Long necks in Thailand
Sven, a Norwegian friend of mine, asked me if I wanted to go with him to Chiang Mai. I didn't have that, because I've been there many times before, so I suggested to go to a place I had never been, namely Mae Hong Son. This is located in the extreme northwest, close to the Burmese border.
Let's do that. It is a two-hour flight with Bangkok Airways. Mae Hong Son consists of two streets and is beautifully situated, in the middle of the mountains with pure jungle. Only the sporty kind of tourists come here to trek, on foot, by boat or by elephant. I have with me the 'Rough Guide', whose (or whose, but it is rough, so it must be masculine) appearance by now lives up to its name, that is, I have only the section North Thailand with me.
It describes all kinds of Hill Tribes. For example the 'Red Long Neck Karien'. This tribe, refugees from Burma, lives in small villages in the jungle. For beauty reasons, some women have about fifteen heavy copper rings around their necks, creating a stately giraffe appearance. Only girls born with a full moon are eligible.
The 'Rough Guide' advises tourists not to go here, because it has now become a commercial affair. You have to pay a lot of Bahtjes to enter the village. After that it's free shooting. A wonderful advice. First tell in detail about an anthropologically interesting tribe, and then say, don't look. You can only advise that if you have been there. So we went and are now advising others not to watch.
The entrance fee is used to help other refugees (there are camps with a hundred thousand people), at least that's what a guide tells us. To be fair, I should also mention that I have heard that this money just ends up in Thai hands and that the Long Red Neck Karians are purely exploited by these businessmen. In any case, they fled to Thailand, because Burma's gifted military government systematically massacres minorities.
Honestly, I'd go check it out anyway.
Don't go. It is exploitation of people (women) who are knowingly disfigured. Just go to the zoo to watch monkeys.
Unfortunately, the entrance fee that is paid for a visit to the so-called “Long Neck” (Kaliang koh jou), ends up for a very small part with the Long Necks themselves. Although the entrance fee is quite high for Thai standards, most of it disappears in channels of a well-organized Mafia, which actually abuse these groups as their own source of income. Most other stories serve to convince tourists of the so-called good cause, which is already viewed critically by many, including the Thai population itself.
Willfully and knowingly deformed? Not especially for tourism, it is a tradition that this people has chosen for themselves. The most likely reason is that it is seen as a sign of beauty.
Incidentally, the neck is not extended (that would lead to paralysis), but the collarbone and the upper ribs are pressed down and at such an angle that the collarbone actually resembles a part of the neck!
Don't go, I went last week, outrageous, we had to pay 300 bhat per person (x6)
I think it's pure exploitation.
There were counted 7 women with a neck ring. We were indeed told that if a child was born under a full moon, she could wear these rings. Exactly how many children are born on a full moon? Just barely. So complete exploitation.
Still a pity about yet another exploitation of foreigners.
THAILAND, this will give you a bad reputation abroad.
Are now in Krabi Ao Nang beach, prices of the restaurants, priceless, spaggetie 200/250 Bhat.
Also with our Dutchman, bitter bales 350 Bhat. Consequence empty restaurants and full 7Eleven's.
THAILAND, this will give you a bad reputation abroad.
THAILAND wakes up.
Nico
Just a comment on the food. In Thailand you don't eat SPAGHETTI OR BITTERBALLS .... do that at home!
Thai food is served here , much cheaper , super fresh and delicious ...
Go eat with the locals
Tip after years of experience, the more lights and the more blabla, the more it will be disappointing
Pat
Last year we also went to the Karin Langneken. Opinions above are different from whether or not to go. There is talk about the entrance price of which the ladies receive very little.
I don't think it's the intention that you only look at "monkeys" there.
Almost all women, old and young, and young girls have a stall with home crafts.
They hang your things around your neck and press things into your hands
Just buy something from everyone, you don't have to worry about the costs and you give it away at home or you just use the stuff. If you walk around there you also have to support their economy. Also give something if you photograph them and ask politely beforehand if they are ok with it.
The ladies walking around there won't get along if you don't go. As Kees 2 says, it is not for tourism but from tradition that the people choose themselves.
These people are best helped in the long run, to just stop going there, so that the mafia who now earn the most money is sidelined. As long as tourists keep coming out of pity or to support their economy, their situation will not change. First with the refusal to pay these entrance fees, and the international pressure of tourism, a Thai government is also forced to do something. A tourist who is willing to support a mafia with an entrance fee of about 300 bath.pp should actually know that this corresponds to the minimum daily wage of a hardworking person, so that a mafia continues to do everything that it continues.
this is definitely not a holiday attraction. people are frank and diligent. even my thai family doesn't like this. I think the minister of tourism should just intervene. but good, some think it's a piece of culture. As far as I'm concerned, skip it quickly and enjoy the many good things that Thailand has to offer
I visited the longnecks in Mae Hong Son, arrived there I quickly discovered that this world famous tourist attraction is actually a human drama.
There were no other tourists at the time I was there and so I could talk to some people from the village for a while.
These people fled +/- 25 years ago from Burma, present-day Myanmar, where the military regime tried to exterminate this tribe and killed and raped many of them.
A large group has fled to Thailand and the Thai mafia probably took them from a refugee camp, divided them over three villages and turned them into a tourist attraction.
These people have nowhere to go, they don't have a passport or other documents, they can't go back to Myanmar and are therefore dependent on Thai whims and antics.
Some women told me that they do not want their young children to wear the rings, but that meets with resistance from the Thais there because believe me it is big money.
These people can earn their livelihood by selling some of the things they make, but as a tourist you have to pay an entrance fee just like in a zoo, disgusting.
The big money goes to tour operators, taxi operators, restaurants and hotels.
As so often, people suffer when no one goes there anymore, but it is time for these people to get their own culture and habitat back,
realist