For decades, Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle—where the borders of
Thailand, Laos, and Burma intersect—has been infamous for its opium and
heroin production. But then, in the 1990s, the drug gangs in the Golden
Triangle began to produce methamphetamine, a synthetic drug that does
not depend on any unreliable crop such as the opium poppy. In Thailand
the drug has become known as yaba, “madness drug” or “madness medicine.”
Unlike heroin, which is a “downer,” yaba—or speed—is an “upper” that
makes those who take it hyperactive and often aggressive. It has led to
murders, stabbings, and the kidnapping of innocent people. It breaks
down the users mentally as well as physically. It is a real “madness
drug.” But who are the merchants of this madness? This book provides the
answer. It is based on extensive research, spanning several decades and
including a collection of first-hand accounts of the drug trade from
law enforcement officers and intelligence officials alike, as well as
sources close to the drug traffickers themselves. This book will lead to
a better understanding of the Golden Triangle drug trade, how it all
began, and how it has grown to become a multi-billion dollar criminal
enterprise.
About the authors
BERTIL LINTNER, a journalist and author based in northern Thailand,
has covered the Golden Triangle drug trade for more than two decades.
MICHAEL BLACK is a Thailand-based freelance writer who has also written extensively about the region’s drug trade.
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