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Despite the violence in the deep South, Tak Bai in Narathiwat is well worth a visit if only to taste its threadfin

Tucked away in Narathiwat, Thailand's southernmost province, the name Tak Bai has sadly become synonymous with the tragic incident in 2004 that claimed more than 80 lives. More recently, a bomb exploded in front of a school, killing two innocent people, one of them a child. Those events, as well as the ongoing violence in the country's southernmost provinces, understandably keep the tourists away and that's a shame as this coastal district of Narathiwat has a much more beautiful, not to mention flavourful, side to share with visitors.

Take Tak Bai's sun-dried salted threadfin fish, for example. It's said to be the equivalent of bacalhau, a Portuguese speciality. A slice of deep-fried threadfin is delicious … and expensive.

"A small threadfin costs around Bt1,500 per kilogram, while a big fish can go up to Bt1,800 a kilo," says Or, the owner of Or Yungthong Pla Ku Lao shop in Tak Bai.

That works out to a slice of deep-fried threadfin costing around Bt200. That's insane, especially when compared to a bigger piece of sun-dried salted seer fish.

read more: http://www.nation...95253.html

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The food scene is dominated by fish - big and small. The locals go to the fish market in Narathiwat and negotiate with the fishmongers for the finest catch of the day.
This VDO is part of the latest journey to Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. Check it out for "Tales from the Troubled Land" at http://www.thai-d...post_45186