An Unexpected Surprise in Northern Thailand

Approaching the quaint little village ahead of us,  I had rarely felt so nauseous. We had been advised by our hotel to travel to the Baan Tong Luang Eco-Agricultural Village to  buy fabulous souvenirs and see how the hill-tribes lived. The shuttle dropped us off at the gates and, realizing we had to pay to enter, we began to feel dubious. However the shuttle had left, and we would either be sitting outside for the next two hours or heading in, so we paid our 500 baht and entered.

Paying to enter this strange agricultural area it felt more like walking into a human zoo. The boulder beginning to roll over my heart as we approached the first village, grew heavier with every step as we approached the small groups of people representing each hill-tribe. The people obviously lived here, they didn't dress up for the day and then get to go home, and not understanding how this came about I was not entirely convinced of its authenticity.

Time to start investigating: The Baan Tong Luang Eco-Agricultural Village was opened in 2005 for tourism. It's stated purpose is that it is a "cultural preservation project." The idea being that these people who are refugees are given somewhere to make money selling their crafts to tourists while preserving their old traditions.

Walking through the different miniature villages there are lots of souvenirs for sale at a price that may seem high compared to all the shopping you have done so far in Thailand but when compared to the cost of these beautiful hand-crafted items in the "Western world" they are still affordable and priced according to what I would consider 'fair-trade pricing.' The people living in the eco-village get to keep the profit from their sales and the entrance fees are solely for the benefit of the villages.

We met people from various tribes who were sweet and engaging but none made a deeper impression then the women of the Karen hill tribe. These ladies in particular, were incredibly friendly and we sat and talked with them for quite some time. They are refugees who had remade their lives in this peculiar village. There are thousands of people from the Karen tribe who fled the brutality of the Burmese army finding refuge along the border of Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand. With nowhere else to go, they had settled-in and while missing their families, felt they had a new home. The Karen women are beautiful all the way through their souls and their stories eased some of the weight off my heart. Having spoken and enjoyed our time together, I asked if I could take some pictures to remember them by. 

To this day I have not forgotten them. I have yet to understand how this strange tourist trap works, yet I feel comfort in believing, that through all of the suffering these women have endured, they appear happy now. I wish I knew how much of the entry fee these refugees actually receive, or how the money is used for their benefit, but I am sorry to say I do not.  If you know please let me know, and in the meanwhile I shall take comfort from meeting these inspiring women in their refuge.

I don't know if I would recommend that someone visit this while in Chiang Mai. The village raises an ethical debate regarding tourism. While I found myself there rather unexpectedly, I am grateful that I went because I was able to support these villagers and encounter some lovely people.  

Whenever I am feeling low, I take a moment to find strength and inspiration in the images below. I see people living free from fear, grateful for the life they have, and hopefully you can too.