About us

Thailand Hilltribe Holidays was founded by Thai and foreign couple – Pat and Mel, who came from worlds apart but united together over a common desire to create a social venture that would help marginalised communities and hilltribes of northern Thailand. They simply wanted to open doors for local people, giving them equal opportunities to grow and prosper whilst maintaining their cultural identity and heritage.

With Pat’s experience in the travel industry, he wanted to create a form of tourism that would be fairer to the locals, whilst offering more authentic and real experiences for travellers. Thus the initial idea of a responsible hilltribe village tour and homestays was born. Joining forces with his partner, Mel and her sprinkling of commercial acumen, they created Thailand Hilltribe Holidays, a grassroots social enterprise that works together with their family of locally sourced staff to provide responsible tours that aim to;

Channel tourism to benefit local communities directly

Bring cultural exchange and provide enriching experiences for travellers and host communities

Allow travellers to visit hilltribe villages in an ethical and responsible way

Offer travellers a chance to experience the real northern Thailand outside the realm of commerical tourism

Pat (Founder and Tour guide)
Pat is originally from Chiang Mai and is Shan (an ethnic minority group in Northern Thailand). With humble beginnings as a tuk-tuk driver, he has worked as a tour guide for more than 10 years. Over time he has seen the erosion of traditional Thai values and ways of life, through tourism and westernisation. His mother is the head nun at a Buddhist temple, nestled between hilltribe villlages in the mountains of Mae Hong Son, which is how he came to know and work with the hilltribe communities in this area. Pat's father is an iconic figure for the Shan people, considered the first 'freedom fighter' for Shan state independence from the Myanmar government, it is perhaps his father's legacy and strong family heritage that gave rise to Pat's strong desire to help marginalised ethnic minority groups, by providing them with sustainable opportunities for growth whilst maintaining their cultural identity. Pat saw that well managed and responsible tourism could be a means to help in this plight, and so the idea of a hilltribe homestay was born. Pat has a huge heart and wants to reach out to people from around the world, by welcoming foreigners to share in the beauty and culture of his homeland.

Mel (Founder, Sales & Marketing)
Mel was born and raised in England and is of Chinese ethnicity. She first came to Thailand as a volunteer for an NGO working towards the prevention of human trafficking of marginalized hilltribe children. Through this work she developed a deep understanding of the issues faced by hilltribes living in

Thailand, inspiring her to

think of ways to help them in a sustainable way. Prior to this she has worked as a finance professional in London, before leaving this career in search of something that was more rewarding.

Piak (Tour guide)
Piak is a global ambassador for the hill tribes and a popular figure in the villages, his personalised approach to leading a tour ethically and responsibly means that he is one of the rare guides out there, who can bring you right into the heart of hilltribe life, in a natural and effortless way. His strong relationship with the locals means that you will always feel comfortable traveling to these communities with him.

With over 20 years experience in the tourism industry working for large international tour operators, his personal encounters with the impacts of tourism on communities, have been the driving force for him to return to his roots and implement a new model of responsible and sustainable tourism which will help local communities grow and prosper in a sustainable way. One of the original trekking guides in Mae Hong son, he has deep specialist knowledge about plants and wildlife, herbs of the forest, agriculture, organic farming and many other topics too numerous to list here. In the future he plans to open his own organic farmstay and homestay. As he likes to put it we are all about 'Responsible tourism for a sustainable world'

Ae (Tour guide)
‘Ae’ is our funny and friendly guide who has been with Thailand Hilltribe Holidays since the beginning. Ae’s family runs a laundry shop opposite the Thailand Hilltribe Holidays office in Mae Sariang. In 2009 armed with only a few English phrases, he joined our team as a driver and over time his English skills have come on in leaps and bounds. Since then he has trained to become a qualified T.A.T (Tourism Authority of Thailand) licensed tour guide and has started leading tours independently. 'Ae' loves to joke and his light-hearted easy going demeanour is popular with everbody he meets. On rare moments when he’s not joking, he’s serious about his fishing and his favourite football team - Manchester United. One day, he hopes to set up his local way of life and fishing tours in Mae Sariang.

Winai (Driver)
Winai is Lawa hill tribe and from La up village. We came to know Winai as he was helping out Pat’s mum (the head nun at the village temple), and he is now our full time driver. We are very lucky to have Winai on our team as we receive many comments about what a safe and skilled driver he is, especially through the steep and windy mountainous roads. To accompany his excellent driving skills he has a great sense of humour, and is a big kid at heart shown by his love of ‘Tom and Jerry’ cartoons. Winai used to work with electronics and computers, and now he loves to be out on the open road and practicing his English with visitors. In the future, he wants to become a qualified tour guide and build his own homestay, in a contemporary hill tribe design, combining traditional elements with modern comforts.