Trekking and Hiking in Thailand
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Thailand TrekkingTrekking is a very popular way of seeing the more remote areas of Thailand. In the north of Thailand it is possible to do treks, either by foot, elephant, horse or motorcycle, to visit Thailand's hill tribes in their villages. If staying in national parks, or smaller villages in the mountains, often it is possible to do treks organized by the guesthouse, some of the guesthouses and hotels are run by people from the hill tribes who understand the language, origins and customs. This can be far pleasanter than doing treks out of Chiang Mai, on a well-beaten tourist trail. Treks can last from one to five days. Often it is possible to leave baggage behind with the travel agent or tour operator and just take what you need. Make sure you are properly equipped physically, and mentally, for the journey. The treks can be physically demanding so make sure you are fit enough, and they do require a certain amount of responsibility towards the environment and the people you are visiting in the villages.
There are ethical issues involved with trekking which you should consider before deciding to go on a trek. People used to live in the hill tribes cut off from the outside world but now exposure to Westerners (farang) is changing their customs and way of life. Seeing farang smoking opium encourages the young people of the villages to take up opium smoking: the tourists move on but there is constant temptation for the people who live there. Guides have become strict about forbidding smoking opium on treks. This is preferable as there have been problems with opium-addicted guides. In some of the guesthouses and hostels in the hills, there are government posters advising tourists on how to behave in the villages.
Trekking near the border with Myanmar can be interesting as it may give you a chance to meet Burmese refugees and often the guides are from Myanmar. However, check the current situation before you go, as there are occasionally outbreaks of warfare in these areas. Other ethnic groups living in the mountains of north Thailand are from Laos, Tibet, China and Laos. They have their own religion, language and culture and tend to live separately from the Thais. They do not have Thai citizenship and therefore do not have the benefits of education and the right to own property. However integration with the rest of Thailand would mean the loss of their cultural identity over time. The hill tribe people dress very distinctively and look different from the Thais.
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