Longneck Karen Villages - Popular Human Zoos
How I Accidentally Became a Walking Ethical Dilemma in Northern Thailand So you’re in Northern Thailand, full of pad Thai and vague spiritual energy, and someone tells you, “You should visit a Longneck Karen village!” And because you’re a culturally curious traveler with a camera and a vague guilt complex, you say, “Absolutely, take my money and my soul.” The journey begins with another one of those legendary pickup truck rides that your spine will remember forever. After several hours of bouncing, swerving, and possibly time-traveling, you arrive at what looks like a quiet village tucked into the hills with souvenir stalls. Lots of them. And then you see them: the women with impossibly long necks, stacked with brass rings like they’re wearing golden slinkies of tradition and spinal commitment. You’re stunned. You try not to stare. You stare. The guide says, “They do this from a young age, it's part of their culture,” and you nod like you totally knew that already, even though te...