Today, caravans of tourists venture to Doi Mae Salong in search of locally produced oolong tea, preserved fruit and bottles of spirits containing pickled centipedes and snakes. Not long ago the caravans were mules with escorts carrying carbines not cameras. The trade not oolong but opium for Doi Mae Salong was the headquarters of the Kuomintang’s (Chinese nationalists) Fifth Army, once described as the “most important” heroin laboratory in the infamous Golden Triangle controlling 90 percent of the opium coming out of Burma.

The scenic road leading from the lowland town of Mae Chan has as many ups and downs and twists and turns as the brief history of the Kuomintang (KMT) itself. Formed in China during the turbulent 1920’s the KMT briefly joined forces with the Chinese Communist Party but by August 1927 they had split. Needing to finance their military they legalized the opium trade and imposed a lucrative tax. Years of conflict followed until the Peoples Liberation Army defeated the KMT in 1949 forcing them to retreated to Taiwan and the mountains of Burma from where they launched raids into southern China.

In 1961 China moved against them with 20,000 troops supported by 5,000 Tatmadaw (Burmese army). The KMT, heavily outnumbered, fled across the Mekong River to Laos. Two months later with US help most were repatriated to Taiwan. Ferried back across the Mekong the last flight left Chiang Rai in April and Taiwan finally relinquished responsibility for those remaining.

Nearly 3,000 stayed in Laos fighting the communist Pathet Lao but by mid 1962 their position was unattainable and the KMT moved to Thailand bring with them their considerable knowledge of the opium trade. Classified as “civilian refugees” by the Thai authorities the KMT were allowed to settle in the sparsely populated mountains bordering Burma.

Today, roads wind their way up to Mae Salong 1,800 meters above sea level. Not long ago only tracks lead into the mountains which were regarded with respect and fear by the lowlanders. Isolated behind a wall of forest the KMT set about consolidating their position and resumed their opium trade.

Little was done to weaken their ability or curb the flourishing narcotics business. In the prevailing political climate the authorities used the KMT as an anti-communist watchdog guarding the rugged north against insurgents. Free to roam the mountains they exercised their power by levying a “customs duty” on all opium crossing the border. In return for their anti-communist assistance a blind eye was turned to the opium business.

Today you can sit enjoying a bowl of noodles and hot tea while watching visitors pass through the village. In its heyday you would have seen enormous caravans of pack animals passing through heading north, deep into Shan State or returning with tons of raw opium for refining. KMT caravans varied from 100 beasts up to 600, each animal capable of carrying over fifty kilos. Smaller Shan rebel caravans joined for protection after paying a fee calculated on the weight of their opium. With bands of rival Shan rebels and Tatmadaw roaming the hills, a caravan of less than 50 armed escorts stood little chance of surviving.

As the political climate changed and the communist threat receded the Thai government turned to combating narcotics. A ‘pacification’ programme began bring the mountains firmly under Thai suzerainty. Roads were cut, schools and hospitals built and substitution crops like tea, coffee, fruit and vegetables grown to wean the impoverished hill tribe farmers away from the opium poppy.

Refineries have been a part of life in the hills around Mae Salong. Until recently raw opium was processed into Number 3 heroin for smoking and Number 4 for injecting. Today production has switched to Number 12 and the higher grade Number 17 oolong tea. Throughout the village small, family run shops sell local teas of varying quality, delicate tea sets imported from Taiwan and unglazed Yixing teapots from China. Chinese characters adorn the shop fronts and it is easy to believe you are in Yunnan not Thailand.

As the sun sets over Mae Salong and its now aging “Lost Army” the menace of drug production is still present across the border. But for the remaining KMT and their families perhaps finally the long road from opium to oolong has finally come to an end.

	1. Written by Roger Blakely on 01-07-2007 08:29 - Registered
	Excellent Article Excellent article Ian. I have visited Doi Mae Salong a few times and have been to the top where it looks very much like China, but never knew all that fascinating history.

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