Longneck Women in Thailand
To support or not to support? That is the question.
Slow international travel is a delicate balance of seeing the thing a place is widely known for and patiently wandering to let things find you. “The White Temple” in Chiang Rai is one of those must-sees in northern Thailand. It is a white Buddhist temple that gives the feel of spongecake, whipped frosting, and silver glitter. Soft, pretty, and 3 hours away from our stay in Chiang Mai, we splurged on full-day tour that took us to the trifecta of Buddhist temples: Wat Chiang Yuen, Wat Rong Khun, and Wat Rong Suea Ten. They’re often referred to as the red, white, and blue temples, even though the red one is actually white.
But that’s a story for another time.
Moon, as her name translates in English, is a local female independent tour operator we chose to book with. In the middle of explaining the transportation options, she excitedly asked if we wanted to visit the Longneck Karens. Stuffed between photos of the temples and elephants was poster of a woman with skin both warmed and worn by the elements, stoic brown eyes, and a stack of thick brass rings around her neck.
Immediately, no.
We actively avoid supporting activities that exploit the local culture for entertainment and clicks. No tiger petting, no riding elephants, and definitely no human zoo. Moon’s sweet face dropped when we simply said no. She explained that the Longneck Karens escaped perilous conditions in Myanmar and resettled in Thailand while still retaining their culture. According to Moon, the Thai government enables them to earn citizenship after 10 years of earning an income, provides resources for their villages, and supports their economy by encouraging culture tourism to their homes.
We’re not naive. We’re aware that Moon is financially invested in making this situation palpable for customers. It is to her benefit to make an exploitative circumstance digestible. Clean. Not so bad. We booked the tour, not because we were bamboozled, but because our goal for slow traveling the world to be changed, to be immersed, to be educated — even when what we learn is difficult.
There are number of these villages throughout northern Thailand. The one we toured felt miniscule. There were more of us on tour than the whole of the village. It took us less than 10 minutes to walk through the open classroom, tiny homes, and bamboo tables of handmade textiles, jewelry, clothes, toys, and keychains. Beside each table was a quiet woman in colorfully woven clothes sitting with her back erect with military-like precision, balancing the hefty golden tendrils beneath her chin. She smiled when I smiled. Her arm swept to her side, an invitation for me to join her. I pressed my hands together and bowed my head to politely decline. She blinked slowly and repeated the offer to a guy in our group. After he and his girlfriend traded cameras and posed with her, she reached out her modest palm for a tip. Her look might suggest muted and fragile, but lady knows how to work.
Women at the other tables have enough practiced English to tell foreigners the names of the souvenirs they’ve crafted and what each costs. They hand our guide a very heavy brass ring so we can feel the weight of the coils. They nod their heads as the guide explains that the rings protect them from tigers while the men in the village go out to hunt — which is precisely the moment it dawns on me that there are no men in the village. Are they truly out hunting? The cynic in me has visions of men inside the slight homes watching Tik Tok videos on cell phones.
I moved from table to table, finding a little something I would not mind spending 100 ฿ ($3.08 USD) on. A thin silver ring. A keychain made of colorful woven material. Another thin ring, this one gold. A knitted bracelet. As I shuffle along I see that I’m being seen by children. These children see tourists regularly but stilll seem to retain a sense of shy curiosity. At least about me and my big hair. My white husband. My brown legs exposed in shorts. There’s an awareness that they’re being photographed and have adopted signature poses to make the strangers laugh. Like the women, they, too, are at work and open their petite fists for coins.
We kind of wandered into this experience so we did not do our due diligence to learn more about this community. I’ve done some research since and know that we didn’t’ go into this experience with the full scope of this community or their relationship with the Thai government. How my privilege directly contributes to the exploitation of the villagers is something I have to grapple with in my own head. When it comes to travel and community exploitation travelers can and should do the research. Armed with information and a search of your heart, make the decision that aligns with your values.
🎬 Watch the rest of our visit to Chiang Rai with visits to the famed Red, White & Blue Temples on YouTube.