Unlike the privately owned House of Opium, located at the epicenter of the Golden Triangle, this newish museum, constructed under the auspices of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation, is tucked away in a lush valley and uses the latest technological gadgetry to create a more interactive experience on the same subject.
It provides a comprehensive view of opium production in the region and the worldwide effects of addiction and its related crimes, plus the entire history of opium production worldwide from its beginning as a medicinal drug in the Sumerian culture.
The range of the exhibits is vast, and for those who wish to know opium’s entire background the museum is a huge success. Beginning with views of an admittedly pretty poppy plantation in a small valley and displays of all varieties of opium poppies with their botanical details, the history of opium use is traced for 5,000 years.
The Imperialist years when minor trade in the drug in the Western world shifted to becoming the currency for the tea trade with China through the port of Canton are covered extensively, as are the resulting Opium Wars.
Models of opium dens and smugglers’ hideouts, rooms covering both the physical and psychological effects of addiction, its relation to crime, the medicinal use of the drug, case studies of addicts and the control measures in place worldwide lead to a Reflection Hall, where visitors can think about what they have seen. The massive exhibition complex tells all that the average person ever needed to know about the drug and its worldwide implications.
Getting There
It’s tricky to get to without your own transport. Take a songthaew from Chiang Saen (20 minutes), then a motorbike taxi for the last leg.
Need to Know
- What is it? A highly professional outline of everything to do with opium over the ages.
- Opening hours: 08:30 to 16:00, Tuesday to Sunday.
- Entrance fees: foreigners 200 baht, Thais 150 baht
- Where: Golden Triangle Park, off Highway 1290, one kilometer west of Sop Ruak.