Thud Dtai is in the Chiang Rai province and far of the beaten track. It used to be (not even long ago) the playground of the famous opium trade of the Golden Triangle. The drugs trade is still very much alive and moved on to 'yabba' - a chemical drugs with many local victims as well.
The area is a mix of 'poor' people, lots of Chinese and tribal, and many very rich family with connections to the trade. The landscape is rough and mostly untouched what makes it perfect for the trade.
The bright colored clothes of this girl are in strong contrast with mud in this Black Lahu village.
Father Claudio from our town Fang has a Catholic mission and a centre in Thud Dtai. There is no active converting and the main activity is the care of over 300 children who are boarding at the mission. They all are either orphans or from families with no means to look after the children, let alone being able to send them to school. They are very lucky to have a home, daily meals and a school to go to. In the holidays they all go back to their families. Most of this children are Akkha or Lahu.
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