HILL TRIBE- Thailand

Part of our tour around Chiang Rai was to visit the Hill Tribes. Unknown to us, when we booked our tour, we had to pay 600 Baht to enter the village. When we arrive we are dropped off at what was basically, a market. Not a village.

We walked through and discovered the Karen Tribe. They are better known as the Long Neck Tribe. They came to Thailand to escape the violence in Burma. The good part is they are alive. The sad part is the females must start wearing a ring around their neck at the age of five years. Each year another ring is added until they reach the age of 21.

They have become a Tourist Attraction for Thailand. When the Thai government realized they added a boost to tourism the Karen Tribe are given a Thai Visa and a work permit.

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We see so many beautiful woven fabrics. Hard not to stop buying. They were weaving so many varieties of gorgeous scarves and shawls.

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We had a look behind the market area. The people here are living in shacks. There are chickens running around everywhere, which is a good thing for food. A lot of dogs as well. The thing is at least they are in a safe area, compared to the violent area from which they escaped .