While Tha Rae district in Sakon Nakhon province is well known for having the biggest Catholic community in Thailand, the district may perhaps be even better known for a darker history as the former heart of the dog meat trade in Southeast Asia. Although most residents of Tha Rae no longer eat dog meat and the tradition has died down due to the influence of Buddhism, some locals in Sakon Nakhon’s Tha Rae district still consume it. This raises the question: “Man’s best friend or favorite meal?” Isaan Record intern, Russell Chapman, goes to Sakon Nakhon to explore the issue.
Photos by Russell Chapman and Ardchawit Inha
It’s a late afternoon in August 2017. I was walking down the foggy streets of Sapa, a scenic and mountainous town in northern Vietnam. It’s a beautiful place with lots of lively people.
Sapa is a well-known tourist…
