The Golden Triangle is a popular destination in Chiang Saen. Hotels being abundant in this tourist destination, it is almost always on the places to visit in Thailand. The latest addition to the Golden Triangle is the Hall of Opium located less than an hour away from Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, a museum of sorts that offer a glimpse into the darker days of Chiang Rai when opium was God.
Located in close vicinity to the fields where once millions of poppies were in bloom, Hall of Opium contains modern interactive displays and multimedia presentations that seek to educate and enthral the audience with this fascinating history. This can be considered an entertaining history lesson of sorts, for along with the story, the visitors are also told of key characters who were involved in the trade and how this addiction became a blight upon the population of the city. History of opium trade is not merely a history of Chiang Rai; it is opium trade that gave rise some of the key events of Asian history, dating back for over 5000 years. The Chinese opium wars, colonisation of India as well as the rise of international drug cartels all are displayed in all its minuscule details at the museum.
Catering to visitors of all ages, it is certain that the younger generation will find this fascinating, for it is surreal that the modern bustling nation was once under such dark days due to effects of opium. While it teaches all about drug trafficking, addiction, and smuggling, in no way does it glorify the addiction, for the effects of opium and how the once beautiful poppy becomes a magnet for crime is explained for all to see. The museum emphasizes on how families were torn apart, lives lost and communities eradicated through this tiny flower, which consumed and conquered a whole nation.
Although a dark display, Hall of Opium still carries the message of how there is hope in destruction and how things can always change for the better. Open all days of the week except Mondays from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, it would take about 2/3 hours to immerse oneself in the lessons from darker days of poppy flower.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.Google+
