In den Huegeln rund um die Stadt Chiang Rai liegen unzaehlige kleine Doerfchen, in denen verschiedene Minoritaetsgruppen leben. Die Lahu, Akha, Karen und Yao sind meist nach dem zweiten Weltkrieg aus Tibet, der Mongolei und Burma nach Thailand eingewandert. Meist flohen sie vor kommunistischen Bewegungen. Obwohl sich viele NGO's bemuehen, die Infrastruktur der Doerfer mit Elektrizitaet, Wasserleitungen und Strassen zu verbessern, gestaltet sich das Leben der meisten Dorfbewohner immer noch sehr einfach. Aber es gibt gute medizinische Versorgung und alle Kinder gehen zur Schule. Auf unserer 3-taegigen Wanderung mit unserem 67 Jahre jungen Guide Mr. Homee, der neben Englisch saemtliche indigenen Sprachen spricht, uebernachten wir in Doerfchen, wo die Alten Pfeife rauchen und die Schweine sich auf dem Dorfplatz suhlen. Obwohl es touristisch gut erschlossene Doerfer gibt, in denen uns die Kinder mit "Hello, 10 Baht" begruessen, betreiben die meisten Subsistenzwirtschaft. Frueher war der Opiumanbau gross hier im Goldenen Dreieck, aber heute gibt's vor allem Reis- und Teeanbau und Bueffelhaltung. Uns wird einmal mehr bewusst, wie bequem unser westliches Leben doch ist.
In the hills around the city of Chiang Rai there are numerous small tribal villages where minority groups live. The Lahu, Akha, Karen and Yao mostly immigrated from Tibet, Mongolia and Burma into Thailand. In most cases they fled communist movements. Altough many NGO's are keen on improving living conditions in the villages with electricity, waterpipes and roads the life of the villagers is still very simple. But there is good medical facilities and all the children go to school. On our 3 day trek with our 67 year young guide Mr. Homee (who speaks all the local languages plus English) we slept in villages where the old man smoke their pipe and the pigs enjoy themselves on the main square. Though there are touristy villages where the kids greet you with "Hello 10 baht", most areas subsitence agriculture. In the old days opium farming was big business here in the Golden Triangle, but now there's mostly rice- and teaplanting and buffalo herding. Once more we realise how comfortable our Western lifestyle is.
In the hills around the city of Chiang Rai there are numerous small tribal villages where minority groups live. The Lahu, Akha, Karen and Yao mostly immigrated from Tibet, Mongolia and Burma into Thailand. In most cases they fled communist movements. Altough many NGO's are keen on improving living conditions in the villages with electricity, waterpipes and roads the life of the villagers is still very simple. But there is good medical facilities and all the children go to school. On our 3 day trek with our 67 year young guide Mr. Homee (who speaks all the local languages plus English) we slept in villages where the old man smoke their pipe and the pigs enjoy themselves on the main square. Though there are touristy villages where the kids greet you with "Hello 10 baht", most areas subsitence agriculture. In the old days opium farming was big business here in the Golden Triangle, but now there's mostly rice- and teaplanting and buffalo herding. Once more we realise how comfortable our Western lifestyle is.
