Languages

There are 10,200 Yao’s in Thailand. Yao dialect has high and low pitches, the same as in China. They don’t have their own letter but some use Chinese letters as Yao letters, and read it into Yao dialect. Most of the Yao’s in Thailand can speak Thai because they have a hilltribe school that is supported by the Department of Public Welfare.

Housing

The Yao people like to settle down on the shoulder of a mountain. They usually move to another location every 10-15 years, but some villages live in the same place forever such as Poo Len Ka on the Pha Dang hill. They select an area that is near the torrential water source because they cut a bamboo in 2 sections and use it as a gutter to supply water for their village. They use local material to build their houses on the ground such as wood that has never been Struck by lightning. Their houses are a rectangular shape, rattan leaf roof and soft wood partition. The back of the house has 2 doors for entry and exit. In the front there is one door that they call the "ghost door". It is used by the women when they are married.

Attire

Their appearance is similar to that of the Chinese people. Yao women paint their hair with wax and wrap it in a red cloth. After that they use the blue and black cloth and cover the red cloth and put a decorative design on it. They wear black robes that are clear in the front and fix red knitting around the collar. They wear blue and black trousers and wrap red cloth around their waist. The man wears black trousers and a shirt similar to the Chinese.

Occupation

Yao’s have a good economy because they are hard-working. They do unstable plantation, animal farming, hand-made utensils and silver are.

Society

They have both nuclear family and extended family. The women who are married are the members of her husband’s family. They believe that Kinship are related by spirits. If everyone wants to be a Yao, they should be consented by the ancestor spirit. They are free to select their spouse. They rarely divorce because they think that it is shameful. They like to buy other tribe’s children to take care of the same as their son.

Religion

Yao believe in ghosts and witch doctors the same as other tribes. Which doctor called "sip mien mien" are the missionaries and local doctor. And they believe that everybody has 11 morals. They should celebrate a recovery by a ceremony to restore the spirits well being.