A great reflection and photos on Thailand, minorities and ethical tourism
Ethical tourism is tricky. If ever it did, the ‘take only pictures, leave only footprints’ brand of travel ethics doesn’t stand up to scrutiny during the era of climate crisis. The severely negative impact of mass tourism has blighted both historic cities and pristine natural habitats, and driven exploitation of people and nature. Travel can contribute to a greater understanding between peoples, but mass tourism is not a great vehicle for building mutual respect or sustainable economic development.
The exploitation of vulnerable minorities displaced by war is probably not something most of us would knowingly sign up for. Yet the case of the Kayan people highlights that even this over simplification is fraught with ethical dilemmas.
Hmong village, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Kayan woman, Chiang Mai, Thailand
I was in Chiang Mai working with a local organisation providing mobile health services to remote communities in the region. These are mainly poor…
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Equinoxio 
Excellent post Brian. Thailand is incredibly intriguing and your photos are wonderful…your narrative too! Enjoyed! I hope you are well dear Brian. 🌺
Hi Coeur de feu. I seem to have missed your posts this week? (Or am I beginning to have cabin fever delirium?)
How have you been? The figures in the US are heart-breaking. And the health profession is very exposed. Are you taking all possible precautions?
The merit to the post goes to my dear friend Paul Bell.
Stay safe 🙏🏻😷💕
That was a mice post to share…
The rings around the neck still amaze me.
They used to be called “giraffe women”. Lots of myths about them. They are in a tough spot in Thailand.
✌️😊
Just more exploitation. And it seems the women, who are the only ones in the pictures, are the ones who are being exploited the most. How terrible. Why don’t people think about what they’re doing?
Exploitation… hmmm. I need to get to Hegel. (Master-slave dialectic) I’ve been stuck in my readings of philosophy with Kant. I always get stuck with Kant! LOL.
Another aspect of “women” is that women tend to stick more to traditional clothes. I’ve seen it in Chiapas and Guatemala. Over there, the men had a very colourful traditional costume, but abandoned it for pants and Bulls TY-shirts. So the only ones “left” to photograph are the women. My interpretation is that the women are stronger keepers of tradition…
Take care.
Wonderful to see.
Thank you. I made a comment on the referred post. Thought provoking.
My pleasure Michael. Paul Bell has great posts… Hope all is well with you?
All is well, thank you, and I assume all’s well with you too.
Glad to hear that. We are good so far. Just getting a bit of cabin fever and missing our daughters and the grandkids… But… patience will prevail. have a nice sunday.
Thank you very much. You too.
That second photo is stunning!
Yes it is. Compliments to Paul who took the Pic and wrote the post.
Yes… ethical travel, indeed!
I wonder how these people are holding up during Covid 19. I’m sure some travellers must have brought it there.
Hopefully not. If I’m not mistaken, most Asian countries (China a case apart) seem to have managed the virus well.- Vietnam is a good example. Not sure about Thailand. Fingers crossed for them. (Daughter# 2 did an internship close by working with refugee women in other camps. To help them develop “marketable” activies…)
D #2 sounds fab!!
Both our D’s are fab. We’re lucky and proud. 😉
Beautiful portraits, Brian. These women have such strong faces.
They do. Strong people. Now the pictures are the – excellent – work of my friend Paul.
great post Brian, we know so little about these countries!
Thank my friend Paul.
I’m outsider…and ever curious…I’ll check more closely on Paul Bells posts now ☺️💫 thanks for sharing Brian 🤓💫
Paul’s a good bloke. Always an interesting perspective on things. Be good Hedy.🙏🏻
☺️🙃🙂😉🙋♀️