January 14, Wednesday – Chiang Rai – Golden Triangle – Visit Opium Museum

Accommodations: Wiang Inn Hotel

This morning after breakfast we departed for the Golden Triangle. Are, however, asked us if we would like to visit the cave where, on June 23, 2018, twelve boys aged 11 to 17 and their 25 year old soccer coach, were stranded for days in the Luang Cave system. We said that we would, so our bus driver made a special stop for us to see it.

Since it is the dry season, we were not in any danger of flooding inside the cave. However, on the fateful day in June when the boys were stranded, an unexpected heavy monsoon rain flooded the cave’s entrance and cut off their escape route, trapping them deep inside. A massive search ensued and rescuers from all over the world came to offer their help. Nine days later, two British divers, John Volanthen and Rick Stanton, found the group alive on a small, dry ledge about 2.5 miles from the cave’s entrance.

90 drivers were involved in the rescue. They had to sedate the boys so they didn’t panic, and then they guided them through the flooded passages wearing oxygen tanks. The rescue operation was conducted over three days (July 8–10, 2018). All 12 boys and their coach were successfully brought out of the cave and transferred to a hospital in Chiang Rai.

While all the “Wild Boars” (the name of the boy’s soccer team) survived, two rescue divers tragically died in connection with the operation: a former Thai Navy SEAL, Saman Kunan, who ran out of air while delivering oxygen tanks during the mission, and another Thai Navy SEAL, Beirut Pakbara, who later died from a blood infection contracted in the cave.

We made our way into the cave, which is huge, and with our hiking poles and flashlights, we climbed as far into the cave as we were allowed to go. The entrance where we walked floods almost to the ceiling during monsoon season, and it is amazing that the boys were found and rescued so deep within the cave.

Outside of the cave is a statue honoring Saman Kunan, who lost his life rescuing the boys. He stands with oxygen tanks on his back, flippers, and wild boers surround him. The statue was made by the same artist that built the White Temple. It was a very poignant experience.

We left the cave and drove to The Golden Triangle, where the borders of three countries…Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar (Burma) can be seen at the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers. We took photos and then Are stopped to chat with a man selling lottery tickets. Are bought one for the group with the lucky number 12, so we’ll see how lucky we are. The drawing is tonight.

We left the Golden Triangle and took a farm truck to a farm run by a woman who used to be a tour guide. She left that job to start a farm and she serves BBQ to folks who have made a reservation for dinner at her farm. The food was unbelievably delicious and we all loved being at the farm, enjoying the scenery, as well as the food.

Then, we visited the Opium Museum, and we learned about the history of opium in Thailand. The museum has a unique collection of opium harvesting knives, scales, weights, pipes, etc. It was very interesting to read all about opium. Thailand has been highly successful in eradicating illicit opium cultivation…
falling by approximately 97% since the mid-1980s, and Thailand is no longer a significant producer of illicit opium for the international market. However, Myanmar has apparently as of late, surpassed Afghanistan in opium cultivation.

Our last stop of the day was The Blue Temple, built by a student of the artist who built the White Temple. It is a dark shade of blue with gold adornment all over. It was quite a sight to behold. We went inside, (they let me in fortunately), and we were allowed to take photos. Inside the temple, is the pearl white statue of a Buddha named Phra Buddha Ratchamongkoi Bodi Trilokanat. If you’d like to read more about him, you can Google it.

Tomorrow we fly back to Bangkok.