Three people are dead and more than 30 are in hospital after two separate cases of food poisoning yesterday.

In Kratie province’s Snuol district, three people died and 33 were taken for treatment after eating a dead dog which, unbeknownst to them, had been poisoned.

Tragically, two of the deceased – Proeng Saron, 35, and Bin Laikeng, 57 – and most of those taken ill, ate the dog meat at an impromptu funeral for the first victim, 76-year-old Chea Reth, who found the dog Sunday morning, consumed it for dinner and died later that night.

“Reth started to foam around the mouth and died at 10pm. Then the villagers, who were given some of the cooked dog meat [by the victim], came to join the funeral and started to eat the dog meat,” said Snoul district police chief Chan Sokim.

Alcohol may have also played a role, Sokim added.

Meanwhile, eight people, suffering severe vomiting and nausea, were taken for emergency treatment in Battambang’s Kors Kralor district after eating unbranded Thai noodles on Sunday night.

In both cases, health authorities will test samples of the food as part of their investigations.