Long Neck Village

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to make you not to go to Kayan village. The people there live off tourism and when you go there, you support them. Below text is also my own opinion and is not meant to do harm to anyone. Go BUT respect the people and behave yourself. That’s all I’m asking.

There are attractions in Thailand that I would never want to see. These include so-called tiger kingdoms, where wild cats are drugged and forced to pose for photos with tourists, or places where elephants are trained to paint pictures or ride bicycles. I wouldn’t visit them because mass tourism is distasteful, but also because certain things make me feel guilty and sad. Long Neck Village is one of those attractions, too.

Long Necks and mass tourism

The Karen tribe, which is unofficially called the Long Neck tribe, came to Thailand from Burma, when escaping war and violence in their country. They are world famous for their women, who wear golden rings around their necks. From the time when they are 5 to their 21st birthday, each year one ring is added to their collection. At the end, their necks get so long that these women are often called “dragon ladies”, or just “long necks”. According to Karen people, the longer the neck the more beautiful the woman who wears them is.

When the Thai government officials saw these women on their doorstep, they felt it was going to be a great business opportunity for Thailand. They gave Karen visas and work permits, they leased them some land and took pretty photos of the women standing outside of their bamboo huts. Then, they used these photos in shiny, colourful brochures, advertising the northern region of Thailand and told the women to smile to tourists, who were willing to pay money to see something different and exotic. Long Necks’ villages became an attraction, a human zoo, where for 300 Baht you can take a photo with women dressed in colourful outfits, with a neck so long that her head looks almost like a poppy flower.

Karen are not allowed to leave their villages. Until very recently they weren’t allowed to go to school, or go to local doctors, or hospitals. Their situation is getting better slowly, but they are still kept in their little villages, without the permission to leave. If they want to stay in Thailand, they must stay on the land they were given.

Address: 26 หมู่ที่ 6 Nang Lae, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand

Hours: 
Closed ⋅ Opens 7AM Thu
Phone: +66 81 993 3827