Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Crossing the border bridge at Mae Sai
The Golden Triangle: (From top) On the border bridge overlooking Myanmar's Tachilek; The border gate entering Myanmar; A heavily-laden vehicle leaving the Myanmar border gate. Mae Sai is the northernmost district (Amphoe) of Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. It is a major border crossing between Thailand and Myanmar, which Asian Highway Network AH2 (Thailand Route 1 or Phahonyothin Road) crossing the Mae Sai River to the town Tachilek in Myanmar. Pictures: BT/Liz Price
Sunday, November 9, 2008
I WAS quite engrossed just standing in the street and taking photos of people as they were coming and going across the border. I almost forgot that I had to go to immigration office to get my own papers authorised for entry into Myanmar.
The bustling border town of Mae Sai in northern Thailand is only small, but there is a lot happening. It's a great place for people watching and resembles a modern trading post.
We left Chiang Rai early morning and there was thick fog all the way to Mae Sai. As we reached the border, the fog lifted and gave way to the sun. The Sai River separates the two countries, and this is one of the few official land crossings between Thailand and Myanmar.
Foreigners are allowed to cross the border to Tachilek and continue as far as Kengtung which is 160km from Thailand and 100km short of China's Yunnan province. Luckily both border towns are relatively free from traffic, as you have to remember that in Thailand they drive on the left side of the road, and in Myanmar it's on the right side.
As you approach the Thai border crossing you see rickshaws lined up at the end of the road waiting for customers. And also waiting for tourists is a gaggle of Thai children, dressed in colourful hill-tribe costumes, and cajoling money in exchange for posing for photographs. I was told they're not really from the hill-tribes, they are local children whose families have bought them these costumes to try and make a quick dollar.
There are no real tourist attractions here, although the area is overlooked by a Thai temple. This wat was reputedly built in memory of thousands of Burmese soldiers who died fighting the KMT in 1965. The KMT or Kuomingtang are the Chinese troops who had fled to Myanmar and were fighting the Chinese communists and were financed by the opium trade.
This Golden Triangle area, where the three countries of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet, is notorious for the growing of poppies to make opium. This drug was possibly first used by the Chinese in the 13th century during the reign of Kublai Khan.
The trade became really lucrative in the 1960s and 1970s. The poppy is mostly grown by the hill tribe people and it flourishes on steep slopes and in nutrient poor soil.
As opium became more available, more was consumed and therefore more was grown. The name Golden Triangle came from the fortunes amassed by the local opium warlords. Today the Thai government is trying to stop this trade and has encouraged the growth of tea, coffee, corn and Chinese herbs. However this could just push the opium market into Myanmar and northwest Laos.
The infamous bridge which was Lo Hsing Han's former "Golden Triangle" passageway for opium and heroin spans the Sai River between Thailand's northernmost town and the border town of Tachilek in the Shan state.
Lo Hsing Han is a former Burmese drug trafficker and present-day major Burmese business tycoon. In 1994-95 the crossing was closed for a few months due to fighting between Shan insurgent armies and the Burmese. Many Burmese come over from Tachilek during the day to do business or work, but have to return by sunset.
Conversely many Thais cross over to go shopping. Although not many Westerners use this crossing, locals in Mae Sai have set up souvenir stalls offering a range of local handicrafts and clothes. They cater mainly for Thai tourists.
Apart from Thai items, you can also see Burmese lacquer ware, gems, jade and other items from Myanmar and Laos. There is even a gem market. Although Thailand and Myanmar are predominately Buddhist countries, there are a few Muslims living in Mae Sai and there are some Muslim restaurants.
Once you clear Thai immigration, you enter "no man's land" and go over the bridge. The river is surprisingly small and shallow. You then go through immigration formalities on the Burmese side. It's soon apparent that it's quite a different world.
Men are wearing the longyis (sarong-like skirts) and smoking cheroots, which are Burmese cigars. There are few cars and much of the transport is by rickshaw. There are also pick up trucks like the Thai songthaews which serve as buses.
Across the other side in Tachilek there are stalls selling Shan handicrafts, and the traders accept Thai baht. Thais shop for items such as dried mushrooms, herbal medicines, cigarettes and other cheap imports from China. Everything from cigarettes to whisky carries the "Made in China" label. There are also the usual modern items such as DVDs, sunglasses and watches.
It's a good idea to hire a Burmese rickshaw driver to take you around Tachilek and inspect the temples and markets. It is interesting to see that in the Tachilek temple, the Buddha statue is adorned with giant rubies. People believe that they won't be stolen.
Surprisingly in the markets many of the stall-holders are not locals, but Bangladeshis who are selling merchandise that is predominantly from China. Traders also sell animal parts from endangered species. It is sad to see tiger and leopard skins hanging up for sale, as well as tiger fangs and claws. There are monkey skulls and bits of dried animal tissue. Customers drink a cocktail made from bear gall bladder. Many of these items contravene the "International Convention referring to Endangered Species", but there is no enforcement.
Near the bridge is an inevitable duty free emporium, which again has a distinctively Chinese feel. It seems that everywhere you go now, you see more imported items flooding the local markets.
However despite that, this border area of Mae Sai and Tachilek is still an interesting place and offers a glimpse into this infamous border area.
The Brunei Times
The bustling border town of Mae Sai in northern Thailand is only small, but there is a lot happening. It's a great place for people watching and resembles a modern trading post.
We left Chiang Rai early morning and there was thick fog all the way to Mae Sai. As we reached the border, the fog lifted and gave way to the sun. The Sai River separates the two countries, and this is one of the few official land crossings between Thailand and Myanmar.
Foreigners are allowed to cross the border to Tachilek and continue as far as Kengtung which is 160km from Thailand and 100km short of China's Yunnan province. Luckily both border towns are relatively free from traffic, as you have to remember that in Thailand they drive on the left side of the road, and in Myanmar it's on the right side.
As you approach the Thai border crossing you see rickshaws lined up at the end of the road waiting for customers. And also waiting for tourists is a gaggle of Thai children, dressed in colourful hill-tribe costumes, and cajoling money in exchange for posing for photographs. I was told they're not really from the hill-tribes, they are local children whose families have bought them these costumes to try and make a quick dollar.
There are no real tourist attractions here, although the area is overlooked by a Thai temple. This wat was reputedly built in memory of thousands of Burmese soldiers who died fighting the KMT in 1965. The KMT or Kuomingtang are the Chinese troops who had fled to Myanmar and were fighting the Chinese communists and were financed by the opium trade.
This Golden Triangle area, where the three countries of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet, is notorious for the growing of poppies to make opium. This drug was possibly first used by the Chinese in the 13th century during the reign of Kublai Khan.
The trade became really lucrative in the 1960s and 1970s. The poppy is mostly grown by the hill tribe people and it flourishes on steep slopes and in nutrient poor soil.
As opium became more available, more was consumed and therefore more was grown. The name Golden Triangle came from the fortunes amassed by the local opium warlords. Today the Thai government is trying to stop this trade and has encouraged the growth of tea, coffee, corn and Chinese herbs. However this could just push the opium market into Myanmar and northwest Laos.
The infamous bridge which was Lo Hsing Han's former "Golden Triangle" passageway for opium and heroin spans the Sai River between Thailand's northernmost town and the border town of Tachilek in the Shan state.
Lo Hsing Han is a former Burmese drug trafficker and present-day major Burmese business tycoon. In 1994-95 the crossing was closed for a few months due to fighting between Shan insurgent armies and the Burmese. Many Burmese come over from Tachilek during the day to do business or work, but have to return by sunset.
Conversely many Thais cross over to go shopping. Although not many Westerners use this crossing, locals in Mae Sai have set up souvenir stalls offering a range of local handicrafts and clothes. They cater mainly for Thai tourists.
Apart from Thai items, you can also see Burmese lacquer ware, gems, jade and other items from Myanmar and Laos. There is even a gem market. Although Thailand and Myanmar are predominately Buddhist countries, there are a few Muslims living in Mae Sai and there are some Muslim restaurants.
Once you clear Thai immigration, you enter "no man's land" and go over the bridge. The river is surprisingly small and shallow. You then go through immigration formalities on the Burmese side. It's soon apparent that it's quite a different world.
Men are wearing the longyis (sarong-like skirts) and smoking cheroots, which are Burmese cigars. There are few cars and much of the transport is by rickshaw. There are also pick up trucks like the Thai songthaews which serve as buses.
Across the other side in Tachilek there are stalls selling Shan handicrafts, and the traders accept Thai baht. Thais shop for items such as dried mushrooms, herbal medicines, cigarettes and other cheap imports from China. Everything from cigarettes to whisky carries the "Made in China" label. There are also the usual modern items such as DVDs, sunglasses and watches.
It's a good idea to hire a Burmese rickshaw driver to take you around Tachilek and inspect the temples and markets. It is interesting to see that in the Tachilek temple, the Buddha statue is adorned with giant rubies. People believe that they won't be stolen.
Surprisingly in the markets many of the stall-holders are not locals, but Bangladeshis who are selling merchandise that is predominantly from China. Traders also sell animal parts from endangered species. It is sad to see tiger and leopard skins hanging up for sale, as well as tiger fangs and claws. There are monkey skulls and bits of dried animal tissue. Customers drink a cocktail made from bear gall bladder. Many of these items contravene the "International Convention referring to Endangered Species", but there is no enforcement.
Near the bridge is an inevitable duty free emporium, which again has a distinctively Chinese feel. It seems that everywhere you go now, you see more imported items flooding the local markets.
However despite that, this border area of Mae Sai and Tachilek is still an interesting place and offers a glimpse into this infamous border area.
The Brunei Times
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