Thailand > Ten baht for a photo

The alarm goes off early. I slept well last night. Today we depart at 7:30 am, leaving Chiang Mai and heading northeast toward the Golden Triangle. This area was once notorious for opium cultivation and smuggling. Along the way, we stop in a small village near hot springs. The bubbling water attracts many tourists, and tourists attract vendors. In covered halls, countless sellers try to sell their goods. The boy in front of the toilet and the coffee vendor are by far the most successful. There isn’t much else to do here, really. Once everyone has finished their coffee, we continue on. Our next stop is the village of Howay Nkokum, home to the H’mong hill tribe.

Thailand - Tourism around the Golden Triangle takes on amusement parklike forms

The village responds immediately to our arrival. Stalls are quickly set up, and elderly women change into traditional clothing. For ten baht, a photo can be taken. The “10 baht” message has clearly spread—one little boy shouts it at every photographer. If it doesn’t work, he turns around and shouts “10 baht” at someone just exiting the toilet, with more success. It’s a shame the village has lost some of its traditional charm due to commercialization, but I fully realize that this is caused by (too many) tourist visits—hardly anyone can blame them. Through Chiang Ria, we continue to the Golden Triangle, the point where Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet. Here, the Mekong and Ruak Rivers converge. The village of Sop Ruak sits right at the Golden Triangle.

Thailand - The Golden Triangle is the triborder point of Myanmar Laos and Thailand

We have lunch at a buffet here. Afterwards, we drive to the viewpoint at Wat Phra That Phu Khao temple. From here, you can see all three countries at once. We walk down from the temple as Perry explains many details about Buddhism. Back in Sop Ruak, we visit the opium museum. Opium was once the main source of income, but cultivation was banned in 1959. In recent years, the government has been successful in preventing illegal cultivation as well. The museum displays papaya plants, various opium pipes, and weighing tools. Finally, we walk to the riverbank, where everything is geared toward tourists. A large artificial ship with a huge golden Buddha on the deck attracts attention. Through a lavishly decorated elephant gate, you can enter the ship. In playful ways, visitors can offer money—coins can even be rolled down a twenty-meter-long slide toward Buddha, who smiles with every contribution. Many children dressed in traditional clothing roam the ship, happy to pose for photos for money. It’s easy to forget that the main attraction is actually the tri-border point. We leave the tourist area and drive along the Mekong to Chiang Khong, our overnight stop. We stay in a charming wooden guesthouse overlooking the river. Laos lies just across the water. The entire house is made of teak and polished to perfection, so we are asked to remove our shoes. Just after entering, it begins to drizzle outside. On the covered veranda, we enjoy a beer as dusk slowly falls.