Thai provincial officials have allowed a new "human zoo" featuring "long-necked" or "giraffe" women to open near Bangkok despite mounting international criticism of the tourism practice, media reports said.
The residents are part of an ethnic group whose women wear brass rings around their necks as status symbols and beauty enhancements.
They are called the Padung or long-necked Karen in Thailand, but they consider those terms denigrating and call themselves Kayan.
Seven Kayan villages are already marketed as tourist attractions in Thailand's northern provinces of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai, where there is a sizeable population of Kayan, some of whom are refugees from neighbouring Myanmar.
But for the first time, a new "village" of Kayans was recently opened in Sattahip in Chonburi province, 100 kilometres south-east of Bangkok and a few kilometres from the Pattaya beach resort, the Daily XPress newspaper said.
It charges and entrance fee of 25 baht ($A0.80) for Thai visitors and 250 baht for foreigners, the newspaper said.
Sattahip district chief Narong Thirachantarangkoon brushed off accusations that he had allowed the establishment of a "human zoo" in his district.
"I don't think so because the Karen are willingly living here," he said.
"This is better than staying in their home region and starving."
