The Golden Triangle

One of the standard tours out of Chiang Rai in the north is to the so-called Golden Triangle.

The Golden Triangle is the geographic point where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet, all divided by the Mekong and Ruak rivers. The three countries provide the Triangle part of the name. Golden comes from opium, which was the equivalent to gold for this region until the 1990s.  

The stories here are of opium production, gangster and political violence amid the drug trade, reclaiming of the territory by non-drug interests, Chinese reformatting, and tourist revenues.

Here’s the view from the Thai side of the border. The Mekong River is the large river in the center; the Ruak River heads to the left. The peninsula between them is Myanmar. The developed shore on the right is Laos.

Here’s a view a bit to the right, across the Mekong into Laos. All that development that we see is Chinese.

Only a decade or so ago, there was no development at all on the Laotian side; just forest and flood plain. Laos is a prime example of the process that China has been using around the world. China starts with offers of lots of infrastructure development, which does not come without strings. The recipient country soon finds itself unable to meet its debt obligations. China negotiates debt relief in various ways, including gaining access to land for development and raw materials.

Some of the towers under construction are for Chinese seniors who will be “exported” to less expensive Laos.  

The land we see from Thailand here at the Golden Triangle has become de facto Chinese territory: economic colonialism.

Not far from the Golden Triangle viewpoint is the House of Opium Museum. It includes clear exhibits that explain how opium and its related drugs like methadone and heroine are made, and how the cultivation of opium poppies overtook the region. 

Here’s a quick summary, thanks to Perplexity AI:

The Golden Triangle, spanning parts of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, became a major opium-producing region in the mid-20th century. Initially, opium was cultivated for medicinal and ritual use by local communities but expanded under colonial powers like the British and French in the 19th century for trade with China. After World War II, political upheavals, including the Chinese Civil War, pushed Kuomintang forces into the region, where they dominated the opium trade to fund their operations. By the 1950s-70s, heroin production surged, driven by global demand and Vietnam War-era drug use. (※) (※) (※) (※)

Especially in the latter half of the 20th century, politics and profit turned the region into a very dangerous region. There was no tourist activity during this period:

The Vietnam War significantly impacted opium production in the Golden Triangle by increasing demand for heroin among U.S. troops stationed in Southeast Asia. This demand transformed the region’s opium economy into a highly profitable heroin trade, with Bangkok and Saigon becoming key hubs for trafficking and consumption. The war also destabilized the region, enabling groups like the Kuomintang (KMT) and local militias to expand opium cultivation to fund their operations. Additionally, the involvement of intelligence agencies, such as the CIA, indirectly facilitated the trade by supporting anti-communist factions reliant on opium revenues. (※) (※) (※) (※)

The Thai government’s approach to controlling the opium trade in the Golden Triangle differed significantly from its neighbors, emphasizing alternative development and community integration rather than solely relying on law enforcement:

1. Alternative Development Model: Thailand prioritized replacing opium cultivation with sustainable crops (e.g., coffee, macadamia) through initiatives like the Royal Project, led by King Bhumibol Adulyadej. This included investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure to improve livelihoods before eradication.

2. Community Integration: The government worked to integrate highland ethnic minorities into Thai society by granting citizenship, land rights, and access to public services, fostering trust and stability. (※) (※) (※)

One example of Alternative Development is the Choui Fong Tea Company, north of Chiang Rai. A courageous entrepreneur, Thawee Wanaspitaksakul, started experimenting with growing tea plants in the highlands of northern Thailand. What we visited is his second location, which he opened in 2003. They cultivate Assam, Green, Oolong and Black Tea, some of which originated in Taiwan, and export to at least the UK, France, and Italy.

In our next post, we’ll show you three remarkable temples and complexes in Chiang Rai that have been important parts of the reclaiming of northern Thailand from the scourges of the opium trade. Here’s a teaser:

January 2025