Nzer Dies Of Suspected Food Poisoning In Thailand

[sabaijai]

NZer dies of suspected food poisoning in Thailand

1:32 PM Tuesday Feb 8, 2011

A New Zealand woman on holiday in Thailand has died and her two companions are seriously ill after contracting what is thought to be food poisoning.

Sarah Katherine Carter, 23, died at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital, in northern Thailand, on Sunday morning from a food-related illness, according to an online memorial website.

An Aucklander, she had studied at Victoria University and had been working at Wellington accounting firm BDO Spicers in the past year.

She died from eating toxic seaweed while in Thailand, after eating at a food market on Friday. Her two women friends were in hospital.

Ms Carter's devastated father today paid tribute to her, telling stuff.co.nz "she touched the hearts of everyone she knew".

The hospital had called when she was admitted and he had talked to her, he said.

"It appeared to be just bad food poisoning. She appeared withdrawn and not sounding that good, but seemed all right. But within an hour of our conversation the thing just spread to her heart and strangled her heart."

His wife was in transit at Bangkok Airport when his daughter died, and he had to call her with the awful news.

Funeral services were being planned in Auckland and Wellington.

Mr Carter said his daughter, the eldest of three children, was a "very lovely girl".

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said her friends were being treated in a hospital.

One Amanda Eliason, 24, was in intensive care recovering from emergency heart surgery, Radio New Zealand reported.

Her grandmother Val Eliason said the trio had been travelling in Vietnam and Thailand.

Ms Eliason's condition was improving, she said.

The New Zealand embassy in Bangkok was in contact with the families of the trio, who had travelled to Thailand.

- NZPA

Source

[londonthai]

it is confirmed food poisoning by seaweed.

according to http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/4634154/Taranaki-girl-beats-killer-meal

it's extremely rare (1 death every 2 years) and affects only foreigners (thai are somehow immune to it)

[DP25]

I doubt they really know what killed her. Seaweed that Thai people are immune to but KILLS foreigners?

[WarpSpeed]

More like no one reports the Thai deaths only the notable foreigners especially since many of the Thai's probably pass in a hut somewhere unreported and not a hospital...

Anyway sorry for their loss most tragically when you're supposed to be having a good time vacationing..

Edited February 8, 2011 by WarpSpeed

[londonthai]

I doubt they really know what killed her. Seaweed that Thai people are immune to but KILLS foreigners?

yes, they do really know what killed her - for all hospital deaths there is autopsy and with suspected food poisoning they would have to check her stomack/intestines. The other girl, who eat seaweed, had the same symptoms, but survived after an emergency heart operation. The third girl, who did not eat seaweed, was admited to hospital and shortly after discharged.

with eating small portions of poisoneus seaweed thai get immune to it, can immunity might be now part of their genetics.

thai medical care is on a reasonable level, so if they are deaths from the seaweed, they would be included in the statistics

[pisico]

I doubt they really know what killed her. Seaweed that Thai people are immune to but KILLS foreigners?

yes, they do really know what killed her - for all hospital deaths there is autopsy and with suspected food poisoning they would have to check her stomack/intestines. The other girl, who eat seaweed, had the same symptoms, but survived after an emergency heart operation. The third girl, who did not eat seaweed, was admited to hospital and shortly after discharged.

with eating small portions of poisoneus seaweed thai get immune to it, can immunity might be now part of their genetics.

thai medical care is on a reasonable level, so if they are deaths from the seaweed, they would be included in the statistics

You are absolutely right Londonthai. Thais have resistance to many strains of Salmonella (the most common bacterium) unlike most people from developed countries. Tong sia affects thousands of foreigners every year while Thais seem to sail through with only mild symptoms if any. Those trying to spin facts and/or suspecting conspiracies will be disappointed to read this posting.

Edited February 8, 2011 by pisico

[DP25]

with eating small portions of poisoneus seaweed thai get immune to it, can immunity might be now part of their genetics.

That's now how it works, you can't pass on characteristics acquired during your life time to your offspring. Lamarckism isn't real. Thais hardly eat any seaweed anyway.

I can't find anywhere else in the world where people have eaten seaweed and hours later gotten paralysis and heart failure from it. The only study about 'toxic seaweed' is also from Thailand, and even then it's from eating the fish that ate the seaweed. Eating puffer fish though can cause a quick death

[Scott]

My condolences to the friends and family of the victim. It's very sad to see a young life cut short.

My thoughts are with the family.

[metisdead]

This topic has been in Chiang Mai forum since yesterday, I have now moved that topic to Thailand News.

Please continue discussion here:

//Closed//