Amidst the vibrant tapestry of life in Udon Thani province, an unexpected drama unfolded that almost reached a boiling point, requiring the peacekeeping prowess of local law enforcement. So, what could possibly ignite such a fracas in the sun-soaked northeast of Thailand, you ask? Chickens—or, more precisely, 26 feathered champions of the cockfighting ring. The clock had barely struck 3 PM, when Police Lieutenant Natthaphon Srivicha of the Nong Bua subdistrict was dialed into action, tasked with diffusing a rather peckish predicament. On one side of the frayed relations stood Phornwipha, a seasoned farmer, sharing her time between city lights and rural roosters. Beside her, her husband Suwat, a man of years and feathers, nurturing 60 fighting chickens within the barricades of their fortified homestead at Ban Nong Sai, Mueang district. Having honed the art of avian guardianship—except, perhaps, against canines—the couple discovered a somber scene during one of their…
