Oct 12 - Chiang Rai; the Hilltribe Museum

We walked to the Hilltribe Museum & Education Center, getting there at their 1000 opening. Although small, it's very informative about the tribal peoples of northern Thailand. There are numerous plaques (in English) that explain about the tribes, opium production, and hunting and agricultural activities. A short film was also shown that detailed the native tribal populations as well as some of their customs. This was a worthwhile stop. We ate lunch next door at Cabbages & Condoms, which is a restaurant dedicated to getting the message out about HIV/AIDS prevention as well as donating to the PDA (Population and Community Development Association),  an NGO involved in all sorts of community based initiatives thoughout Thailand. We then walked to the statue of King Meng Rai a few blocks away and in the evening took a tuk-tuk to the Saturday market for dinner and a bit more market atmosphere.