THE HILLTRIBES OF THAILAND

The AKHA HERITAGE FOUNDATION Akha University - Maesai - Chiang Rai Photo: Appa, an Akha girl from Burma, with her baby.

Hilltribes of Northern Thailand

Hilltribe peoples migrated over 100 years ago from the southern part of China into Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Vietnam and Thailand. They have preserved their way of life with little change for over thousand years.

Comprising seven major tribes,

• KAREN,

• HMONG (MEO),

• YAO,

• LISU,

• LAHU,

• LAWA and

• AKHA,

Beside the 7 main tribes, their are also some rare and smaller tribes living in northern Thailand, such as the

• PALONG,

• KHAMU,

• THINS and

• MLABRI.

For information about the PADUANG, the "Long Necks", please go to our Mae Hong Sorn section.