I found this paper interesting.

Type: Thesis Title: Language ecology and language planning in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. Author: Oupra, Simmee Issue Date: 2009

http://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/60003/2/03chapters10-15.pdf

http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/handle/2440/60003 may be a better entry point

If anyone finds more intersting papers etc here would be a good place to put them.

Um... well, I failed to get to the article itself (is that possible), but the abstract suggests (in weird, bloated English) that people in different areas speak a bit differently. Wow! Who knew? What is the world coming to? Next thing you know, it'll be reported that culture here isn't the same as in Bangkok. I, for one, certainly hope it doesn't come to THAT!

If you had gone to the bottom of the page there are several files to download. the key one is probably

03chapters10-15.pdf

In a way you are right but it is more than that. The student looked at several diferent types of villages in the Chiangrai area. She compared the use of Thai language Northern Thai Language and the other languages spoken in the group looking at which was used when and by whom. It was more a case of how tribal language groups is being both lost and maintained.

There are also some interesting descriptions of the current village structures in each case.

I have not studied it fully yet but agree that with your background you probably know it all anyway.

I have since leaned that the phd candidate is an associate proffessor at CRU

I found the photos in this article extremely interesting.

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/08/20/picturing-thailands-highlanders/

I found the photos in this article extremely interesting.

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/08/20/picturing-thailands-highlanders/

Thanks for that. It looks as if I am going to have some interesting reading coming up.

I was particularly drawn to the section on Phamee village. Was trying to look for written verification of the Akha sub-group the Phamee Akha villagers are called. An Akha friend of mine clarified that contrary to popular believe - the subgroup is not called Phamee Akha. Phamee is the name of the village but not the name of the sub-group. The proper name is something like Yobiah or Llobiah Akha. The other two larger Akha sub-groups are Ulo Akha and Lomi-Akha.