Thailand’s long neck women

There are many traditions and rites of different tribes and ethnic groups which last in time. At the Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, a luxury hotel in Spain, we try to offer you the best of Asia without leaving Spain. That is why today we are going to talk about Thai culture, in particular, one of its most ancient customs.

“Giraffe” women, also called the long neck women, are major tourist attraction for the country. Belonging to the Padaung tribe, they wear ornaments, which are known as neck rings, around their throats in order to make them look longer.

Girls´parents are the ones who decide whether their daughters wear the rings around their necks or not. They start to put them on at the age of five, and from time to time new rings are added, until their necks can not support any more weight.  These rings create the visual effect of a longer neck without changing it. The incorporation of these rings stylizes women´necks making them look like the animals they are compared to. They never take off these ornaments, not even for sleeping or taking a shower. The “giraffe” woman will always be tied to these rings. If they ever get rid of them they would lose their social status and would not be able to become “giraffe” women again.  It is significant that they are the ones who  think this custom is part of a tradition which makes them feel proud. In addition,  men find more attractive the women who put these rings on.

The origin of “giraffe” women in Thailand comes from the end of 1980 and the beginning of 1990 when many people of this tribe ran away from Myanmar, which was called Burma, to Thailand because of the Burmese dictatorship. Currently they live in the mountains of Siam with an uncertain legal status. They are not recognized as Burmese citizens nor as Thai ones. However, the roots of this custom of lengthening women´s necks is still a mystery.

If you want to experience first hand the Asian culture, we invite you to discover our 5 star resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Asia right at your fingertips.