THE HILL TRIBES OF Thailand and Burma are composed of nomadic people whose lineage can be traced back to the 12th century, originating from Tibet and Southern China. The Hill Tribes have recently seen a considerable increase in their populations due to many people fleeing persecution in Burma. The Karen Hill Tribe (also known as Kariang or Karean) is one of the largest of around 20 tribes with a population ranging between 300,000 and 400,000 people. They live in the densely forested mountain regions of Mae Hong Son, which is located due west of Chiang Mai.
Before taking a hold on the bead world, many of the Hill Tribes were involved in opium growing to support themselves and their families, which milked the soil of nutrients making it unusable; and this saw many people losing
