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Ethnic group have long been settled here for several years. Scattered throughout the watersheds in Mae Chan And Mae Salong are Tribal villages including Lahu, Lisu, Akha and Mien Hill Tribes.
About 100 years ago, Lisu and Lahu groups established villages in the area. Later, some groups moved further down the mountains and entered other districts and Provinces about 50 years ago. Other groups such as the Akka moved into the area, replacing many Lahu and Lisu villages. This new wave of migration continued, with new villages still being established 25 years ago.
However, the largest ethnic group currently living in the area is the Chinese at Mae Salong (Santikiri). The settlers of this town were renegade Kuomintang soldiers who fled to Thailand. The soldiers assisted the Thai Government in fighting the communists. As a result, the Thai Government assigned 6,000 acres of land at Mae Salong to the Chinese for agricultural purposes. Chinese, renown for their business senses, quickly established the thriving town of Mae Salong, which has now become the center for the Tribal peple in the two watersheds.
The area is mountainous, divided and intersected by two rivers, the Mae Chan and Mae Salong Rivers. The highest mountain is 1 300 meters above the sea level, with villages ranging in elevation from 500m to 1100 meters. In the past, the mountains were covered in thick forest, however this has decreased through logging by lowland Thai's, and increased need for agricultural land. However, deforestation is now illegal, and villagers are encouraged to reforest areas and manage community forests. There are three distinct seasons throughout the year. During the cold season (November to January) temperatures can gets as low as 5 degrees Celsius at night. In February the hot, dry season arrives with temperatures in the early 30's. The rainy season lasts from May to October.
The major occupation of ethnic groups in the area is agriculture based on raising livestock and crops such as rice, corn and soybeans. Due to the lack of new land available to be farmed and increased literacy skills, young generations are now following globalization trends and moving to live and work in major towns, sending money home to assist their families.
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