Palaung woman, Northern Thailand

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Another minority people refugee from Burma, the Palaung are a Mon–Khmer ethnic minority found in the Shan State of Burma, the Yunnan province of China and now northern Thailand.

The Palaung are probably the most recent ethnic group to arrive in Thailand. They have come here from neighboring Burma. They have fled in the past 20 years from the Shan State and the Kachin State to escape persecution and oppression at the hands of the Burmese military rulers. Many of the Palaung in Thailand are refugees living in camps.

The women wear a bright red skirt, worn like a sarong. Around their waist are worn quite heavy silver hoops which  are also believed to be for the  protection of the women.

Palaung Village, Northern Thailand

Click on the picture on the left to see more photos of the Palaung