Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [360]
Regardless of the origin, the villages are now on every group tour’s itinerary, and have become a significant tourist draw for Mae Hong Son. The villages are often derided as human zoos, and there are certainly elements of this, but we find them more like bizarre rural markets, with the women earning much of their money by selling tacky souvenirs and drinks. The Kayan we’ve talked to claim to be happy with their current situation, but the stateless position they share with all Burmese refugees is nothing to be envied, and these formerly independent farmers are now reliant on aid and tourists to survive.
If you want to see any of the three Kayan settlements in Mae Hong Son, any travel agency in Mae Hong Son can arrange a tour. The most-touted Kayan village is Kayan Tayar, near the Shan village of Ban Nai Soi, 35km northwest of Mae Hong Son. It collects an entry fee from non-Thais of 250B per person. Another ‘long-necked’ community is based at Huay Pu Keng and is included on long-tail boat tours departing from Huay Due Pier and Tha Pong Daeng; Click here for details on costs and how to get there. It’s possible to visit Huay Pu Keng independently and even stay overnight in the village. See www.huaypukeng.com for details.
Mae Aw & Around
A worthwhile day trip from the provincial capital is to Mae Aw, an atmospheric Chinese outpost right at the Myanmar border, 43km north of Mae Hong Son.
The road to Mae Aw is a beautiful route that passes through tidy riverside Shan communities such as Mok Champae before suddenlyclimbing and winding through impressive mountain scenery. Stops can be made at Pha Sua Waterfall, about 5km up the mountain, or Pang Tong Summer Palace, a rarely used royal compound a few kilometres past the waterfall.
For an interesting detour, at Ban Na Pa Paek take a left and continue 6km to the Shan village of Ban Ruam Thai. There are several basic places to stay and eat here, and the road ends 500m further at Pang Ung, a peaceful mountain reservoir surrounded by pines that is immensely popular among Thai day-trippers in search of a domestic Switzerland.
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PUE-LEH, 78
How did you come to Thailand? We walked here. It took 10 days, I think. It was so long ago I can’t remember.
How long have you been in Thailand? I’ve lived here for 20 years.
Have you ever been anywhere else in Thailand? No, I’ve never been anywhere else. I can’t speak Thai so I can’t go anywhere!
Is living in Thailand better than living in Burma? It’s better being here than in Burma. The Burmese soldiers took things from us, money and rice.
Would you go back to Burma if you had the chance? Burma has changed. I don’t think I could go back.
What do you think of tourists? I like them. They take pictures and buy things, that helps us.
Don’t you get tired of being photographed? No, not tired, just embarrassed because I’m so old, not beautiful any longer, and I can’t speak with the tourists in English!
Do you speak any English? A little bit. Sometimes.
Pue-Leh is a ‘long-necked’ Kayan in Ban Kayan Tayar, Mae Hong Son
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Drive back to Ban Na Pa Paek the way you came. From there it is 6km further north past hills holding tea and coffee plantations to Mae Aw. The modern Thai name for the town is Ban Rak Thai (Thai-Loving Village) and the town was established by Yunnanese KMT fighters who fled from communist rule in 1949. The town sits on the edge of a large reservoir and the faces and signs are very Chinese. The main industry here has become tea, and there are numerous places to taste the local brew, as well as several restaurants serving Yunnanese cuisine.
There’s a brief dirt road to the border crossing, but it’s not advisable to do any unaccompanied trekking here, as the area is an infamous drug route.
SLEEPING & EATING
Ban Din Guest House (08 4854 9397; Mae Aw/Ban Rak Thai; r 300-750B) This