The Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia)

I’ve heard a lot of stories about the Golden Triangle during my Asian history class in high school. They’ve said that it’s one of the most dangerous places in Asia. As I was traveling from Mae Sai to Huay Xai last April 2009, I accidentally saw a songthaew going to the Golden Triangle. Curious as I was, I hopped in without any hesitation. I was excited because I thought it would be a very exciting decision.

Some facts about the Golden Triangle from Wikipedia.

“The Golden Triangle is one of Asia's two main illicit opium-producing areas. It is an area of around 350,000 square kilometers that overlaps the mountains of four countries of Southeast Asia: Myanmar (Burma), Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. (Other interpretations of the Golden Triangle also include a section of Yunnan Province, China.) Along with Afghanistan in the Golden Crescent and Pakistan, it has been one of the most extensive opium-producing areas of Asia and of the world since the 1950s. The Golden Triangle also designates the confluence of the Ruak River and the Mekong River, since the term has been appropriated by the Thai tourist industry to describe the nearby junction of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar.”

After an hour or more, I arrived to this infamous place. And this is what I saw.

They put up a tourist park in the Golden Triangle. I almost laughed my head off because, who could have expected that it would be a nice business venture right. And it really draws a lot of tourist. Well, that’s what the tourism industry can do with the world. Change things and make it profitable!

I’m not sure if it’s good or bad. But, what the heck!

P.S.

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