Tourism

I don't think there is much left in Thailand that hasn't been touched (or scarred) by tourism. It's such a double edged sword and think about the effects as I get off and on the tourist circuit. This picture is from a stop we made at an elephant camp on our way to Chiang Rai (by boat) a few weeks ago. This stop was just another way to make money which yes, I contributed to (not by posing with a snake or feeding the elephants but by giving in and buying an ice cream). My German companion at the time (Anja) and I decided to take the scenic route to Chiang Rai but we didn't want to stop at an elephant camp, but unless we chartered our own boat, we'd have to go on the one that everyone goes on, which stops at this place. The place keeps these huge snakes-





in cages and for a fee you could pose with them or buy fruit to feed the elephants. Those elephants were so hungry! They were trying to snatch up my camera and my ice cream. Only one boat leaves a day, around noon, so I don't think there are other groups feeding the elephants. It's amazing to be so up close to these massive animals and be able to touch their skin and look into their eyes...but then, with this up close encounter I can also see how the elephants' ankles have thinned out from wearing shackles for so long. It's a weird feeling.

Then there is the "spectacle" of the hill tribes in the north. Streets in Chiang Mai are lined up with tourist agencies offering trekking tours that rush you through bamboo rafting, elephant rides, hikes and an opportunity to see hill tribes. There is one in particular that is highly "advertised" and that is the Karen tribe (also referred to as "long neck" which really should be referred to as "shortend torso").



Y que crees? (as my dad would say)- and guess what? The Karen hill tribe village that those tourist agencies take you to is fake! I visited the Hilltribe Museum and Education Center in Chiang Rai and learned all these interesting things I know I would have never learned from any of those trekking tours. The Karen are native to Burma and it was a business man who brought many of the Karen to northern Thailand for the sole purpose of setting up a human (money making) zoo. I also learned that the reason for opium use and cultivation in the northern area of Thailand because it was introduced to the hill tribes by a British financial advisor to stimulate Thailand's economy, while "civilizing" and integrating them to mainstream society. I was just fascinated and disturbed by all this information at the museum and it made me realize how our own (my own) curiosity of wanting to see the villages within their native environment (or what my idea of that would be) can also contribute to their stagnation. What's the balance between preserving customs and traditions with advancements such as drainage systems, or insulation for homes? The museum also screens a 20 minute video about a couple who is in discussion with a village to set up an eco-lodge in the northern are of Burma and the questions they are faced with (what are the implications, the affects, etc.) in establishing this (I think I missed the part where the question should have been, do we even set up an eco lodge in the first place???). In return, the village would receive part of the profits and would be able to work for the lodge and they would also receive assistance with housing upgrades. It's true, I thought, so many of us would be curious to see cooking over an open fire (that is, if we aren't fortunate to see that for the holiday seasons in our own homes) or how they live in homes made of straw, but as soon as concrete walls are built, the romanticized image would be gone and tourism would decrease. Which, for what they actually financially gain from tourism, a decrease in it would not be so bad. They are a living culture, and they should also be able to advance. I thought- would I pay to enter a Native American reservation back at home? And would I expect to see find tipis everywhere? Of course not. So, why would I think of that here?

I also learned from Suwannee that the hill tribes do not hold official citizenship, so unless they have special permits, they are not allowed to enter main cities. I saw how officials insured this when Suwannee and I were on our way to Chiang Sean (northern Thailand) by bus and we stopped at a check-point. The military guards came in and stared everyone down and checked for photo IDs. They also looked for undocumented people who might have crossed from Burma or Laos. I thought- it's ok to have random check points like that? Just like in La Puente! And what was more (shocking, weird? I don't think I have the word for it) was to see how a guard came in at another check point and didn't even check for IDs but instead directly pointed at one man (very dark, indigenous looking man) and asked him for his identification. The man showed the guard some documents and after reviewing them, the guard let our bus pass. Isn't that racial profiling? That's just the way it is, Suwannee said.

Suwannee also shared that the government helps tribes by providing them with seeds and plots of land to harvest and sell vegetables (to prevent the opium cultivation). The vendors in Chiang Rai line up along the outside of the temple-



So much food for thought...