Tribes of Thailand: Photographer gives us rare glimpse into Thai tribes

SEVERAL of Thailand’s most isolated tribes have been captured in a series of intimate photos

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Eric Lafforgue travelled around the north of Thailand documenting the lives of the local tribes

French photographer Eric Lafforgue travelled around the north of Thailand to document the lives of the local tribes of the area.

Eric travelled around the region for two weeks and visited some of the most remote villages in Thailand.

Kayen woman with her distinctive coil around her neck

He said: “In a very modern and touristic country like Thailand, I could not believe there were still tribes living in very basic conditions, without electricity or running water.”

The intrepid photographer visited the region between 2011 and 2014

The pictures which were taken between 2011 and 2014 show an array of different groups of people showing off their traditional clothes and customs.

Despite the various tribes coming from the same region, they all have distinct and unique customs from one another.

During his travels Eric took pictures of various different tribes in the region

During his travels Eric captured the lives of the Kayen, Lahu, Kor Yor, Lisu and Karen tribes and was lucky enough to be serenaded by a member of the Lahu tribe who are famous for their musical instruments made from wood and bamboo.

Despite the tribes living in the same area they all have very distinct cultures from one another

It was a chance encounter with a stranger inspired Eric to document the lives of the tribes in the area.

Some of the tribes in the area have been in the region for hundreds of years

He explained: “An English man who married a Lisu woman told me that they soon will be part of the past, so like all the pictures I take in remote areas of the world, it is a way to remember what was the life of the people before the asphalt roads lead to their villages or before they had mobile phones with 4G access.”

The younger generations of some of the tribes are moving away from their traditions

Tribes such as the Kayen, who are distinctive due to the coil around their necks, are well known to tourists in the area and have been in the region for hundreds of years, whereas other tribes like the Lisu people migrated to the area in the 1920s.

Eric said: “I love the Lisu people because they have kept a very traditional way of life with a lot of beliefs related to animism.”

The Lahu tribe are famous for their musical instruments which are made from wood and bamboo

Although many of the tribes still live in relative isolation from most of the outside world they are still exposed to some of its luxuries such as smart phones.

According to the intrepid photographer younger generations within some of the tribes are moving away from the traditional lifestyle of their ancestors and are instead opting for a more modern way of living.