Young Hmong dancers performing at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, outside of Chiang Mai

Another Hmong dancer

Young Hmong performer at Doi Suthep

Hmong musicians providing musical accompaniment for the dancers on (mostly) traditional instruments

A little Hmong boy greets a visitor to his village at Doi Pui, near Chiang Mai

At the Hmong hill tribe village at Doi Pui, near Chiang Mai

Urchin enjoying the lovely sunshine—and a bite to eat—at Doi Pui

A child's tropical paradise, Doi Pui

Little Karen girl in a classroom in a hill tribe village in Mae Sa Valley, near Chiang Mai

Big sister and little brother, Karen hill tribe village, Mae Sa Valley

Looks like some very entertaining banter between two little Karen girls on their way home from school, Mae Sa Valley

Karen children on their way home from school

Karen mother and daughter, Mae Sa Valley

Karen girl working with a backstrap loom, Mae Sa Valley

Paduang girl, Mae Sa Valley. Some Paduang girls begin wearing the controversial metal neck coils as early as 5 or 6 years old. The coils are replaced with longer ones as the collar bone is pressed down and the rib cage depressed over time. Though some Paduang girls and women choose not to wear the coils, it seems that many are too young to be able to make a choice before they begin wearing them.

Another Paduang girl, Mae Sa Valley

Paduang girl at a Karen village, Mae Sa Valley

Another little Paduang girl, wearing neck coils as well as other coils on her wrists and legs, Mae Sa Valley

Hill tribe father and children at the Royal Agriculture Station Inthanon, northern Thailand. In Thailand, it is not the least unusual to see families of 3, 4, or even 5 together on a motorbike.

Grandfather and grandson at a Karen village in the north of Thailand

Close-up of an inquisitive-looking grandson

Young Tai Yai woman and men. The Tai Yai are a subgroup of the Shan, a Tai ethnic group believed to have migrated from Yunnan in China. Its members live primarily in the Shan State of Burma. The Shan language is closely related to both Thai and Lao.

Unmarried Karen girls wearing traditional simple white shifts􀊾 with minimal decoration marking them as single and eligible

Karen young people gathered at a temple in Chiang Mai

Hmong girls in their elaborately embroidered finery and fancy, tasseled hats

A young Paduang girl helping fold laundry

Hmong girls performing at Doi Suthep

Hmong girl from Doi Pui at Wat Phra Boromathat Doi Suthep, near Chiang Mai

Karen girl in the village of Ban Kariang, Mae Sa Kua, near Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand

Karen boys in the village of Ban Kariang, Mae Sa Kua

Checking out a motorbike in the Lawa village of Ban La Up, near Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand

Karen girl looking out from her house at Ban Kariang, Mae Sa Kua, Mae Hong Son Province

Bye bye!