Hill populations (Lawa, Sagaw Karen and Shan) and valley populations have socio-economic and religious relationships with one another. Cultural exchanges occur due to inter-ethnic contacts. However, each group has its own socio-cultural identity without being able to separate the two areas from each other. Political structures of the Thai government under the modernization process have tried to control and change highland socio-cultural conditions to become more Thai-like, resulting in conflicts among the groups in the two areas as well as socio-cultural changes in each area.