Southeast Asia forum

"where is it Laos or Burma?" It's in history books, you're twenty years too late. Might want to check your travel insurance policy, don't think it covers getting bought out of jail.

Somsai is right. If you really want to try illegal drugs, better to do it in your own country. If you are found with drugs in some places in SE Asia, they put you in jail take you to court, decide you are guilty and then shoot you.

The term Golden Triangle was made by the US gov't some 40 years ago and referred to the opium poppy growing area in northern laos, northern Thailand, eastern Burma, and southern China: the mid-Mekong River region.

But, the governments have cracked down on drugs. As I said, in some places, if you are caught with drugs the penalty is death.

If you really want to go to the opium growing area today, then you have to go to Afganistan.

Nowadays, the term 'Golden Triangle' is used by tourism operators in Thaland to refer to that place on the Mekong River where the borders of Myanmar, Laos, China and Thailand meet. You can go there on a bus tour, get your photo taken under a sign that says "Goldon Triangle", maybe buy some souveniers, and hop back on the bus to your hotel. Sound like fun?

Cheers

Posted from within Vietnam.

There is the opium Museum which is located in the Golden triangle. It is another must - see if you are in Golden Triangle.
Quickly Google, I have found our this link:
http://www.pbase.com/image/40196922

i totally agree with the advice given here and personally find it difficult to understand why anyone would want to go to SE Asia just to sample drugs?! It always bemuses me when i see these types of questions being asked. It is a strange motivation to travel

kind of off topic but they actually call where i live "the golden triangle" and use that to promote the area! i wonder if they realised that it originated with a reference to the drug trade haha

It's good to know it's only in the movies. I just watched Tropic Thunder which is of course a Ben Stiller comedy, and a funny one at that, but they had the Golden Triangle as a real place. Any of you world travelers out there know where it is safe to go on a horse back riding trek through the mountains? I'm bored with riding my 6 horses here in the States, Mexico and Canada, and am looking for a bit of adventure, of a more normal kind more or less.After 18 years in the Army, I need a little adventure. I understand the mountains in Thailand and Vietnam are nice. Any suggestions.

Hey BruceMoon, I've ridden horses all over the States and have friends that go on horse treks across Ireland and Spain. I'm looking for something more exotic. I've been there and done that and am getting bored. I've been searching the internet with no success and was hoping to get some suggestions. Not to be rude, but Australia does not thrill me, been there, done that. Beside I couldn't be away from my horses or my students for that long.

I'm looking for a couple of weeks of riding through the mountains somewhere I've never been and I've heard there were some in Thailand but haven't been able to find anything. Many of the sites I found were no longer valid.

Europe is too tame and too familiar, my instructors were French and British (I'm a graduate British Horsemaster). Been to South America. (Married one-but I was too adventurous for him. I'm not a clinging vine and just a tad too independant for most) The majority of my horses are from Canada.

I've just started my search and was hoping to find more information. Perhaps I shall just keep looking for something that interests me.

Thanks again,

Darkstar
If you are serious, I have a friend here who's ex husband (who's still her good friend) has a stable (also owns six horses - but I have been there yet, I just discovered this yesterday, quite the coincidence). I think he breeds race horses, but I need to see and talk with him. He's in That Phanom which is in Nakhon Panhom province in Thailand.

I am also a veteran, now retired, from the US Army. I'll talk to the guy for you in two weeks (I have to go to Bangkok next week to get a new passport) and see what we can hook up for you. Guarantee it will be cheap. Google NKP you'll see I am in very rural Thailand, but live in a fair sized city.

Thanks MADMAC for the info. Do you live in Thailand? I'm retired from the US Army as well. I had found a place in Chiang Mai, the Thai Horse Farm. Right now I'm going through the hassle of trying to get my passport renewed.

Thank BruceMoon for the info on the ponies. I've been in touch with the Thai horse farm. They raise Asian Mountian horses which are actually ponies. That's what I ride, ponies, they are easier to maintain, quicker on their feet and easier to get on and off when going through wooded areas. My now retired pony, Dark Star, I found in a field of cows 20 years ago. We've gone straight up and down cliffs, mountains, rivers, whatever was in the way. I haven't been able to find one to replace her yet.