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Thailand - Mae Hong Son 1 (Long neck tribe)


Photo Gallery of Mae Hong Son (Long neck tribe) in Thailand.

A Karen girl weaving cloth.
I heard from a tour guide that there are three villages of long neck tribe, and I visited one of them, called " Ban Nai Soi ", the village of " Long neck tribe ".

One hour drive from the city of Mae Hong Son to Myanmar while enjoying the peaceful scenery of a rural district, then going through in a mountain.
(Mr. Tour guide told me that NHK, TV company in Japan, was going to visit here soon as of August, 2004.)

Check another Mae Hong Son page " Mae Hong Son (etc) " as well to get more information.



[Karen] To the village
After one hour drive from the city, we reached to their village, called " Ban Nai Soi".
The guide says when it rains and water of creeks are swollen, you can not visit there  like the picture down right even if you want to.
Surroundings
While relaxing in a car, going to their village.
(The middle picture is a rice field and the right is an orange field.)
Surroundings
While relaxing in a car, going to their village.
(The middle picture is a rice field and the right is an orange field.)
Surroundings
While relaxing in a car, going to their village.
(The middle picture is a rice field and the right is an orange field.)
Creek
There is a creek on the way and pass here by car also.
(It is concreted under the water.)
Surroundings
While relaxing in a car, going to their village.
(The middle picture is a rice field and the right is an orange field.)
 Creek
There is a creek on the way and pass here by car also.
(It is concreted under the water.)
Close to the village
(Reached around the area. They have a small shop.
 - Water: 10 Baht
 - Coke: 15 Baht)
Gate
(There is a gate near the village and Thai soldier protect there because this place is around the border btwn Thailand and Myanmar.
No need passport to pass this gate. :D )
The village
(After walking in a relaxed mood for a while, the village show up.)
Close to the village
(Reached around the area. They have a small shop.
 - Water: 10 Baht
 - Coke: 15 Baht)		 Gate
(There is a gate near the village and Thai soldier protect there because this place is around the border btwn Thailand and Myanmar.
No need passport to pass this gate. :D )		 The village
(After walking in a relaxed mood for a while, the village show up.)

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[Karen] People
Why women born on Wednesday is;
Long, long time ago, there was a scary happening. Only women who were born on Wednesday were bit and killed by a tiger. To protect those women from the tiger, people put neck ornaments on their neck.
They say that there are three kinds of people in Karen tribe.

  • - Long Neck Karen: called " Long Neck tribe " or "Pa Dong tribe"
  • - Long Ear Karen:  They have long ears
  • - Red Karen

About " long neck ", only women, and what's more, who were born on Wednesday, make their neck long.

  • Why women born on Wednesday is;
    Long, long time ago, there was a scary happening. Only women who were born on Wednesday were bit and killed by a tiger. To protect those women from the tiger, people put neck ornaments on their neck.

This is one theory and it looks like there are some other theories.
I don't know if this is true or not but women born not only on Wednesday also wear neck ornaments for fashion.
Ladies of Long Neck Karen
(You will see gift shops along the street right after you enter the village.
Long Neck women are selling gifts.
I heard that tourist dollars are their principal source of income.)
Ladies of Long Neck Karen
(You will see gift shops along the street right after you enter the village.
Long Neck women are selling gifts.
I heard that tourist dollars are their principal source of income.)
Ladies of Long Neck Karen
(You will see gift shops along the street right after you enter the village.
Long Neck women are selling gifts.
I heard that tourist dollars are their principal source of income.)
Ladies of Long Neck Karen
(You will see gift shops along the street right after you enter the village.
Long Neck women are selling gifts.
I heard that tourist dollars are their principal source of income.)
Ladies of Long Neck Karen
(You will see gift shops along the street right after you enter the village.
Long Neck women are selling gifts.
I heard that tourist dollars are their principal source of income.)
Other women of Long Neck Karen
(They also are selling gifts.)
Other women of Long Neck Karen
(They also are selling gifts.)
Other women of Long Neck Karen
(They also are selling gifts.)
When they have time
(They are weaving cloth.)
Other women of Long Neck Karen
(They also are selling gifts.)		 When they have time
(They are weaving cloth.)
With Kids
(A woman of Long Neck Karen walking with her kids.
Looks like she is controlling the three]wheeler with a rod.)
With Kids
(A woman of Long Neck Karen walking with her kids.
Looks like she is controlling the three]wheeler with a rod.)
Another Karen
(This woman is also a Long Neck Karen.)
Long Ear Karen
(Woman with long ears and her kid. See her lobes.)
With Kids
(A woman of Long Neck Karen walking with her kids.
Looks like she is controlling the three]wheeler with a rod.)		 Another Karen
(This woman is also a Long Neck Karen.)		 Long Ear Karen
(Woman with long ears and her kid. See her lobes.)
Red Karen 1
(Our guide says that women with black strings around knees are "Red Karen".
If you see carefully, you will find their ears are also long.)
Red Karen 1
(Our guide says that women with black strings around knees are "Red Karen".
If you see carefully, you will find their ears are also long.)
Red Karen 1
(Our guide says that women with black strings around knees are "Red Karen".
If you see carefully, you will find their ears are also long.)
Red Karen 2
(She holds is holding their folk musical instrument.)
Red Karen 1
(Our guide says that women with black strings around knees are "Red Karen".
If you see carefully, you will find their ears are also long.)		 Red Karen 2
(She holds is holding their folk musical instrument.)
Are their necks really long ?
Their necks is actually not long.
The neck rings press down their shoulders and it makes their necks look longer.
You will see the details in the page below with some pictures.
(This picture is sold in the village to support their lives.)

The secret of the giraffe-women,finally revealed.
(by Johan Van Roekeghem, Belgium)

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[Karen] Houses
Pictures of houses of Karen people.
Their electricity is provided by storage batteries. Antennas are here and there, and they must have TVs.
Motorbike also can be seen.
Residential quarter
(Visiting to their house area.)
House 1
(There is a house up there.)
House 2
(Is this a house too ?)
Sign 1
(I don't know what it shows. :) )
Residential quarter
(Visiting to their house area.)		 House 1
(There is a house up there.)		 House 2
(Is this a house too ?)		 Sign 1
(I don't know what it shows. :) )
House 3
(Close-up picture.)
Dry
(Some spices (?) are in the sun.)
Creek
(Behind a house.)
Antenna
(Antenna is there.)
House 3
(Close-up picture.)		 Dry
(Some spices (?) are in the sun.)		 Creek
(Behind a house.)		 Antenna
(Antenna is there.)
Sign 2
(It looks a house number.)
Cradle
(Bed for babies.)
Motorbike
(Motorbikes are here and there.)
Sign 2
(It looks a house number.)		 Cradle
(Bed for babies.)		 Motorbike
(Motorbikes are here and there.)

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[Karen] School
School building.
This is a school in the village.

Kids of Long Neck Karen have a class with other kids.

(Picture: School building)
School 1
(Looks like a time schedule.)
School 2
(One of classrooms ?)
School 3
(They are studying.
Higher-grade at elementary school ?)
School 4
(A student from Long Neck Karen is in the middle of this picture.)
School 1
(Looks like a time schedule.)		 School 2
(One of classrooms ?)		 School 3
(They are studying.
Higher-grade at elementary school ?)		 School 4
(A student from Long Neck Karen is in the middle of this picture.)
School 5
(Another classroom.
Students from Long Neck Karen are here also.)
School 5
(Another classroom.
Students from Long Neck Karen are here also.)
School 6
(This looks lower grades.)
School 7
(Board to ask donation.)
School 5
(Another classroom.
Students from Long Neck Karen are here also.)		 School 6
(This looks lower grades.)		 School 7
(Board to ask donation.)

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[Karen] Others
Posters I found while walking in the village.
The characters in the posters are not Thai but their language (Karen language ?) and even my wife (who are from Bangkok) didn't understand it. :D
Poster 1
(It seems that it calls people attention to mosquitos.)
Poster 1
(It seems that it calls people attention to mosquitos.)
Poster 2
(Showing how to have a happy life ?)
(The bottom right picture looks it says " don't hit your wife ".
Universally common problem ??? :D )
etc
(Sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) that if you touch it, it bows.)
Poster 1
(It seems that it calls people attention to mosquitos.)		 Poster 2
(Showing how to have a happy life ?)
(The bottom right picture looks it says " don't hit your wife ".
Universally common problem ??? :D )		 etc
(Sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) that if you touch it, it bows.)

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