A woman happily shows off the message written on the outside of her home in Ban Ta Tha Fang, Thailand that reads, "Welcome everyone, we love everyone."
Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved
You have read here about the 3,000 Karen people from Burma (Myanmar) who fled across the Thai / Burma (Myanmar) border to Thailand recently,joining over 100,000 ethnic Karen's already residing in the country.
How do the Karen people fare once they arrive in the Kingdom of Siam? For some 70,000 of so, they inhabit a large and much photographed refugee camp one hour north of Mae Sot (Sod) in northeastern Thailand. Former American First Lady Laura Bush visited the compound last year,thrusting it into the international spotlight.
Other Karen's live their lives serving as a top tourist attraction in Thailand, spending part of each day posing for tourists' photographs and selling souvenirs.
Fleeing from a country that uses 10-year-olds to replace deserters, and where child prostitutes are available for $100 a night, living in a refugee camp or becoming a living photo icon in Thailand is probably preferable to the lives Karen's left behind in Burma.
Whatever the case, one thing I observed about Karen people living in Thailand, whether they be natives of Thailand or born in Burma, was their support of each other, their solidarity.
The small village of Ban Ta Tha Fang, Thailand is inhabited by 250 Karen people, half of whom fled their native Burma and half who are natives of Thailand. This group of expatriated Burmese seem more fortunate than most because a Thai born Karen woman sums up the village's attitude towards new Karen arrivals by happily showing off the message written on the outside of her home. It reads, " Welcome everyone, we love everyone."
Perhaps the rest of the world could try to think like this woman. After all, although she is poor, she is indeed a very proud, happy and wonderful woman!
Why is she smiling? You will have to visit her yourself to find out the answer!
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved
You have read here about the 3,000 Karen people from Burma (Myanmar) who fled across the Thai / Burma (Myanmar) border to Thailand recently,joining over 100,000 ethnic Karen's already residing in the country.
How do the Karen people fare once they arrive in the Kingdom of Siam? For some 70,000 of so, they inhabit a large and much photographed refugee camp one hour north of Mae Sot (Sod) in northeastern Thailand. Former American First Lady Laura Bush visited the compound last year,thrusting it into the international spotlight.
Other Karen's live their lives serving as a top tourist attraction in Thailand, spending part of each day posing for tourists' photographs and selling souvenirs.
Fleeing from a country that uses 10-year-olds to replace deserters, and where child prostitutes are available for $100 a night, living in a refugee camp or becoming a living photo icon in Thailand is probably preferable to the lives Karen's left behind in Burma.
Whatever the case, one thing I observed about Karen people living in Thailand, whether they be natives of Thailand or born in Burma, was their support of each other, their solidarity.
The small village of Ban Ta Tha Fang, Thailand is inhabited by 250 Karen people, half of whom fled their native Burma and half who are natives of Thailand. This group of expatriated Burmese seem more fortunate than most because a Thai born Karen woman sums up the village's attitude towards new Karen arrivals by happily showing off the message written on the outside of her home. It reads, " Welcome everyone, we love everyone."
Perhaps the rest of the world could try to think like this woman. After all, although she is poor, she is indeed a very proud, happy and wonderful woman!
Why is she smiling? You will have to visit her yourself to find out the answer!
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
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