Bangkok moonshine death toll rises to 4, 28 in critical condition

[webfact]

The death toll from moonshine consumption in Bangkok has risen to four as of today, with 28 other victims remaining in serious condition. A further investigation into the sources of the moonshine led to the arrest of two Thai men yesterday, August 26.

 

The issue came to light after multiple residents in the Khlong Sam Wa, Min Buri, and Nong Chok districts of Bangkok were admitted to hospitals with high levels of acid in their blood. The symptoms they exhibited included dizziness, difficulty breathing, kidney failure, blurred vision, seizures, and unconsciousness.

Each victim had a history of drinking homemade alcohol, known as Ya Dong in Thai, which they bought from a stall near their homes.

 

An increasing number of patients with the same symptoms were admitted to nine hospitals in the area and nearby. There are currently a total of 31 victims, four of whom have died. The remaining 28 patients are still hospitalised, with 14 in intensive care units.

One of the victims has lost their vision while others are suffering from blurred vision. The medical team has not yet confirmed whether they will be able to regain their sight.

Medical workers and relevant officials later discovered high levels of methyl alcohol in the homemade alcohol that each victim consumed.

 

Shop owner apologises

 

Officers from Bang Chan Police Station tracked down the source of the alcohol and managed to arrest two brothers, 46 year old Surasak and 44 year old Surachai, for illegally producing alcohol at their factory in Soi Kanchana 25 in the Ratchathewi district of Bangkok yesterday.

 

According to a report by ThaiRath, alcohol distillation typically produces a small amount of methanol, not exceeding 1,000 parts per million (ppm). However, the alcohol produced by the two suspects had a methanol level exceeding 100,000 ppm.

The suspects confessed that they had been producing alcohol for about a year using a formula they found online. They then distributed their alcohol to local Ya Dong stalls, where each shop mixed the alcohol with various herbs before selling it to their customers.

 

The suspects admitted to mixing methyl alcohol with water and bought the methyl alcohol from a factory in the Lat Krabang district of Bangkok.

 

The police plan to summon the owners of 18 local Ya Dong shops for questioning. One of the owners, Phatrasa Areejitsooksiri, was summoned yesterday, August 26. Phatrasa issued an apology and insisted that she did not know the alcohol from Surasak and Surachai would be dangerous to her customers.

 

According to Phatrasa, her family has been selling Ya Dong for more than 30 years. She previously bought the base alcohol for her Ya Dong from a trustworthy source but later switched to Surasak and Surachai’s shop because they were friends of her husband.

Surasak and Surachai urged Phatrasa to support them. Phatrasa found that the taste of their alcohol was similar to that of her previous supplier and decided to support her husband’s friends.

 

Phatrasa said everything was normal until some of her customers informed her that the taste of the alcohol changed, which she agreed with. She asked the two about the changes, and they promised to resolve the issue. She did not expect that her Ya Dong would cause deaths.

 

Surasak and Surachai have been detained at the Min Buri Provincial Court since yesterday. They were charged under Section 153 of the Excise Tax Act for producing alcohol without permission. The penalty is imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of 5,000 baht or both.

The two face additional penalties for selling illegal alcohol, which is punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both, according to Section 155 of the Excise Tax Act.

 

Officials raided the illegal alcohol factory of the two suspects. | Photo via PPTV HD

 

Surasak and Surachai | Photo via Nation

 

Ya Dong shop owner, Phatrasa Areejitsooksiri. | Photo via Matichon

 

ORIGINAL STORY: Fake alcohol in Bangkok causes widespread methanol poisoning

A cluster of severe methanol poisoning cases has emerged in Bangkok after 21 individuals fell ill after consuming counterfeit alcoholic beverages, leading to one death and several others in critical condition.

 

The incident began when patients started showing symptoms of severe acidosis from drinking fake alcohol containing methanol. The products were traced to two shops located in Soi Hathairat and Khlong Sam Wa. Symptoms in affected individuals started appearing on August 22.

 

The Khlong Sam Wa District Office has since issued a public warning yesterday, August 24, urging those who have consumed alcohol, herbal liquor, or herbal liquor tonics and are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, or vomiting, to seek medical attention immediately.

The warning specifically targeted residents in the Hathairat Road, Sam Wa Road, and Charoen Phatthana Road areas, as well as the surrounding regions within Khlong Sam Wa and Min Buri districts.

 

The warning came after multiple cases of methanol intoxication were reported, with one fatality and several others in a coma. Patients were receiving treatment at Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital and other nearby medical facilities.

 

Yesterday, August 24, Amporn Benjapolpitak, Director-General of the Department of Medical Services at the Ministry of Public Health, confirmed the reports from Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, revealing that all 21 patients were Thai men aged between 30 and 45, except for one individual who was 69 years old.

 

Some of these patients are undergoing acute dialysis, and if their kidneys fail to recover, they may require lifelong dialysis. There is also a risk of liver failure. Preliminary data shows that several patients are experiencing blurred vision and seeing white, diffused lights. Seven individuals have been confirmed to be blind, reported KhaoSod.

Health officials are conducting a thorough investigation to trace the source of the counterfeit alcohol and are collaborating with law enforcement to hold the responsible parties accountable. Public health campaigns are also being launched to educate people about the dangers of consuming unregulated alcohol and the signs of methanol poisoning.

 

Photo of Petch Petpailin
Photo via Matichon

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-08-27

 

 

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[Joe Boy Walton]

This story made me thirsty.

[PingRoundTheWorld]

There's a special place in hell for people who produce fake alcohol. They are guilty of murdering several people, and making life a living hell (permanent kidney failure, blindness) for many others. They deserve the death penalty, not 6-12 months in jail.

 

These clowns deliberately used methyl alcohol instead of distilling safe alcohol. The proper punishment would be to make them drink methyl alcohol until they die.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Penalties for illegal production and sale but who will be charged with manslaughter?

 

[ronster]

Blind drunk . Literally !! 😳

Unbelievable.

[Hakuna Matata]

Actually, Ya Dong is a good stuff. But it is as safe as the quality of Lao Khao distilled spirit used for its production. The safest one in terms of dangerous Methyl alcohol content is produced from molasses. Also very important to separate the heads and tails properly on distillation.

[NaaKap]

Might just as well mix up a brew of cyanide and arsenic rather than give people methanol to drink. What were they thinking? Poor dudes who just wanted to relax after a hard day's with a bit of cheap booze I feel so sorry for them. No recepie for home brew from the internet includes or will make pure methanol I am not convinced that they were not fully aware of what they were doing and just did not give a fk. Cheaper to cut the booze with industrial grade cheap methanol. 🍷Cheers 

[NaaKap]

3 minutes ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Actually, Ya Dong is a good stuff. But it is as safe as the quality of Lao Khao distilled spirit used for its production. The safest one in terms of dangerous Methyl alcohol content is produced from molasses. Also very important to separate the heads and tails properly on distillation.

That was my first thought that they had not dispensed with the heads and tails of the distillation process correctly. But I think that it is more sinister than that after researching the story. 

[QPRFC]

Only consume Thai whiskey from trustworthy Thais 😂 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Each victim had a history of drinking homemade alcohol, known as Ya Dong in Thai, which they bought from a stall near their homes.

Som nam na...

[Robert Tyrrell]

Good Afternoon , 

 

And they whine about cannabis !!! PLEASE !! Alcohol in Thailand is 100 X Worse !! Not to mention some of the globes highest road fatalities from crazy driving mostly alcohol fatalities !!!

[itsari]

If I were in the moonshine business it would be my goal to have customers return for more of the same. 

Poisoning your customers would have to be a mistake in the production.

I have read of similar cases such as this in India.

Horrific as it is with the deaths and life changing to the victims I can not see this is intentional.

Drink a bottle of Johnny walker rapidly you could die of alcohol poisoning. 

Life is full of risk, booze and drugs only increase the odds.

[Shocked farang]

35 minutes ago, Robert Tyrrell said:

Good Afternoon , 

 

And they whine about cannabis !!! PLEASE !! Alcohol in Thailand is 100 X Worse !! Not to mention some of the globes highest road fatalities from crazy driving mostly alcohol fatalities !!!

This sounds like a broken record, what does bloody cannabis have to do with this <deleted>? 

[Udom]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

There are currently a total of 31 victims, four of whom have died. The remaining 28 patients are still hospitalised

31-4=28???
Typical thai math...

[Toby1947]

1 hour ago, QPRFC said:

Only consume Thai whiskey from trustworthy Thais 😂 

No such animal as a trustworthy Thai. 🤣😂🤣

[neeray]

3 hours ago, QPRFC said:

Only consume Thai whiskey from trustworthy Thais 😂 

So that means "no consumption whatsoever". 😂

[advancebooking]

Years ago in Bali and surrounding islands there was the same problem. People making this toxic alcohol. Someone offered me a glass. It smelt like metho. Screw that. I went an opened up a can of their crap beer instead. 

[AustinRacing]

7 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Actually, Ya Dong is a good stuff. But it is as safe as the quality of Lao Khao distilled spirit used for its production. The safest one in terms of dangerous Methyl alcohol content is produced from molasses. Also very important to separate the heads and tails properly on distillation.

It says the stuff contained 10% methanol. Definitely added. Distillation alone only produces ethanol with anything else being of negligible quantities. 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, AustinRacing said:

It says the stuff contained 10% methanol. Definitely added. Distillation alone only produces ethanol with anything else being of negligible quantities. 

 

While implies a degree of murderous intent for pretty much anyone knows the addition of methanol is deadly...   even teens know this - so I don't believe that the bootleggers didn't.

 

[sumongkhwai]

Years ago when we were in Hua Hin we were walking the beach south of the city. Some vendors had some chairs and tables set up up right next to water on the beach. Since we were on our walkabout, stopping for a cocktail seemed nice. Ordered SangSom coke, song (we were the only people at this shop) As I brought the glass up to a drink I smelled something odd and then I recponized it on taste, toilet bowl cleaner. I raised wholly hell and the owner came down on the beach to show me the SangSom pint bottle (that had obviously been used many, many times). My wife also concurred and dressed him down in Thai. Not only did we refuse to pay for the poisin, we threatened to call the police which was met non-stop wais from the couple. Will never forget that day and since we were walking we didn't need bottle service. In the future, just bring my own SangSom with me and order Coke song. To this day I can still smell that nasty drink.

[Dcheech]

Always wondered why there hasn't been more of this here in Thailand. One of my first trips to Indonesia back in the aughts. Ended up assisting an Aussie couple there to pick up there son. Take him home. Painful & ugly. As a spirit drinker myself, something you never forget.

Facebook site, no links but if interested - A Drink to Die From  -   More of it out there than people are aware of.

[sherwood]

9 hours ago, Shocked farang said:

This sounds like a broken record, what does bloody cannabis have to do with this <deleted>? 

Cannabis is not poisonous. 

Catch up.

[kwaussie]

If the smell of it didnt put you off one sip certainly should have.

[Gsxrnz]

I wonder what the octane rating was?

[Skeptic7]

Drank street side "Ya Dong" on many an occasion in Bangkok back in the '90s & 2000s. Last time was prob a decade ago. Was twice given some homemade Isaan White Lightning (awful stuff), but the Sato (sticky rice wine) home brew was not too shabby on all 3 occasions. After this article, those Isaan gasohol days are over. Tho would sip some Sato again. 😁

[Jonathan Swift]

On 8/27/2024 at 1:50 AM, PingRoundTheWorld said:

There's a special place in hell for people who produce fake alcohol. They are guilty of murdering several people, and making life a living hell (permanent kidney failure, blindness) for many others. They deserve the death penalty, not 6-12 months in jail.

 

These clowns deliberately used methyl alcohol instead of distilling safe alcohol. The proper punishment would be to make them drink methyl alcohol until they die.

Slowly, over a period of time. It's so easy to make your own moonshine without methanol, I did it when I was a kid using school science glassware and homemade condensers, and profitable enough, why be so greedy as to be willing to kill people? Psychopaths. 

[Jonathan Swift]

On 8/27/2024 at 9:11 PM, Skeptic7 said:

Drank street side "Ya Dong" on many an occasion in Bangkok back in the '90s & 2000s. Last time was prob a decade ago. Was twice given some homemade Isaan White Lightning (awful stuff), but the Sato (sticky rice wine) home brew was not too shabby on all 3 occasions. After this article, those Isaan gasohol days are over. Tho would sip some Sato again. 😁

 

On 8/27/2024 at 9:11 PM, Skeptic7 said:

Drank street side "Ya Dong" on many an occasion in Bangkok back in the '90s & 2000s. Last time was prob a decade ago. Was twice given some homemade Isaan White Lightning (awful stuff), but the Sato (sticky rice wine) home brew was not too shabby on all 3 occasions. After this article, those Isaan gasohol days are over. Tho would sip some Sato again. 😁

 Makes me glad I outgrew getting drunk on hard stuff a long time ago. It's safer just to hit yourself over the head with a sledgehammer, same effect without the blindness and the kidney failure.