People warned not to consume methanol

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Ministry of Public Health has warned people not to drink methanol, or methyl alcohol since it can be fatal or cause permanent blindness.

According to Permanent Secretary for Public Health, MD Paijit Warachit, many people have misunderstood that methyl alcohol could be consumed similar to normal alcoholic drinks which contain ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, without realizing that it can be fatal.

Citing the statistics from the Bureau of Epidemiology, under the Department of Disease Control, from 2006 to 2010, 156 Thai people have suffered from drinking methanol, 28 of whom have died, while the other 128 must be hospitalized.

The worst incident regarding the consumption of methyl alcohol was reported in July 2009. Thai crew-members drank contaminated alcoholic beverages containing methanol while they were sailing to Indonesia.15 of them died and 90 fell ill.

-- NNT 2010-07-19

Let me get this right ... 90 + 15 = 105 .... 156-105 = 51 ... These 51 people that have been foolish morons warrant such a cause over a period of 4 years?

i drunk it everday and no bad problem for me BURP

My god, think what some countries take this naturally and knows about this since

childhood, whille others, mostly 3rd world countries doesn´t have a clou at all.

Nevertheles. I am sorry for the people that didn´t know. It is great that Thailand now

finally year 2010 is warning and informing people.

Maybe they should have such things in school and teach the kids. many many of these

kids drink like maniacs already when they are 13-14, so why not?

Glegolo

Do not drink poison, it will kill you.

A public service message from your government.

A more useful one might be;

Do not bootleg methanol into drinking alcohol bottles

and sell it to people as safe, or we will lock you up for decades.

It never quite amazes me completely, the human organisms

capability to combine stump stupid with calously greedy,

and let it loose on the credulous world.

hahhhhahahahhahaahahhahahahahahaa "don't drink methanol". i. love. thailand.

When I was young (long time ago) we learn the (M)-ethylalcohol is the M from murder, easy to remember.