"Arkhar Ma Lay" Akhar Traditional Comstume Production

One of the most interesting tribes in and around Kyaington (Kengton) area of the Eastern Shan State is called Akhar, adorned with beautiful traditional costume. There are two different groups; one is Animist and the other is Buddhist living on the Hill-side. The Akha (อาข่า) hill tribe originally come from Yunnan, which still has the highest Akha population. Over several centuries many Akha people have been migrating to the south. In the middle of the 19th century, significant numbers moved into Shan State in Burma. Others made their way into Laos. However, most of the Akha people, who are now in Thailand, came from Burma. They established the first Akha hill tribe village in Thailand in 1903 in the Phaya Phrai area on the Thai-Burmese border. The Akha hill tribe people live in China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. In China, they mostly live in Yunnan province. In Myanmar, you will find Akha villages in Shan State. They live in North Thailand, primarily in Chiang Rai province. In Laos, they live in the border areas of China and Thailand. In Vietnam, they are a tiny minority living in the northwest border area. As said, Chiang Rai province is home to most Akha villages in Thailand. An area with a large percentage of Akha hill tribe people is Mae Salong (now known as Santikhiri), northwest of Chiang Rai. Many Akha hill tribe villages are also near Ban Therd Thai (formerly known as Ban Hin Taek), a former residence and base of the so-called “Opium King,” Khun Sa. There are some Akha villages in Viang Pa Pao and Chiang Dao districts, but the majority of the Akha people live north of the Mae Kok River.