Both the Tai Yai and Lahu children are wearing their traditional outfit. The school’s teachers had insisted that all the children wear their traditional clothing for the group photograph.
In Thailand, it is becoming increasingly rare for parents to dress their children in traditional clothing. The reason we encountered this tradition here is that the village is relatively isolated. We were close to the border with Myanmar, with no crossing points into the country. To reach the village from the Thai side, we had to pass through two heavily guarded military checkpoints.
In other words, very few people make their way this far. As a result, there has been less outside influence, and the villagers have remained more closely connected to their traditions. For us, it felt like stepping back into the Thailand of several decades ago.