The Indochina Media Memorial Foundation - Thailand

The Indochina Media
Memorial Foundation

MAY 2003 – TV – ETHNIC MINORITIES

Cambodian and Lao journalists wade through thick grass on a Chiang Mai mountain to film a reforested plot reflecting the Hmong hill tribe’s attempt to conserve a pristine green environment.	When rain interrupted shooting at a Lisu hill tribe village in Chiang Mai, the ‘Fragile Future of the Hill Tribe’ theme seemed particularly appropriate.
Colourful dresses of the Akha hill tribe in Chiang Rai are for occasional use rather than  everyday wear. A group of Cambodian, Lao, Thai and Vietnamese journalists spotlight their lost identity under a centralised modern education system.	The Akha may be physically well fed, but what of their spiritual needs? A challenging question for any documentary team.
A green and beautifully embroidered cloth supports a young Hmong girl. But for how long? The journalists’ documentary shows certain hill tribes will be moved from green areas by authorities to keep the forest intact.	A Lisu woman carries one future hope for her clan, but their lifestyle is pressured by limited natural resources and reliance on a volatile tourism industry. Their difficulties are  explored by a documentary team of Lao, Thai and Vietnamese journalists.