Northern Thai People

The Northern Thai people or Tai Yuan (Thai: ไทยวน, [taj˧ juan˧]), self-designation khon mu(e)ang (Northern Thai: ᨤᩫ᩠ᨶᨾᩮᩬᩥᨦ, คนเมือง pronounced [xon˧ mɯːəŋ˧] meaning “people of the (cultivated) land” or “people of our community”) are a Tai ethnic group, native to eight provinces in Northern Thailand, principally in the area of the former kingdom of Lan Na.[2] As a Tai group, they are closely related to Tai Lü and Tai Khün with regards to common culture, language and history as well as to Thailand’s dominant Thai ethnic group (in contrast referred to as Siamese or Central Thai). There are approximately 6 million Tai Yuan. Most of them live in Northern Thailand, with a small minority 29,442 (2005 census) living across the border in Bokeo Province and Sainyabuli Province and Luang Namtha Province of Laos. Their language is called Northern Thai, Lanna or Kham Mueang.