People, Education & Language

Besides the local residents who are commonly referred to as "Tai Yai" and the famous "Long Necked Padaung" tribes, you can experience the interesting mix of Mae Hong Son's other ethnic minorities. The province is the crossroads of hilltribes like Karen, Hmong, Meo, Lua, Lisu and Lahu, immigrants from Shan and Myanmar, and opium traders who live around the forested Pai River valley. However, Shan and Karen people are the groups which make up most of the population.

Mae Hong Son's population recorded in 1999 was 233,562 making it the most sparsely populated province in Thailand. Mae Sa Riang district was reported as the most crowded area. Although the province is considered undeveloped, the prosperity of natural resources and conservative ways of living allow its people to have an average quality of life. The large percentage of school-age children are also provided with the compulsory education delivered via adequate numbers of schools and instructors.

Due to the different ethnic groups, the spoken languages among these minorities are varied. Beyond Thai which is formally used in Muang Mae Hong Son, we can hear Tai (Tai Yai), Burmese, Chinese, Mon and Karen as well.

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