Cambodia's diverse Khmer Leu (Upper Khmer) or chunchiet (minori­ties), who live in the country's mountainous regions, probably number between 60,000 and 70,000.

  The majority of these groups live in the northeast of Cambodia, in the provinces of Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng and Kratie. The larg­est group is the Tompuon (many other spellings are used), who number around 15,000. Other groups include the Pnong, Kreung, Kavet, Brao and Jarai.

  The hill tribes of Cambodia have long been isolated from mainstream Khmer society, and there is little in the way of mutual understanding. They practise shifting cultivation, rarely staying in one place for more than four or five years. Finding a new location for a village requires a village elder to mediate with the spirit world. Very few of the minorities wear the sort of colourful traditional costumes you see in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. While this may not make for interesting photographs, it takes away that depressing human safari-park feel that surrounds visits to tribal villages in-other countries.

  Little research has been done on Cambodia's hill tribes, and tourism is only just coming to the northeast. There is much to be concerned about regarding the impact of tourism, development and logging on Cambo­dia's more isolated tribes. Increasing numbers of Khmers are buying up tribal lands in these remote areas, while some foreigners have been buy­ing old totems from sacred burial grounds in Ratanakiri; neither of which has the long-term interests of the minorities at heart.