Hmong Tribes in Thailand

December 31, 2009.

Last week, Debbie and I visited a few members of the ethnic Hmong tribes living in the Chiengmai area in the Northern part of Thailand. In fact, this week, the government of Thailand repatriated thousands of ethnic Hmong living in a camp in since 2004.

More than 4,000 ethnic Hmong from Laos have been living in Ban Huay Nam Khao in Petchabun’s province since late 2004. They were seeking asylum in Thailand saying they risked persecution by the Lao regime for fighting alongside US forces in the Vietnam war during the 1960s and 1970s.

Some of them have claimed to be close associates of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) who supported in fighting the communists before the fall of Vientiane, Laos in 1975. They say they are fleeing suppression back home.

But, the Laos and the Thai government are not buying the story. As far as the Thais are concerned, the Hmong are normal economic migrants and should be sent home. So, the Thai government went ahead with the forced deportation, despite opposition from the United States, the United Nations and the human rights groups.

In the meantime, Laos has told the international community that they need not fear for thousands of Hmongs repatriated from Thailand.

Originally the Hmong people lived in great numbers in the icy regions of Tibet & Mongolia. To avoid the cold weather, they migrated south via China into Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.

The Hmongs are fiercely independent people, good traders and survivors. They are known for their intricate embroidery work, they wear heavily embroidered, tightly pleated skirts. The women wear skirts having length in the level of their knees. The men dress in baggy black trousers with flashes of embroidery on the cuffs. They mostly wear the silverware as decoration.

Debbie is pictured with Ms. Fun, a 20-year old married Hmong. Fun has one baby, aged 2

A Hmong woman using her cell phone

A portrait of Ms. Fun

A typical house of Hmong tribes

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