Abstract:
The research objective is to study the process of the Lahu community museum organized at
Jalae village, which is related to the building of Ban Jalae Hilltribe Life and Culture Center (Ban Jalae
Hilltribe Museum), Mae Yao sub-district, Muang district, Chiang Rai province, Thailand and website:
Virtual Hilltribe Museum (www.hilltribe.org). This research mainly used a qualitative approach in
anthropology by in-depth interviews and corporative observations. The community museum concept,
community cooperative, and community capacity building are utilized for analysis and consideration in 5
major topics: 1. Reasons to have Ban Jalae Hilltribe Life and Culture Center (Ban Jalae hilltribe museum); 2.
Roles of related outsider to community; 3. Community cooperative; 4. Outcome of the organized museum
and 5. Meaning and Role of the museum in the community view.
Results of the research found that the process to include the Ban Jalae Hilltribe museum in a
part of the Ban Jalae Hilltribe Life and Culture Center was initiated because of an awareness of cultural
importance from the community and desire to have the museum created, controlled and managed by a
development organization in the area. The community can cooperate by participating in activities that the
development organization has set, but still not be involved in planning and decision - making. This
involvement would make the museum only a place to preserve relics and not a location of cultural
conservation for the community.
Regarding the website Virtual Hilltribe Museum (www.hilltribe.org), it was found that it
empowers the ethnic group youth team to practice their skills, documentary media - making technique and
website design, which allows them to tell stories of their own ethic groups and make connections to other
ethnic communities and outsiders, as an online community. This youth team can brainstorm, make and plan
activities in the community together to stimulate other ethnic youth and the community to see the value and
importance of their own culture.