Discovering Thawi Watthana: Bangkok's Hidden Highland Thai Community

A Living Mountain Culture in Northwest Bangkok

Thawi Watthana, located in the extreme northwest corner of Bangkok, is home to a large population of "Highland Thais," or "Chao Dawy" (mountain people). While most people are familiar with groups like the Akha, Karen, Hmong, and Lisu, numerous smaller ethnic communities also originate from the mountains of Northern Thailand, Burma, Laos, and Yunnan. Two of these smaller groups, the Wa and Lua, have established roots in Thawi Watthana for decades.

ลัวะปลัง: Mountains to Metropolis

Migrating down from the hills in search of better employment opportunities, these communities have built strong networks, often intermarrying with other groups. While most residents are 100% Bangkokians, having lived here their entire lives, they still maintain mountain traditions passed down over centuries. Lua (or “Plang”), only number just over 1000 in Thailand, mostly living in Chiang Rai, Nakhon Pathom, and nearby Thawi Watthana.

งานบวชวัดศาลาแดงทวีวัฒนะ

Day One: Traditional Northern Ceremony

I recently attended a remarkable two-day "buat ngan" (Buddhist ordination ceremony) for four Lua males, three boys and one man in his twenties. The first day featured a traditional Northern-style ceremony where the four ordinands had their heads shaved, received ceremonial makeup, were dressed in traditional attire, and were carried on shoulders for hours.

Hypnotic Music and Community Celebration

Other men took turns creating trance-like music centered around a large percussion instrument (essentially a modified ฆ้อง) that required massive physical effort given the intense tempo. The 500 guests were entirely "Dawy" from across the mountains of Southeast Asia, I even had people speaking Mandarin at me.