Moreover, Karen is renowned for its sound methods of ecologically sustainable slash-and-burn agriculture which can maintain the diversity of crops in the agriculture system (Tomforde, 2003). They practice upland rice, vegetables and many kinds of fruit plants. They also raise black pigs and poultry for household consumption. Their income is obtained from gathering and selling forest product, being labor in Hmong and or northern Thai fields or selling livestocks and orchard products (Hayami, 1993), and their economic status is poor. The Karen society is matriarchal. Each household contains only one or two generations. They are animists and believe in the existence of a Lord of the Earth and Water. However, in the 20th century many Karen were converted to Christianity by Western missionaries. Others, particularly those living in lowland areas of Thailand had converted to Buddhism (Perve, 2006).