I hadn’t heard about the Golden Triangle prior to researching our trip, but the conspiracies surrounding the area’s illicit history are super juicy. Geographically, the Golden Triangle is the three-country border between Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. From the 1950’s to the early 90’s this area was the primary source of the world’s supply of heroin. The opium poppy was a cash crop for the region’s ethnic minorities, and the porous frontier was a perfect environment for processing and distribution. The opium w
As if that wasn’t juicy enough, some historians allege that the CIA was actually involved in opium drug trafficking here. Opium trade was legal in Laos until 1971; the name “the Golden Triangle” actually comes from a US State Department memo on the practice. Throughout 60’s and 70’s the CIA was sponsoring The Secret War in Laos, and several historians and veterans allege that US forces either participated in or turned a blind eye to Laotian forces using the drug to fund their operations. Some pop culture re
The Golden Triangle’s golden years have come and gone , but I did allow my imagination to search for any remaining clues of the once ubiquitous drug trade. The only evidence I found that might’ve stuck was this super haggard British guy that awkwardly joined our table at a cafe in Huay Xai. He was very thin and slurring his words, moving in slow motion. He mentioned that he’d spent the last 10 years cycling all over northern Laos. It’s a beautiful country, but I really don’t understand why one would do som