River systems of Thailand divides into two major branches, the " Tiền Giang" (Front River) and "Hậu Giang" (Back River). These in turn enter the South China Sea through nine estuaries. The following are the principal tributaries of Mekong River which flow through Thailand (tributaries entirely outside the Thai border not shown). The Mekong drains a considerable portion of northeast Thailand. In terms of Thai territory drained, it is second only to the Chao Phraya system. The Salawin River rises in Tibet (Tibetan: རྒྱལ་མོ་རྔུལ་ཆུ།) after which it flows through Yunnan, where it is known as the "Nujiang" River (), although either name can be
Ruak River Province. The boundary section of the river is long. Ruak River The Ruak River (, , ; ) is a right hand tributary of the Mekong. The mouth of the Ruak river is at the Thai-Burma border opposite Laos, a spot known as the "Golden Triangle", a popular tourist destination. The Ruak originates within the hills of the Daen Lao Range, Shan State (Burma), and becomes the boundary river between Thailand and Burma at the confluence with the Mae Sai River near the northernmost point of Thailand. It then meanders eastwards until it empties into the Mekong River at Ban