Poisoned lunch - 70 schoolkids in hospital after eating food from Pattaya market

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

8 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

Quite possible with some beasties.  I was vomiting with  30 minutes of eating a spicy appetizer onboard a SwissAir flight from Delhi. It was First class too. 

Yes eating Poached Forest Owlet stuffed with Beluga caviar rare is always a bad decision ......We should get in touch with the school immediately in case it is on Monday's menu...

[snowgard]

13 hours ago, mok199 said:

my experience with food poisoning is 6-8 hours after consuming, I'm confused with the timeline here..lunch is noon and these kids became ill and still in class...1-3 hours after consuming the food???

Then you not have so much experience!!! 12 years ago I eated SomTam (Papaya Pok Pok) with black crabs (uncooked?) and stinky fish inside. It needed only 30-40 minutes and I tought I will die!!!

In the evening I got a injection and the next 2 days also. I never forget and never eated it again. ???

Edited June 2, 2018 by snowgard

[sanemax]

24 minutes ago, snowgard said:

Then you not have so much experience!!! 12 years ago I eated SomTam (Papaya Pok Pok) with black crabs (uncooked?) and stinky fish inside. 

In September 2008 , I had some undercooked shell fish in Bangkok , I was violently sick in March 2012 , thats the last time that I eat shellfish

[superal]

7 hours ago, snowgard said:

Then you not have so much experience!!! 12 years ago I eated SomTam (Papaya Pok Pok) with black crabs (uncooked?) and stinky fish inside. It needed only 30-40 minutes and I tought I will die!!!

In the evening I got a injection and the next 2 days also. I never forget and never eated it again. ???

I had exactly the same experience with Som Tam when eating it in an Issan village 10 years ago. Felt unwell after an hour or so and went to the doctor who gave some medicine . It did nothing and 2 hours later I was vomiting and had a fever . Doctor sent me to hospital where I spent 3 days with uncontrollable sickness , bowel movements and hallucinations.

  I have had 2 other cases of extreme stomach problems and the last one was 2 years ago which started on my arrival in the UK for a 3 week visit from Thailand . Non stop toilet visits and my house stank . Was given antibiotics  whilst the faeces were being tested in the lab . Turned out to be a water borne parasite found only in Asia . It can survive in ice cubes .  I have a weak stomach because of medication that I take to stop reflux . 

Salads and ice cubes are mostly avoided by me now unless I have complete confidence of the source . 

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, superal said:

I had exactly the same experience with Som Tam when eating it in an Issan village 10 years ago. Felt unwell after an hour or so and went to the doctor who gave some medicine . It did nothing and 2 hours later I was vomiting and had a fever . Doctor sent me to hospital where I spent 3 days with uncontrollable sickness , bowel movements and hallucinations.

  I have had 2 other cases of extreme stomach problems and the last one was 2 years ago which started on my arrival in the UK for a 3 week visit from Thailand . Non stop toilet visits and my house stank . Was given antibiotics  whilst the faeces were being tested in the lab . Turned out to be a water borne parasite found only in Asia . It can survive in ice cubes .  I have a weak stomach because of medication that I take to stop reflux . 

Salads and ice cubes are mostly avoided by me now unless I have complete confidence of the source . 

Sounds a bit like Giardia. Can take a long time to clear 100%.

Edited June 3, 2018 by overherebc

[MaxYakov]

I've had food poisoning only a few times in ten years in Bangkok. The most recent was a four-day diarrhea fest because I consumed 200 grams of potato/egg salad that was handmade and sold locally in a well-known restaurant/store chain. I actually consumed it all just after I bought it right in front of the store (I had a craving) so it couldn't have been that I kept it too long in my fridge.

 

I talked to management after my recovery and they said they didn't routinely throw out the salad after a finite period of time - customers would buy it until it was gone. It was in a chilled display case, but it was impossible to tell how long it had sat there or what standards were used when it was produced. I'm eating a lot of canned food these days.

[superal]

3 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

I've had food poisoning only a few times in ten years in Bangkok. The most recent was a four-day diarrhea fest because I consumed 200 grams of potato/egg salad that was handmade and sold locally in a well-known restaurant/store chain. I actually consumed it all just after I bought it right in front of the store (I had a craving) so it couldn't have been that I kept it too long in my fridge.

 

I talked to management after my recovery and they said they didn't routinely throw out the salad after a finite period of time - customers would buy it until it was gone. It was in a chilled display case, but it was impossible to tell how long it had sat there or what standards were used when it was produced. I'm eating a lot of canned food these days.

For sure potato salad has a short shelf life within a fridge mostly because of the eggs and mayo dressing . If the eggs were contaminated with salmonella which is not a rarity then you are on a loser for sure . Salmonella free eggs are available in the UK but I have never seen them here however you can carry out the procedure yourself , just Google it and then make yourself a potato salad that should be safe ( that is if you can still fancy it )  

[thaibeachlovers]

23 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

You should take your children to be educated in the West

It's borderline selfish to force the "Thai education" system on any child

 

Sooooo, your opinion is that someone that wants to live in LOS should go back home because he had children. 555555555555

Ever heard of home schooling? Nothing to stop daddy giving extra tuition after school gets out.

[thaibeachlovers]

Seriously, why would anyone eat seafood in LOS? Is not everyone aware of the pollution?

[Ks45672]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sooooo, your opinion is that someone that wants to live in LOS should go back home because he had children. 555555555555

Ever heard of home schooling? Nothing to stop daddy giving extra tuition after school gets out.

 rich thais send their kids abroad because why? 

Even they know its crap....

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

28 minutes ago, Ks45672 said:

 rich thais send their kids abroad because why? 

Even they know its crap....

Do they send them to local comprehensives ???

 

 

[Ks45672]

3 minutes ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

Do they send them to local comprehensives ???

 

 

Nearly all successful, wealthy or famous thais have been educated abroad 

From the Royal family downwards

To all the prime ministers.... 

Only a knucklehead would expose a child to Thai "education" 

 

 

[bluesofa]

15 minutes ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

Do they send them to local comprehensives ??? 

 

If that was a consideration, I'm sure there's a better food hygiene system in any UK comprehensive school than the Pattaya school that served the 'poisoned lunch'.

 

Edited June 3, 2018 by bluesofa

[Ks45672]

1 minute ago, bluesofa said:

I'm sure there's a better food hygiene system in any UK comprehensive school than the Pattaya school that served the 'poisoned lunch'.

 

Accountability too.... 

[bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, Ks45672 said:

7 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I'm sure there's a better food hygiene system in any UK comprehensive school than the Pattaya school that served the 'poisoned lunch'.

 

Accountability too.... 

I never knew if they were referring to food,  but I always used to hear people say there was no accounting for taste...

(sorry!)

 

[balo]

When Thais get sick from eating the food here, it must have been a nasty bug. Would probably have killed a westerner.

[MaxYakov]

6 hours ago, superal said:

For sure potato salad has a short shelf life within a fridge mostly because of the eggs and mayo dressing . If the eggs were contaminated with salmonella which is not a rarity then you are on a loser for sure . Salmonella free eggs are available in the UK but I have never seen them here however you can carry out the procedure yourself , just Google it and then make yourself a potato salad that should be safe ( that is if you can still fancy it )  

Thanks. I've had good luck with the boiled eggs from 7/11 and try and stay within the expiry date. They've replaced my Foodland American Breakfast special that I've been eating regularly for several years without a problem. Maybe I will attempt my own potato/egg salad - that would be a first!

[Prairieboy]

On 6/1/2018 at 8:38 PM, mok199 said:

my experience with food poisoning is 6-8 hours after consuming, I'm confused with the timeline here..lunch is noon and these kids became ill and still in class...1-3 hours after consuming the food???

There are some types that are rapid onset! (see below)

 

Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcal food poisoning

1-6 hours

Sudden onset of severe nausea and vomiting. Abdominal cramps. Diarrhea and fever may be present.

24-48 hours

Unrefrigerated or improperly refrigerated meats, potato and egg salads, cream pastries

[Basil B]

On 6/2/2018 at 3:55 AM, buick said:

i ate some pasta with tomato sauce one night for dinner.  the tomato sauce jar had been opened nearly six months prior (partially used and placed in the refrigerator).  i had a miscommunication when i asked how old it was, etc....  i was on the toilet less than 30 minutes later.  i've also had issues with eating eggs past their expiry date (just a day past expiry can mess me up !!!) and leftover chicken.  each hits me before the 3 hr mark.  suffice to say, my stomach is sensitive !!!!

If one is not accustomed to the occasional bit of food that is not at its best one is likely suffer more...

 

70 out of 669, that's over 10% I would guess that a lot more kids would have been affected to a lesser degree, no members of staff feeling ill?

 

Or was there a maths exam on in the afternoon???

[Basil B]

Many years ago I recall talk of a prank played by a work colleague on another involving a Bob Martin worming tablet slipped in his tea,  the reaction was virtually instantaneous, so will depend on what caused the poisoning as already suggested if just some bad food it would take a few hours to kick in unless something very strong.

[chickenslegs]

38 minutes ago, Basil B said:

Many years ago I recall talk of a prank played by a work colleague on another involving a Bob Martin worming tablet slipped in his tea,  the reaction was virtually instantaneous ...

I'm guessing he was dragging his arse back and forth across the carpet for a while but ended up with a glossy coat and wet nose.

 

[smtsetup]

On 6/2/2018 at 3:43 AM, rooster59 said:

On the menu was a mushroom soup and spicy boiled egg salad.

To buy anything containing boiled egg at a market in the tropical climate is asking for trouble. Especially in Thailand, where the pupils hardly ever hear the words "salmonella", "germ", "bacteria", "microbe", "microorganism" at school.

[neeray]

On ‎6‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 12:58 PM, sanemax said:

in Bangkok , I was violently sick in March 2012 , thats the last time that I eat shellfish

I have a hard time connecting the dots here. Ate the shell fish in 2008 but never got "violently sick" until March 2012. Maybe I am missing something but that's quite a delayed reaction.

[MiWV]

On 6/1/2018 at 10:19 PM, greenbottle555 said:

 

So basically a potluck, where people were bringing in their own food. I think what further made it worse was that it may have been non-Thai food. Thai's cook Thai food 99.9% or higher ok without food poisoning (exclude tourist restaraunts serving Thai food). It's when they cook with ingredients that they are not familiar with, and not trained in with regards to overall food safety, that things go wrong. Very wrong sometimes. Was a guy on the pattaya forum website that lost all of his small intestines by eating shrimp from the supermarket in the bottom floor of Tukcom.

 

 

Also, speaking of potlucks, going off topic here a bit... there was a chilli/Super bowl themed potluck at my office (Cube farm) in America a few months ago. I avoided that because you have all these people cooking chilli who have no clue how to. I barely knew these people so lol I'm not going to eat their home creations. They tried to play the guilt card to get me to go there like a pinky promise kind of thing when the organizer stopped my cubicle. Heh I don't really miss working in America sometimes. Also, that place had free food all day at the cafeteria prepared by chefs so why would I eat their chilli and risk an upset stomach?

Thai know how to cook mushroom and eggs. They are extremely prevalent in Thai cuisine.

[LazySlipper]

On 6/2/2018 at 9:47 AM, Familyonthemove said:

food handler at the market with an infected cut on hand, food left sitting in the warm? 

 

Dunno if this has been mentioned, but cooks who pick their noses and scratch their buts without washing their hands will also do you in.

[NetJunkie]

On 6/2/2018 at 9:19 AM, greenbottle555 said:

I think what further made it worse was that it may have been non-Thai food.

 

Sounds like Thai food to me.

 

On 6/2/2018 at 7:43 AM, rooster59 said:

On the menu was a mushroom soup and spicy boiled egg salad.

 

[bluesofa]

22 minutes ago, LazySlipper said:

 

Dunno if this has been mentioned, but cooks who pick their noses and scratch their buts without washing their hands will also do you in.

Or, to quote  UK advertising campaign, "No butts, it's got to be butter".

 

[watcharacters]

On 6/2/2018 at 9:19 AM, greenbottle555 said:

 

So basically a potluck, where people were bringing in their own food. I think what further made it worse was that it may have been non-Thai food. Thai's cook Thai food 99.9% or higher ok without food poisoning (exclude tourist restaraunts serving Thai food). It's when they cook with ingredients that they are not familiar with, and not trained in with regards to overall food safety, that things go wrong. Very wrong sometimes. Was a guy on the pattaya forum website that lost all of his small intestines by eating shrimp from the supermarket in the bottom floor of Tukcom.

 

 

Also, speaking of potlucks, going off topic here a bit... there was a chilli/Super bowl themed potluck at my office (Cube farm) in America a few months ago. I avoided that because you have all these people cooking chilli who have no clue how to. I barely knew these people so lol I'm not going to eat their home creations. They tried to play the guilt card to get me to go there like a pinky promise kind of thing when the organizer stopped my cubicle. Heh I don't really miss working in America sometimes. Also, that place had free food all day at the cafeteria prepared by chefs so why would I eat their chilli and risk an upset stomach?

 

"So basically a potluck, where people were bringing in their own food. I think what further made it worse was that it may have been non-Thai food. Thai's cook Thai food 99.9% or higher ok without food poisoning (exclude tourist restaraunts serving Thai food). It's when they cook with ingredients that they are not familiar with, and not trained in with regards to overall food safety, that things go wrong. Very wrong sometimes. Was a guy on the pattaya forum website that lost all of his small intestines by eating shrimp from the supermarket in the bottom floor of Tukcom.?"

 

Now that is quite a story you have there.   Fiction writer?

 

[The manic]

17 hours ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

Do they send them to local comprehensives ???

 

 

No. To private schools because everybody knows how dreadful most state schools  are in the UK.

[Basil B]

I find it hard to think it was something at the local market as it seems the problem was only the school kids, if it was bad food purchased at the market then I would expect people not connected with the school to be affected too.