Russell Chapman

Russell Chapman is a Southeast Asian Studies graduate student from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Russell can also speak Hmong, Lao, and Thai. He is currently an Editorial and Journalist intern with The Isaan Record.
Opinion

Man’s best friend or favorite meal?

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.

Features

Isaan becomes Khong Chi Mun: the reawakening of “Isaan” as a political entity after 60 years (Part II)

In Part 1 of this article, Russell Chapman looked at how the youth-led protests over the last few years revived the idea of Isaan as a regional entity. The spark was the dissolution of the Future Forward Party. The network continues after a year and a half, but will the spark sputter out, or can the rise of Isaan become a key part of bringing democracy to Thailand?

Features

Isaan becomes Khong Chi Mun: the reawakening of “Isaan” as a political entity after 60 years (Part I)

Youth-led protests in the last two years did more than shake Thailand’s military-dominated government: they also expanded many Isaan people’s imagination. A legacy of discrimination, exploitation, and marginalization inspired a new vision of the region under the banner of the Khong Chi Mun People’s Group. In his debut, two-part feature, Russell Chapman asks the question: Has Isaan finally awakened from its 60-year political slumber?