Part 2 Thailand (Hmong People, Doi Suthep-pui Tempel) Chiang Mai
Hmong people:
The
Hmong are an
Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of
China,
Vietnam,
Laos, and
Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the
Miao ethnicity in southern China. Hmong groups began a gradual southward migration in the
18th century due to political unrest and to find more arable land.
A number of Hmong people fought against the communist
Pathet Lao during the
Laotian Civil War. Hmong people were singled out for retribution when the Pathet Lao took over the Laotian government in
1975, and tens of thousands fled to Thailand seeking political asylum. Thousands of these refugees have resettled in
Western countries since the late
1970s, mostly the
United States but also in
Australia,
France,
French Guiana,
Canada, and
South America.
Others have been returned to Laos under
United Nations-sponsored repatriation programs.
Around 8,
000 Hmong refugees remain in Thailand.
Doi Suthep , is a mountain located in
Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. It is 1,676 m tall and is one of the twin peaks of a granite mountain located west of
Chiang Mai.
The other peak is known as Doi Pui and is slightly taller (1,685 m).
Suthep is located
15 km away from Chiang Mai city centre. Most of the bedrock of the mountain is granite. The vegetation below c. 1,000 m is mostly deciduous forest and evergreen above this height.
The Doi Suthep - Doi Pui hill is part of the
Thanon Thong Chai Range, the southernmost subrange of the
Shan Highland system.[1] Other high peaks of the same range are Doi Luang
Chiang Dao (2,
175 m), Doi Pui (1,685 m), and
Doi Inthanon, the highest
point in Thailand, reaching 2,565 m.
Road in Doi Suthep - Doi Pui
National ParkThe
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple is on top of the hill. This Buddhist place of worship dates back to the year 1383 when the first chedi was built.[3] It is an important pilgrimage spot for the devout and a legend featuring a white elephant is connecteed to this revered site. There are spectacular views of Chiang Mai city and its surroundings from the top of this mountain.
This mountain is part of the
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. The park was established in
1981 and has an area of 261 km2 that includes the Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple as well as Bhubing palace, placed among flower gardens.
Doi Pui, the other peak of the massif, is located close by along a surfaced road as well as through forest paths. Hmong hill tribe people live in the surrounding area.
Wikipedia