Koi Pla, a traditional Thai dish made with raw fish, herbs, and spices, is consumed by many in Laos and Isan, but it harbors a deadly secret. While the ingredients seem harmless, the fish used in Koi Pla is often caught from waters in the Mekong region, which contains parasitic flatworms. These parasites attack the liver, leading to liver cancer—a condition that claims around 20,000 lives annually in East Asia.

Despite warnings from doctors like Narong Khuntikeo, who lost his parents to liver cancer from consuming Koi Pla, many locals refuse to abandon this tradition. In 2017, studies found that 80% of people in affected communities had the parasite, yet many dismiss the risks, accepting the dangers as part of life.