Chalieow Kamsawat has a lot in common with the stray dogs in his Soi Khopai neighborhood. Like them, he’s been abandoned by his family, has little to live on and has a big heart.
Perhaps that’s why the “soi dogs” people shun are so kind to him. There’s about 10 strays in the area and all come up to the 78-year-old without barking or baring their teeth.
Chalieow recently came to the attention of city public health volunteers when he approached one seeking 10 free vaccination kits. Veterinarian Korlap Kangwonkit was visiting Soi Khopai May 3, offering rabies shots and sterilizations to dog owners when the elderly dog lover asked him to provide 10 sets of medicine.
With a little help from his friends, and free vaccine from city public health volunteers, 78-year-old Chalieow Kamsawat managed to vaccinate 10 stray dogs living in his soi.
Curious why Chalieow needed so many, the vet followed him home to meet the local dogs.
Living alone with little more than a day’s worth of food to eat, Chalieow showed Korlap the animals that have lived for years around the neighborhood. A former village headsman and longtime resident, Chalieow is familiar to the dogs and they treat him more like a master than a threat. The dogs even let him administer the donated shots without biting him.
He told Korlap he wants to take better care of the dogs and vaccinate them for rabies and treat them for skin diseases and even mangled limbs. However, he said, he doesn’t have any money for medicine.
It is unknown where he will go from here, but at least these 10 stray dogs received their vaccinations.
