Young girls of the Padong "longneck" Hill Tribe

Nai Soi Village, Northern Thailand, 2002

These Karen hill tribe people are refugees from neighboring Myanmar (Burma). I was shocked to learn that the Nai Soi refugee village was over 21 years old! All of the children I saw were born in Thailand, and have never seen their homeland.

The women of the Padong begin at childhood to wear these brass coils around their necks, adding rings as they grow. The rings do not lengthen their neck, instead they push down their collarbones. Originally the rings were intended to protect them from a tiger attack. Now I guess its largely for show.