The area also lends itself to general visits to places of diverse interest. These can either be informal ‘look-see’ visits, or could be more a formal information gathering experience and indeed students have used their researches for their Extended Essay at I.B.
The Golden Triangle and Hall of Opium
This area became known as The Golden Triangle during the hey-days of opium growing in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The story of this drug is superbly told at the Hall of Opium, from its early use in Ancient Greece, to the Opium Wars in Hong Kong through to the role it had in the Cold War years, and ending up with today’s issues of drug addiction. This visit can also include a trip on the Mekong River and even a non-visa trip to Laos!
Doi Angkhang Royal Project
The Royal Projects in this part of Thailand were very much aimed at eradication of opium poppies and the reliance that many hill farmers had with this crop. It is a stunning project, set in a bowl in the mountains at an altitude of 1400 metres. Flowers, vegetables and fruits of all varieties are exquisitely laid out over an area of several hundred hectares.
The Nationalist Chinese Settlement of Mae Salong
After being expelled from China in the 1950s and Myanmar in the early 1960’s, the Nationalist Chinese (or Kuomingtang) began to settle in the north of Thailand. The history of this settlement is fascinating and is much linked to the opium trade, the conflicts in S.E. Asia in the 1960’s and 1970s as well as the Cold War. Set high on a long ridge, this settlement has mixture of Chinese and hill tribes who now grow fruit, coffee and tea ,and this all makes for a very interesting visit.
Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai
We can provide groups which wish to stay in either of this cities at the beginning or the end of their trip to North Thailand, with a programme of educational (and other) sightseeing opportunities which may include the more spectacular temples, elephant camps and parks, and the ever popular night markets.
