Sop Ruak

Introducing Sop Ruak

The borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet 9km north of Chiang Saen at Sop Ruak, the official ‘centre’ of the Golden Triangle, at the confluence of Nam Ruak and the Mekong River.

In historical terms, ‘Golden Triangle’ actually refers to a much larger geographic area, stretching thousands of square kilometres into Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, within which the opium trade is prevalent. Nevertheless hoteliers and tour operators have been quick to cash in on the name by referring to the tiny village of Sop Ruak as ‘the Golden Triangle’, conjuring up images of illicit adventure even though the adventure quotient here is close to zero. In northern Thai this village is pronounced ‘Sop Huak’; many out-of-town Thais don’t know either Thai name and simply call it ‘Sam Liam Thong Kham’ (sǎam lìam thawng kham; Thai for ‘Golden Triangle’).

Tourists have replaced opium as the local source of wealth. Sop Ruak has in fact become something of a tourist trap, with souvenir stalls, restaurants, a massage place and bus loads of package-tour visitors during the day. In the evenings things are quieter.

There is a Commercial Bank of Siam ATM machine next to the House of Opium.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009