Ban Mae Tho is inhabited by the Hmong and Karen hill tribes, who have traditionally relied on opium cultivation and shifting agriculture. Due to a lack of knowledge and attention to environmental issues, these communities have struggled against poverty for many years. In 1996, however, the Mae Tho Royal Project Development Center was established as part of a policy to promote new agricultural professions, aiming to replace opium cultivation and reduce chemical usage in cabbage farming. The center is located in a mountainous area characterized by complex terrain that stretches from north to south, with an altitude ranging from 800 to 1,200 meters above sea level, covering two districts: Hod and Mae Chaem.