This work examines political, economic, social and cultural aspects of the Yao or Mien, which are unique to the ethnic group without specifying the area of investigation in northern Thailand. The objective of this investigation was to use the study results as a guideline in solving hilltribe problems. In this period, many groups of hilltribes resided in areas susceptible to the infiltration of communism. Therefore, concerned state agencies implemented policies aimed at solving hilltribe problems. The hilltribes were encouraged to live together in villages, to stop cultivating opium poppies, to grow other substitute crops, and to implement an inclusion policy to make them feel that they were Thai citizens loyal to the country.