The Karen are the largest hill tribe group in Thailand, whose population forms over half the entire hill tribes population in Thailand. They are divided into 4 major subgroups, two of which are better known and particularly distinctive. These are the Sako Karen and the Po Karen, Karen villages are found scattered form the northern provinces of Ching Rai, Chiang Mai Mae Hong Son down to the south-western part of the country - covering over 15 Quite a large number of the Po Karen resides in the western provinces of Mar Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi and Uthai Thani.

COSTUME
The Karen are known as "weaver" not least, because weaving is their unique culture and way of life. Traditional dresses of a single Karen woman from her early teens up to her marriage are beautifully made of cotton. The dress may be embroidered of partly decorated with colorful threads. A married woman dresses differently with a two-piece dress, the length, color and pattern of which may vary. The dress can be decorated in various possible ways, for example, using job's tears or a weaving technique that produces different designs. Compared with the Sako Karen, the Po Karen adorn themselves more elaborately.

A Karen man wears a v-neck, hip-length shirt decorated with colorful stripes. Unlike women's dress, men's clothing is not usually embroidered. Necklace made from beads are commonly used by both men and women, Unlike other tribes, the Karen do not like large pieces of silver ornaments. Aluminum and brass bracelets are also worn especially by the Po Karen women at arm length.