Perceptions of Ethnic Minorities on Tree Growing for Environmental Services in Thailand - Smallholder Tree Growing for Rural Development and Environmental Services - page 395

The terrain is mainly upland with narrow alluvial valleys. The slopes of the hills are
often steep, and the soils are commonly of poor or medium fertility on steep slopes
(Turkelboom and Van Keer 1996). Arable land is very limited. Adjacent to the
study area is Thailand's highest peak Doi Inthanon (2,565 m), both situated in
Chiang Mai Province. The fieldwork material was gathered from five villages
within two districts, Mae Chaem and Chomthong (Figure 19.1).
Ethnic minority groups also called hill tribes, constitute the majority of the pop-
ulation in upland areas, whereas the ethnic Thai (the dominant ethnic group in
Thailand) tend to occupy the lowlands. Three upland minority groups were
included in this study: the Karen, Hmong and Lawa. Of these, the Lawa are
regarded as people indigenous to Chiang Mai. After them arrived the ethnic Thai
in the 13th century approximately, while the Karen arrived in significant numbers

Myanmar

100° 105°

CHINA

Vietnam

Doi Inthanon Doi Inthanon

Chiang Mai

Laos

10°

Gulf of
Tongking

15°

THAILAND

15°

Bangkok

Andaman Sea

Cambodia

Gulf of
Thailand

CHIANGRAI

MAE HONG SON

PHAYAO

CHIANGMAI

NAN

0 200 km

Bangkok

LAMPANG

Mae Chaem Mae Chaem

Study area

PHRAE

LAMPHUN

Malaysia

100°

Fig. 19.1 The location of study area in the Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand