To overcome this fear we advocate the following;

Prior to visiting a hilltribe village, visitors should ask their guide to assist them in purchasing a number of inexpensive blankets. These blankets only cost between Baht 50-65 each. The winters in the North are sometimes quite harsh and the hilltribe people can never have enough blankets.

On arriving in a hilltribe village, ask your tour guide to take you first to the village headmans house to be introduced. Have the tour guide introduce you to the headman as an “Ambassador of Goodwill” from your country, and present  your gift of blankets to be given out at his discretion to those in need of them.

Having done this, request his permission to look around the village, and his permission to take photographs should you wish to do so. Even with the permission of the headman, when wanting to photograph a villager, ask first - sign language is enough. If they do not wish to be photographed, heed their wish, for many villagers believe that in photographing them you will capture their soul. Can we prove otherwise ?

This simple approach will endear you to the headman. It will also reinforce his status in the eyes of the villagers, and probably prompt him to stop outright begging by the village children. (If they do beg, just smile but do not give them anything.)

In adopting this method over the past decade, we have found it  works well and allows both the hilltribes people and visitor alike to retain their dignity.