We left Chiang Mai at the crack of 9:00 am on Wednesday to drive three hours up the windy, mountainous roads towards the northern city of Chiang Rai in the Chiang Rai province. Our first stop was at the incredible white temple of Wat Rong Khun, which is seriously unlike any other temple I have ever seen. It was commissioned by famous Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, and since it is still a work in progress the inner murals feature some more modern takes on the nature of good and evil, with pop culture depictions such as Superman, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Angry Birds. Unfortunately, pictures were only allowed on the exterior but it is still stunning, wouldn't you say?
This wasn't the only building on the premises, though. I took a bunch of pictures of a similarly styled although somewhat smaller gold building before realizing it was actually . . . a bathroom. Who says beauty can't also be functional? We threw baht coins into a fountain for good luck, then headed over to the museum with Chalermchai Kositpipat paintings and other artwork. His paintings are colorful and intricate, blending traditional Thai and Buddhist imagery with modern messages. Definitely worth looking up.
Lunch was at a food court across the street, where I use my (extremely limited) Thai reading skills to see if the menu was a little more specific than just the English translation of "vegetarian food." Sure enough, the script read "aahan jay" which does mean "vegetarian food" so I bravely ordered, having no idea what to expect. Luckily, things turned out for the best as the aahan jay turned out to be rice (big surprise) with brightly colored stir-fried vegetables.
The afternoon brought us to the Freedom Resource Center of the Sold Project, a fairly new NGO that is focused on providing scholarships to village children to prevent them from dropping out of school to go work in a big city as prostitutes. This is the harsh reality that Thailand is facing, as some of you may know, because of the economic stratification of the people. Thai children are raised to want to respect and support their parents and family, so once they are old enough they are looked upon as breadwinners . . . by whatever means necessary. The Sold Project works with the local village community to show the people that if the kids stay in school, they have a better chance of getting a (legal) better-paying job and being able to support the family that way. They make this financially feasible with the scholarship program and also provide the Freedom Resource Center as a place for the kids to come after school for extra lessons, activities, and even some trade skill training such as raising silk worms.
We then headed into Chiang Rai proper to visit the Hill Tribe Museum and hear a lecture and watch a documentary on Khun Sa, the regional drug lord of the late twentieth century. The Golden Triangle trading area is well known for its history of drug trafficking because the mountainous farming land was perfect for growing opium poppies. Before drug crops were eradicated from Thailand, at one point the region produced 80% of the heroin used in say, New York City. Khun Sa was both reviled and revered because of his immense influence on the region. Being from China and the ethnic Shaun State of Burma, the Shaun people saw Khun Sa as an advocate for their national interests as well as a provider of the economic opportunity in growing opium poppies. Obviously, much of the world saw him as a villain for perpetuating the global issue of drug addiction and for his "questionable" management methods, such as his own army, including child soldiers.
Of course, we also got to see the exhibits on local hill tribe groups such as the Shaun, Karen, and Akha people, plus take some pictures of the unique restaurant below the museum. It was called "Cabbages and Condoms," and the theme of the restaurant was a message about sexual health and safety and the prevention of spreading HIV/AIDS. It's an important issue for Thailand because families affected by HIV/AIDS are highly stigmatized in society.
No idea what the cabbages are all about though. That night we stayed at a hotel in Chiang Rai and ate at the night bazaar, which was smaller than those in Chiang Mai but still full of interesting merchandise. Walking back from the bazaar we got to pass by the unmistakable clock tower of Chiang Rai, which was recognizable as in the style of - you guessed it - Chalermchai Kositpipat. We turned in a little late after an evening of talking and laughing in the hotel rooms, but that was OK because we could sleep in a little before the next day's adventures.
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