In northern Tak Province, close to the Burmese border, Mae Sot has a reputation as a frontier town with an outlaw image. It has a thriving black-market trade (guns, narcotics, teak and gems) and is an increasingly important official jade and gem centre. It attracts an interesting mixture of ethnicities - Burmese Muslims, members of the local Karen hill tribes, Chinese and Indian shopkeepers and poppy-clad Thai army rangers. It's a departure point for the fascinating border markets which trade Burmese handicrafts and foodstuffs.