HILL TRIBE 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, each has its own distinct culture, religion, language, art and colourful style of dress, these people make their homes in the highlands. The main profession of all these tribes is farming. All the tribes are hospitable and welcome visitors to their villages, providing them with the opportunity to see and experience their way of life.
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.
the PADUANG (the "Long Necks")

KAREN (the largest group of hill tribe in Thailand)
The Bwa G'Naw, known to many as Karen, and to others as Kariang, are one of the largest hill tribes in Southeast Asia. The total population of Karen people is unknown, since they are spread throughout Burma, Laos and Thailand, and no reliable census has been conducted in Burma since the 1930's. Population estimates range from 7.5 million to 14 million people. (The more conservative estimate makes their population equivalent to that of Switzerland). The approximately 320,000 Karen in Thailand comprise half of the country's total hill tribe population.

While the Karen still practice slash and burn farming as other hill tribes do, they differ in that they live in permanent villages at lower elevations and have been aggressive in developing environmentally sustainable terraced rice fields. These factors have allowed the Karen to better integrate themselves into Thai society.
 

The majority of the Karen people live in Burma, and yet they also form by far the largest of the major tribes of northern Thailand. There are as many as 280000 Karens living in Thailand. They can be found living both in the mountains and on the plains, most of them in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Sorn, Chiang Rai, but also in central Thailand. They live in bamboo houses raised on stilts, beneath which live their domestic animals, pigs, chickens and buffalos. The mountain-dwelling Karens practice swidden agriculture, and the plains-dwellers, for the most part, cultivate irrigated paddy fields. Karen Woman (Karien), Karen Village in Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand. Karen women are noted for their skill in weaving, which is done on a back-strap loom. Each of the many sections of this large ethnic group has its own style of dress. Unmarried girls wear loose white vee necked blouses. Married women wear blouses and skirts in bold colours, predominantly blue and red. Karen men produce musical instruments, animal bells, unique tobacco pipes and numerous other crafted items. Karens are originally animist, but about 25% of Karens living in Thailand have been converted to christianity by western missionaries. The Karen people are very peaceful and cooperative, who like the other hilltribes, reserve their highest veneration for their ancestors and living elders.