Day 20: Chiang Rai to Chiang Saen via the Golden Triangle – Mekong River
The ‘golden triangle’ is where Thailand, Myanmar and Loas borders meet on the Mekong and Ruak River. It was famous for its opium production for decades, even supported by the local as well US and French governments to help fund insurgent groups against the communists.
As I had written about before, the Thai King as early as the 1960’s, is credited with eliminating the opium trade as he helped the hill tribes and others grow other crash crops. We thought we were coming to the far north to check out the countryside, small rural villages and a great view of three countries. Sort of like four corners in the US.
What we didn’t know or had forgotten about is that on the Laos side they have created a special economic zone with China – basically giving them the land for 99 years (think Hong Kong) and Laos will take 20% of the profits. So as we descended into the golden triangle and are passing rice fields and banana trees on the Thai side, we look across the border to 40+ skyscrapers 10-15 stories high, 10 construction cranes and 3 massive casinos. It was quite the shock.
Furthermore, we have found out that this 35 square mile enclave is run like its own little country by one man, Zhao Wei, a wealthy Chinese investor who has been banned by the US for drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cyber scams. Just type in Laos Golden Triangle to learn more.
Our hotel looks out over the Mekong and to the far left we can just see the tops of the skyscrapers 7 miles up river.
This is our last night on this part of our adventure. Tomorrow we head back to Chiang Mai for four days before starting our next seven-day elephant adventure at the largest and most well-known sanctuary, Elephant Nature Park. It is also a bit controversial, maybe because of its success, or maybe because there can be conflicts between culture, values, ethics. But that is for next week.
This has been truly off the beaten path. We have sometimes been the only person visiting a place. Not just the only white person – the only person. Like this morning. We went to the largest bamboo Buddha in Thailand – and (surprisingly?) we were the only ones there. And we have also mingled with the hoards at the more popular places.
Tonight we had (we think) a basic soup with pork and noodles from a street vendor and sat in our plastic chairs on the uneven sidewalk that is sometimes also used as a parking lot for scooters. Afterward we walked along the cement boulevard on the river as all the locals sat on mats enjoying their own family dinners outside. It was a rocking place for what seemed like a pretty sleepy town on a Tuesday night. It felt like we got to see a glimpse of what daily life is like up here on the border.
Just this morning we went to the furthest northern point of Thailand and got to see the line of Myanmar (maybe finally spelt correctly) Tuk-tuks (public transport which is a cross between a motorcycle in front welded to a pickup bed in back) line up at the customs house under both country’s flag …and then I hear a familiar John Denver tune “…you feel up my senses..” waft over the bridge deck, in perfect Burmese.
Yesterday, in the market, we caught up with several women (and a few men) holding signs and then were asked to be in a picture with them (after we took theirs first) found out it was International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. We grabbed a sign for support.
I enjoy travelling since it gets you to see others in a different light. Maybe even gets you to challenge how you view yourself and your own culture. And just maybe changes you for the better. I still get to wonder how a country works like this one that has never been colonized by European power, that is 90-95% Buddhist, and has some of the nicest people. Why do these areas remind us of our time in Indonesia and Dominican Republic and even Bolivia at times when each of these countries have such different histories? What is the same, different, or just unknown? It is good to wonder.
I’ve always enjoyed Mark Twains quote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” — “Innocents Abroad,” 1869
Couldn’t have said it better.
Siri and David Adventures 