, Aunt Ontang can settle in for several minutes of mild stimulation. It seems like a lot more effort than brewing a pot of coffee, but perhaps the end product is worth it. It does give Ontang something to do while sitting and talking, and it seems to relax her.

For his part, Uncle Rian prefers to roll his own cigarettes, using Thai tobacco and local rolling paper, all ignited with a Bic-style lighter stamped "Thailand." Newt says that her mother grew tobacco, and that today many Isan farmers still grow tobacco for their own use.

Now, there are some antique, fantastically ornate and decorated betel nut "sets" that we've seen in Thai museums. These include stemmed trays with several containers made of precious metal, and artfully engraved cutters and other tools--obviously made for royalty or the very wealthy. So at one time, perhaps long ago, betel nut chewing must have popular with Thai high society. However, we haven't seen evidence, or read anything which suggests that chewing betel nut is presently a past time for the upper class (though collecting those elaborate betel nut sets would be a neat hobby).

That is our take on chewing betel nut in Thailand.