Ma Jon (above), photographed with her mother at their former stall in Nai Soi Kayan Tayar village, is the face that greets tourists on arrival in Mae Hong Son. In the airport’s photo montage she’s surrounded by yellow Bua Tong flowers, though she’d never actually visited the Bua Tong fields. As a refugee she didn’t have freedom of movement in Thailand.
Visitors would have to go a lot further to find Ma Jon and her family these days as the family were resettled in New Zealand in 2009 as part of a UNHCR sponsored refugee resettlement scheme.
Postcards of Ma Jon remain on sale in Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Postcards of Ma Jon remain on sale in Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Ma Jon had only had one year at Primary School, but she grew tired of a life on show and wanted an education. The family moved into the refugee camp where she attended High School and won a place in the Post-X school. Soon after moving into camp Ma Jon’s mother was the first woman in the family to remove her rings, after wearing them for over 45 years.
In 2009 Ma John with her parents, sister and 2 brothers flew to New Zealand.
In 2009 Ma John with her parents, sister and 2 brothers flew to New Zealand.