This is a gallery of a combination of Northern Thailand, around the Chaing Rai area, and into Burma (Union of Myanmar) crossing over from Mai Sai, Thailand. In doing so it is necessary to surrender your passport to the Burmese government when you go in. The Burmese appearance is different than the Thai in that they have much more of an Indian look. Although I didn't see evidence of it,Burma is the world's second largest producer of illicit opium, after Afghanistan. Opium and heroin base produced in northeastern Myanmar are transported by horse and donkey caravans to refineries along the Thailand–Burma border for conversion to heroin and heroin base. Most of the finished products are shipped across the border into various towns in North Thailand and down to Bangkok for further distribution to international markets. These days, though, the place lives on the cultivation of tourists, and this is undoubtedly the largest tourist trap in northern Thailand.

This area of the world is known as the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle designates the confluence of the Ruak River and the Mekong river, since the term has been appropriated by the Thai tourist industry to describe the nearby border tripoint of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. In my photo of the 3 countries you can observe confluence of the Mekong and the Ruak Rivers: the foreground is Thailand, the sandbar is Myanmar and the opposite bank is Laos.

A really great area to explore and one super trip !!