THE HALL OF OPIUM EXHIBITION AND INFORMATION CENTRE, GOLDEN TRIANGLE PARK

Raison d’etre for the Hall of Opium, Golden Triangle Project
Creating the Hall of Opium
Hall of Opium – Exhibition
Hall of Opium Information Centre and Archives
How you can help

The Golden Triangle Please click to expand

The term, “Golden Triangle” refers to a largely inaccessible region that spans the three countries of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, one of Asia’s last wild frontiers, where opium is grown, processed into heroin, and smuggled out. Up until the end of the 20^th century, the Golden Triangle was the source of half the world's illegal heroin - the root of crime and corruption that permeate porous borders and span continents from Asia to Africa to Europe and America. Today, less than 1% of the total production of opium in the Golden Triangle comes from Thailand.

HRH The Princess Mother recognised that while the lives of many hill tribes people in the Golden Triangle depended on opium production and trade, opium was essentially an economic crop - not intrinsic to the indigenous culture.

By helping villagers to become self-sufficient through crop substitution programmes and the creation of alternative employment under the Doi Tung Development Project, hill-tribe villagers in Northern Thailand now generate sufficient income and are no longer dependent on opium cultivation for their livelihood.

RAISON D’ETRE FOR THE HALL OF OPIUM, GOLDEN TRIANGLE PARK PROJECT

HRH The Princess Mother realised that education was a critical component in the reduction of opium cultivation and illegal drug abuse. By promoting greater awareness, a better understanding of the effects, the dangers and consequences of opium and opiates, fewer people would be tempted into drug use. Decreasing demand would gradually reduce supply. Public awareness would help strengthen the commitment of societies worldwide in the fight against narcotics and illegal drugs. The initiative led to the “Hall of Opium”, and its exhibitions, which use edu-tainment, or education that is entertaining, to raise people's awareness about illegal drugs.

Today at a site located 10 kilometres north of Chiang Saen in Chiang Rai province in Thailand, near where the borders of the three countries of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet at the confluence of the the Sob Ruak Tributary and the Mekong River, the Hall of Opium exhibition and information centre have been constructed as part of the 40-hectare Golden Triangle Park.

The Hall of Opium strives to become the world’s foremost research and information centre on opium, opiates and other narcotics prevalent in Asia. The materials will be used for research, educational extension, special school programmes and travelling exhibitions, all intended to help educate the public on narcotics. Through such knowledge and research related activities, it is hoped that the following objectives will be achieved.

Offer knowledge about the history of opium in the Golden Triangle and throughout the world Offer knowledge about the uses and effects of opium, morphine and heroin, both legal and illegal Prevent opium and heroin addiction by graphic depiction of the horrors of long-term use, compared to the benefits of short-term medicinal use Provide an information centre for researchers and others interested in all aspects of opium and opium derivatives Provide extension services to educate the public about the history and use of opium by providing materials in the form of books, videos, films and other media, to schools and others throughout the world Depict the lives of the ethnic minorities of Northern Thailand who were in times past involved in opium production and trade, in ways that are sympathetic yet factual

CREATING THE HALL OF OPIUM
Work commenced in 1994 when a research team began to collect information, artefacts, and other materials on opium production, distribution, use and addiction. The team was joined by production and display specialists who prepared the exhibition to make it both informative and entertaining.

The Japanese Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund provided loans through the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China offered technical assistance on the section focussing on the Opium War.

HALL OF OPIUM – EXHIBITION
A visit to the Hall of Opium takes visitors on a ‘journey’ into the mysterious world of opium.

Each section in the 5,600 sq-metre world-class exhibition area sheds light on the more than 5,000 years of use and abuse of opiates. The exhibition depicts the origins of the opium poppy, the medical and ritual use of opium in ancient civilisations, its spread throughout the world, its continued medical use, and international efforts to control illegal drug abuse. Case studies help visitors to understand the problems of addiction and choices available to fight the temptation of drugs.

With the use of state-of-the-art multimedia innovation, engaging audio-visual presentations, interactive displays and dramatic spatial design, each step of the way, the presentation of information is vivid and thought provoking.

Hall of Opium opening hours: every day except Monday 8.30-16.00

HALL OF OPIUM INFORMATION CENTRE AND ARCHIVES
The Hall of Opium information centre currently contains a large assortment of opium, opiate and other drug-related pictures, photographs, videos, artefacts and paraphernalia. The centre also houses several hundred books, a bibliographic database with over 17,000 items on the history, economics and politics of opium as well as microfilm reproductions of around 150,000 pages of out-of-print books. The archives also include material related to the scientific, medicinal and cultural aspects of opium and opiates.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
The exhibition is expanding its collection and archives to make them more complete, and is seeking the cooperation and support of individuals and agencies from around the world to share information, research and materials that you might have on poppy cultivation and eradication, opium and other narcotic production, trafficking, use and addiction.

These would include, but is not limited to:

• Artefacts such as opium pipes, opium weights, old medicinal kits, old medicinal containers, hypodermic needles and other items associated with legal and illegal use, production and sale of opium and opiates, both current and historical
  
  
• Photographs, pictures, films and videos relating to historical and current use and abuse of opium and opiates, as well as methamphetamines and other illegal drugs in the region
  
  
• Photographs of people addicted to narcotics or who have otherwise engaged in narcotics abuse. If possible, brief case histories or biographies of these individuals
  
  
• Photographs, film clips and/or video of drug arrests, drug seizures, or other efforts to control the smuggling and trafficking of drugs
  
  
• Photographs, film clips and/or video of individuals known to be involved in drug-related crime and corruption
  
  
• Anti-drug posters, pamphlets, advertisements, videos and any other visual materials for anti-drug campaigns
  
  
• Books, articles, pamphlets, posters on all aspects of opium, opiate use and abuse
  
  
• Names and addresses of and/or pamphlets from organizations that may be contacted in various countries that help addicts or offer counselling to addicts and families
  
  
• Educational materials on drug abuse prevention and on drug rehabilitation programmes
  
  
• Movies (in the form of videos, VCDs or DVDs) concerning drugs or that feature some aspect of drug use or addictions as a theme

Contact information:
HALL OF OPIUM
Moo 1 Ban Sop Ruak, Tambon Wiang, Amphoe Chiang Saen,
Chiang Rai 57150
Tel: +66 (0) 5378 4444-6
Fax: +66 (0) 5365 2133
E-mail: hallofopium@doitung.org

GREATER MEKONG LODGE
Tel: +66 (0) 5378 4450-2
Fax: +66 (0) 5378 4453
E-mail: gml@doitung.org