Each group contributing to the agricultural development of the vast rice bowl that is The Fang valley, and the lychee orchards of its foothills. On any morning in the village market, SHAN and THAI storekeepers trade harmoniously amongst themselves and the multitude of hill tribe groups and other ethnic minorities that now call the area home. In the mountain ranges to the North, in Burma, minority groups such as the SHAN and the WA are locked in a 50 year old struggle to hold their own territories against each other and anyone who would take it from them. This scenic journey with its stunning views of hill tribe villages dotted along its banks, interspersed by wild jungle vistas is one of the genuine treasures of the north. In the last 10 years, several small Resorts, Lodges and guesthouses have sprung up along the banks of the river in and around Ban Thaton.
Tourism is on the increase, and small businesses are developing to accommodate it.