Opium Reduction in Thailand, 1970-2000

This is the valuable, timely, and little known story of how Thailand effectively reduced the production of opium inside its borders, from 245,600 kilos of opium in 1965 to under 4,000 by the turn of the century. Dozens of local and international organizations initiated and supported development projects in a complicated process involving programs as diverse as crop replacement, irrigation, weaving, and road-building. This candid account highlights the stages in Thailand's effort to discover new options for subsistence and development that would benefit both the isolated hilltribe villagers in the hills of northern Thailand as well as the country at large. Thailand's innovative experiment, including its successes and failures, provides an indispensable model for other regions to learn from use and adapt to their particular circumstances. It is a story of perseverance, flexibility, and cooperation, and in the end empowerment and hope.