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A Village, or a Zoo?
September 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment
A Village, or a Zoo? I Wanted to See Thailand’s Long-Necked Women. Some Would Say That Makes Me Part of the Problem.
“Almost any traveler who has ventured into nature or the developing world has to grapple with such moral dilemmas. Some people think it is cruel to swim with dolphins, because it forces the animals to be kept in captivity. Others refuse to visit authoritarian countries such as Zimbabwe, fearful that their tourist dollars will help prop up repressive regimes. And almost anyone wanting to catch a glimpse of an indigenous culture—in the rain forests of Ecuador or the yurts of Mongolia—has to be aware that the very presence of a foreigner likely alters and distorts typical native behavior.
“Some trekking companies and human rights groups consider the Padaung villages, which stretch across northern Thailand, to be “human zoos” that exploit the women.”
Read this article by Washington Post Staff Writer Amit R. Paley.