Crackdown on tattoo shops after death of four women

[snoop1130]

Crackdown on tattoo shops after death of four women

By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK governor Pol General Aswin Kwanmuang has instructed officials and related agencies to inspect tattoo shops at markets, following the shocking report that four female friends recently died of AIDS-related illnesses after having tattoos together at Klong Lot market near the Grand Palace in March.

 

Aswin was speaking on Monday as officials from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)Department of Health and Phra Nakhon District Office checked the motorcycle-attached stall in question and found it did not meet the required standards of hygiene. 

 

The 50-year-old father of one of the women, Som (not her real name), aged 22, had earlier told reporters he suspected that his daughter might have contracted HIV from a dirty tattoo needle. His story is in itself contentious, however, because the death certificate he showed reporters states that she had been HIV-positive for more than one year.

 

The tattoo shop owner, Somchai Ariya, insisted he used a new, clean needle on every customer. He admitted he was the person who had tattooed the four women but said he had never had a problem with any customer in the 10 years he had been providing the service.

 

BMA AIDS, TB and STD Control Division head Dr Alisara Tattakorn said the mobile stall’s initial probe found his stall to be unsafe, failing to meet hygienic standards and posing risks of blood infection. 

 

She said Somchai had been told to suspend his service temporarily and to soon undergo training to keep all his tools clean before resuming the business. BMA Factory and Health-affected Establishment Sanitation Division head Surasit Leungrungkiat said the BMA had no formal information about such tattoo stalls which had mushroomed at various markets and communities. 

 

He said the city only had information about 50 properly-registered tattoo shops, 15 of which were in Phra Nakhon district. He said the BMA would have to confirm the exact number of such tattoo stalls and summon service providers for training about hygiene.

 

The regulations state that tattoos must first obtain a health-affected establishment licence from a district office. Premises are required to have first aid in place, evidence of proper disposal of infected items, including needles, and evidence that inks used are made for such purpose and are not harmful to health. They also need to display a clearly visible sign to advise customers, clear separation between the tattoo area and the tool disinfecting section from the rest of the shop and must obtain a signed letter of consent from each customer before undergoing the tattoo procedure.

 

During the Sunday cremation of Som at a Loei temple, her father quoted Som as telling him that she and three workmates contracted HIV when they had their legs tattooed in March, after which her three friends had all died of AIDS. 

 

Despite the morgue’s report that Som’s death was from Hypovolemic Shock and acute diarrhoea that she had had for 14 days and the HIV virus that she had had for one year, the father insisted it was unlikely she had HIV before having the tattoo. He said he didn't want to press any charges against the tattoo shop as his daughter was already resting in peace.

 

Som’s older sister agreed with their father, saying that Som’s boyfriend didn’t have the virus and that Som and her three deceased friends worked together as food servers only.

 

HIV infection advances in three stages: (1) acute HIV infection which mostly feels like a flu about 1-4 weeks after the infection, (2) chronic HIV infection that may last for up to 10 years, and (3) acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), for which there is still no cure.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30353645

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-9-3

[SammyT]

6 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Department of Health and Phra Nakhon District Office checked the motorcycle-attached stall in question and found it did not meet the required standards of hygiene. 

Getting a tattoo from a stall attached to a motorcycle may well be a giveaway that it's not going to be the most hygenic of places...

[Nyezhov]

Sounds like more than just tattoo needles involved

[CanuckThai]

This is unbelievable (as in atrocious).  How does a tattoo business open and operate without the BiB sticking their nose in (rhetorical question).  Can you imagine how many tourists get a souvenir tattoo in BKK...holy crap

[doremifasol]

Poor girls, I am not surprised though. 

Even some restaurants don't  meet the required standards of hygiene.

Allowed to operate next to rats infested klongs or next to piles of trash.

 

RIP the girls

[Enoon]

 

I believe the notion that three died, close to (or actually?) simultaneously, since possibly becoming HIV positive in March, of "AIDS-related illnesses" is utter nonsense.

 

The purpose of the claim is to deflect scrutiny away from their place of work:

 

"Som and her three deceased friends worked together as food servers only."

 

She died of gastrointestinal problems.

[bluesofa]

8 hours ago, Enoon said:

I believe the notion that three died, close to (or actually?) simultaneously, since possibly becoming HIV positive in March, of "AIDS-related illnesses" is utter nonsense.

 

The purpose of the claim is to deflect scrutiny away from their place of work:

"Som and her three deceased friends worked together as food servers only."

She died of gastrointestinal problems.

While I wouldn't know about the real cause of death, I do know that once someone becomes infected with HIV, it takes up to 90 days before a blood test can confirm this.

After that, even if no medication to control the infection was taken, you can't say that after being confirmed as HIV positive, someone (or rather all four) will then die with three months, as reported in this article?

 

[cardinalblue]

Sorry but I don't have confidence in Thai epidemiological statistics and personnel....

 

if the model fits too perfectly, their simple conclusion doesn't sound correct....AIDS is a hugely individual variation disease so outcomes nicely don't fall with their parameters described...something not right about this case....

 

what is shocking is the lack of punishment for an establishment just killing 4 people ...if event is true...

 

reaching a simple conclusion   And hope the bad PR blows over is just too convenient for image....

 

crackdown....another paper tiger solution like how they deal with driving behavioral outcomes...

[DoctorG]

I will state without doubt that you cannot die of AIDS within 6 months of contraction.

Maybe the father is in ignorance, or he tells himself that story to make it seem more palatable.

Regardless, those tattoo places are probably not really clean anyway.

[Crash999]

Am I reading this wrong? Four people have a tattoo in March and they all die from AIDS? That sounds very weird as HIV doesn’t progress that quickly. 

[Netease]

Its highly unlikely they got infected by the Tattoo Shop, I once sat on a jury in Sydney where a man who contracted HIV from his partner sued him 10 years later, The professor from St Vincent Hospital

said its nearly impossible to catch HIV from needles after the 5 day trial we were able to find the man guilty of infecting the person. 

[harrycallahan]

It takes years to die from HIV without treatment, years just to progress to AIDS. With the modern cocktail it's considered to be in check and a long life is expected. 

[LomSak27]

1 minute ago, DoctorG said:

I will state without doubt that you cannot die of AIDS within 6 months of contraction.

Maybe the father is in ignorance, or he tells himself that story to make it seem more palatable.

Regardless, those tattoo places are probably not really clean anyway.

 

Just now, Crash999 said:

Am I reading this wrong? Four people have a tattoo in March and they all die from AIDS? That sounds very weird as HIV doesn’t progress that quickly. 

 

I would tend to agree with the above. However this little story from where I worked in the 90's.

They probably would not say this guy died of AIDS but - less than 6 months after being infected and NO treatment. He got the flu going around that winter, severe cold afterward, which dropped into his lungs and became pneumonia. He died. Dead of AIDS ?? well his weakened immune system could not fight it but he sure did NOT have full blown AIDS -  No one knew any of this at the time. It all came out later. One week he was sick, then gone and then dead. 

Problem is Tattoo would give a blood to blood infection, it is known possible vector of the disease. Mix this with some thai food, raw food, gastrointestinal bug. Add in a immune system that has been attacked and damaged. Seems totally possible, if statistically unlikely. Then again This Is Thailand

[LomSak27]

5 minutes ago, Netease said:

The professor from St Vincent Hospital

said its nearly impossible to catch HIV from needles

Well this is total BS - this is how addicts get it ---And plays a prominent role as the vector of infection in a country in SEA which had an ------------c in the 90s. You might be familiar with said country.

[Darcula]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Somchai had been told to suspend his service temporarily and to soon undergo training

 

All 70 million of them?

[malcoml]

It would take some years to die from this disease even if receiving no treatment.

[RichardColeman]

It really needs to be made clear - something which most people seem completely ignorant of  -  is that HIV has a relatively short life outside of the human body uness kept in a vacuum. Probably no more than 5 minutes. So it would be doubtful they had contracted HIV from any needle unless it was connected to a vaccuum. Not ever having a tattoo I do not know if the needle guns have vaccuum.

 

And as for people stating it takes years to die of AIDS from HIV you are seriously wrong. I know of people (friends) hospitalized 6-9 months after exposure with pneumonia from hiv that were told they would behave been dead without treatment in less than a month. Most people will tae years to develop AIDS, but there is not one strain of HIV there are many - and many of these are more virulent and can lead to AIDS in far less time. 

[Netease]

17 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

Well this is total BS - this is how addicts get it ---And plays a prominent role as the vector of infection in a country in SEA which had an ------------c in the 90s. You might be familiar with said country.

You didn't read my post properly He said nearly impossible' The needle would need to contain reasonable fresh blood

[Spidey]

16 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

 

 

I would tend to agree with the above. However this little story from where I worked in the 90's.

They probably would not say this guy died of AIDS but - less than 6 months after being infected and NO treatment. He got the flu going around that winter, severe cold afterward, which dropped into his lungs and became pneumonia. He died. Dead of AIDS ?? well his weakened immune system could not fight it but he sure did NOT have full blown AIDS -  No one knew any of this at the time. It all came out later. One week he was sick, then gone and then dead. 

Problem is Tattoo would give a blood to blood infection, it is known possible vector of the disease. Mix this with some thai food, raw food, gastrointestinal bug. Add in a immune system that has been attacked and damaged. Seems totally possible, if statistically unlikely. Then again This Is Thailand

Statistically almost impossible for 4 friends to succumb to AIDS in this way. One person, highly unlikely, 4 practically impossible. The one thing that causes AIDS epidemics around the world is ignorance in the population and governments feeding them false information, to further their own agendas.

 

Judging by this article, I would say that an AIDS epidemic is just around the corner, for Thailand.

[LomSak27]

Just now, Netease said:

You didn't read my post properly He said nearly impossible' The needle would need to contain reasonable fresh blood

 Exactly which is why addicts were one of the first groups besides gay men to have an AIDS outbreak.

Maybe in the particular court case you were listening too it was improbable, However addicts use the same needle to shoot  from so blood is present and this is how they get aids. It certainly is NOT "nearly impossible" that is why they have shooting centers in cities today. To prevent sharing of needles --> to prevent AIDS.

[kwak250]

I have a nephew who is living with aids who did not no he had it until he started losing weight.

He was told he has had the virus for approx 8 years and now using medicine daily has gained back all his weight and seems healthy.

I cannot belive all 4 girls would die so quickly surely?

[wvavin]

Thais are never in the wrong therefore there is nothing to investigate.

[Netease]

47 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

 Exactly which is why addicts were one of the first groups besides gay men to have an AIDS outbreak.

Maybe in the particular court case you were listening too it was improbable, However addicts use the same needle to shoot  from so blood is present and this is how they get aids. It certainly is NOT "nearly impossible" that is why they have shooting centers in cities today. To prevent sharing of needles --> to prevent AIDS.

You are right there would have to be fresh blood in the needle, 

[SpeakeasyThai]

Who is their right mind would want a tattoo in the first place. The story just endorses another reason why not to ever have one.

[whaleboneman]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

It really needs to be made clear - something which most people seem completely ignorant of  -  is that HIV has a relatively short life outside of the human body uness kept in a vacuum. Probably no more than 5 minutes. So it would be doubtful they had contracted HIV from any needle unless it was connected to a vaccuum. Not ever having a tattoo I do not know if the needle guns have vaccuum.

 

And as for people stating it takes years to die of AIDS from HIV you are seriously wrong. I know of people (friends) hospitalized 6-9 months after exposure with pneumonia from hiv that were told they would behave been dead without treatment in less than a month. Most people will tae years to develop AIDS, but there is not one strain of HIV there are many - and many of these are more virulent and can lead to AIDS in far less time. 

Thanks for pointing out my ignorance. I will be especially careful next time I change the filter on the Hoover.

[mr_lob]

Yet again, wait for sh*t to happen, then have a knee-jerk reaction..

Never any preventative measures in the first place to protect the public....

[1337markus]

But we can still keep killing an average of 60 a day on the roads thats acceptable but 4 mystery fatalities isnt acceptable?

[Chris Lawrence]

A very sad day for all HIV+ people to see such an article like this. It is also remiss of TV to re-print such an article. Scare mongering. 

 

Honestly, there should have been a disclaimer on this article that actually explains the condition, testing, treatment/new medications and how they are prolonging life that most people are not moving into the AIDS part of the disease. That would have been responsible.

[SoNowWhat]

'And as for people stating it takes years to die of AIDS from HIV sly wrong. I know of people (friends) hospitalized 6-9 months after exposure with pneumonia from hiv that were told they would behave been dead without treatment in less than a month. Most people will tae years to develop AIDS, but there is not one strain of HIV there are many - and many of these are more virulent and can lead to AIDS in far less time.'

 

This is a boldface lie. If your 'friends' got pneumonia it had nothing to do with an exposure to HIV in the previous 6 months. There is no 'virulent' HIV super strain that will cause death in 6-9 months, a complete fantasy. Read up and get the facts. As for 4 people getting infected of the same needle? There is a whole lot boatload of ifs and trillion to 1 odds to overcome to make that story true...

[Chris Lawrence]

Don't go near anyone doing tattooing in the streets. Make sure the premises is run properly.