This hat belongs to a group of accessories made from woven bamboo and rattan that are used by highland communities in northern Thailand. The Karen, Akha, Lisu, Lahu, Hmong, and Yao, are ethnic minority groups who migrated into northern Thailand from neighbouring regions during the 18th and 19th centuries. The terms 'highlanders', 'hilltribes' or chao khao ('mountain people') as they are referred to in Thai, are no longer very accurate as many also now live in lowland regions.
