Photography
Photos Of Karen Hill Tribes
Apr
This is my collection of photos of Karen Hill Tribes near Chiang Mai, Thailand, from my visit in 2023. These photos capture the unique aspects of a controversial tourism experience.
When my family traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand in October 2022 my family was blown away by the beauty, culture, and food of this city. We spent our days wandering the temples, paying ohms to monks at the Buddhist monasteries, and climbing through waterfall playgrounds.
But among all of the experiences that we had in the city, it was one of Thailand’s most controversial experiences that truly stood out.
We paid a visit to the Karen Hill Tribes living just outside of the city to learn about their struggles and unique cultures and introduce our children to a way of living that they had never experienced before.
Tourism to the Karen Hill tribes in Thailand, particularly in regions like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, has sparked controversy due to ethical concerns surrounding cultural exploitation, human rights violations, and the commodification of indigenous communities.
One of the biggest concerns involves the portrayal of the Karen people as exotic attractions, perpetuating stereotypes and reducing their unique cultural heritage to mere entertainment for tourists. But we found that there was also another side to this.
Our conversations unveiled how members of these communities rely on this tourism to survive in a country where they don’t have residence and are limited in their opportunities to earn a living.
These photos of the Karen Hill Tribes near Chiang Mai are all from our family visit. I’d love to return to learn more of their stories.
You can read about our time visiting the Karen Hill Tribes here.
