The Akha people reside in elevated mountainous areas in Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Northeast India, and China's Yunnan Province, dwelling in small villages. Despite living in multiple countries, they are a minority ethnic group in all of them, and their population today is approximately 400,000. During the early 20th century, they migrated from China to Southeast Asia. The ongoing civil wars in Burma and Laos led to a greater influx of Akha immigrants, resulting in 80,000 individuals now residing in Thailand's northern provinces of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai.

The Chinese government recognizes the Akha as a part of the Hani ethnic group, which is an official national minority. Even though the Akha and Hani are closely related, the former sees themselves as a separate group and often refuse to be categorized under that identity. In Thailand, the Akha are classified as one of the six hill tribes, a term used to refer to various tribal peoples who relocated from China and Tibet over the last few centuries and now live in the dense forests along the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. Very few Akha people in Thailand have citizenship, and most are registered as non-citizens.

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The Akha people, like many ethnic minorities in Southeast Asia, have faced discrimination and displacement over the years. In many cases, their traditional lands have been taken for government or commercial projects, such as dams or logging operations. This has resulted in loss of livelihoods and cultural heritage, as well as forced resettlement in unfamiliar areas.

In addition, Akha people have often been subject to discrimination and marginalization by the majority populations of the countries in which they reside. They have been denied citizenship and access to basic services and have been subject to harassment and abuse. This has made it difficult for them to integrate into wider society and has resulted in poverty and social exclusion.

The situation of the Akha in Myanmar is particularly difficult, as they have been caught up in the country's long-standing conflicts between ethnic armed groups and the government. Even the country's name of Myanmar reflects controversies over ethnic minorities, many of whom prefer to call it Burma. Many Akha communities have been forced to flee their homes due to violence and military operations and have been unable to return due to ongoing conflict and insecurity. This has resulted in displacement and an uncertain future for many Akha people in Myanmar.