Ban Tha Pai Tourism Community Mae Hong Son Province

Ban Tha Pai is a Shan-majority farming village at Moo 3, Tambon Mae Hi, about 7 kilometres south of Pai town along the road towards the hot springs. Registered under Thailand’s OTOP Nawatthi community-tourism scheme, the village gives visitors a chance to see rural northern Thai life — rice cultivation, traditional weaving, and bamboo craft — as it is actually lived, without a packaged-tour framework. Entry to the village itself is free.

The community sits close to two of the area’s most-visited landmarks. The Tha Pai Hot Springs, a geothermal site within Huai Nam Dang National Park, lie nearby; pools reach temperatures of up to 80°C at source and cool to comfortable bathing temperatures in the designated soaking areas. Entry to the hot springs carries a separate national park fee (around 300 THB for foreign visitors; open approximately 08:00–17:00 daily). The Tha Pai Memorial Bridge — a wooden bridge in Mae Hee subdistrict built during the Second World War — is another historic landmark in the vicinity.

Bamboo rafting on the Pai River is available in the area, offering a gentle way to take in the valley scenery. The cooler dry season from November to February is the most comfortable time to visit. Getting here is easiest by motorbike or songthaew from Pai town; arrange any village activities through community contacts or a local tour operator in Pai.