Chiang Mai Governor To Update Media On Hotel Deaths

[webfact]

MYSTERIOUS HOTEL DEATHS

Foreign press to be updated on probe

By THE NATION

Blood-test test results awaited; Official says bed-bug spray 'not behind deaths'

The governor of Chiang Mai yesterday confirmed that public health authorities and the police were continuing to investigate the mysterious deaths of seven tourists at the northern city's Downtown Inn and planned a press conference for the international media today on the probe.

Governor Panadda Diskul yesterday took part in a video-conference with Chiang Mai public health officers, the epidemic bureau chief and World Health Organisation officials. He said that initially medical personnel believed the tourists' deaths weren't related but they were still waiting for blood-test results from Japan and the US.

His comments were made after New Zealand TV3's "60 Minutes" programme suggested the chemical spray chlorpyrifos that kills bed bugs was responsible for the death of 23-year-old New Zealand tourist Sarah Carter, on February 6, as well as six other people reported to have died in similar circumstances since January.

Besides Carter, an elderly British couple, a Thai tourist guide and a Canadian man died after staying at the hotel or using its facilities, while two other women died in similar circumstances within a month.

Commenting that media reports about what happened might affect the city's tourism, Panadda confirmed that Thai officials, working with WHO, were probing the case to the best of their ability and with transparency. He said international envoys, including a New Zealand embassy representative, would be invited to the press conference at 2pm today at the Chiang Mai Public Health Office.

"As the provincial governor, I assure you that the police and public-health officials have worked with transparency. Since the deaths, the Chiang Mai public health office and WHO joined the investigation so that Thai media could report this case in-depth, studying the facts for accuracy and with justice for all sides," he said.

The governor said Thai public-health officials had contacted Carter's father in New Zealand and he seemed to understand them better, although he still had some questions. He said the incidents were unfortunate for the hotel because each death was not related to the other and the international media had given contradictory information, such as claiming the hotel owner was Panadda's relative, which was not true.

Downtown Inn manager Thanthep Boonkaew said that after the news of the tourists' deaths came out, the hotel had opened its premises for inspection by many agencies, including Thai media.

A New Zealand media report linking the hotel to Carter's death was not true, he said. Their charge that a chemical bug spray the hotel used might have caused her death was not correct. He stayed at the hotel every day, he was fine, and a health expert told him the spray used in the hotel was an unlikely cause because "even if you take a spoonful of it, it won't kill you".

-- The Nation 2011-05-12

[random]

Maybe the mayor can prove this by taking a spoonful during the press conference.

[KRS1]

So now were back at the beginning, without a plausible explanation.

[kathukid]

I can wait for this spin.. RIP the young lady and my bestg to the others. However, people make mistakes and to stay in a hotel with bed bugs is a mistake. Obviously this is a mistake but I hope the other don't follow suit in the future. RIP poor soul!

[WhizBang]

and a health expert told him the spray used in the hotel was an unlikely cause because "even if you take a spoonful of it, it won't kill you".

Good grief. Is this guy serious? What a moron.

Typical Thai SOP... Deny, deny, deny. Repeated often enough, some people will start to believe.

Total incompetence from the Thai authorities. Of course, they have been paid off by someone influencial to make sure the truth does not come out. Everyone involved in the coverup should be charged with manslaughter.

Edited May 12, 2011 by WhizBang

[saroq]

"Maybe the mayor can prove this by taking a spoonful during the press conference." Ha ha. A great suggestion.

[Frankster]

Same old BS ...

[t36ony]

Guilt Culture vs Shame Culture

I have followed the details of this story as they have happened and i spoke to my Thai wife and a few Thai people about it.

In their own sweet way the severity of what happened and the understanding to find the answer does not sink in as i try to form a deeper understanding with them.

Also i feel the collectivist thinking does not allow them to proportion blame on somebody.

I feel for the family in New Zealand as Thailand deals with wrong doings in a strange way but its their way.

If you complain or debate something you are the one bringing the bad karma and its true they find it hard to admit blame becuase they do not like feeling bad.

RIP all those that died

[ILOOKFORWORK]

Maybe the mayor can prove this by taking a spoonful during the press conference.

Good Idea. This is going to blow up in their faces because they're trying to smooth everything over and not being forthcoming (they haven't been since this first began). Another thing their "health expert" failed to mention is that the route of exposure is very critical in terms of health effects. The insecticide used did not kill the people because they took teaspoons of it. It killed them because they inhaled it all night in close proximity to the vapors. He also failed to mention that many other factors are involved in explaining why the hotel manager or others did not die from exposure (ventilation, length of exposure, concentration differences, etc.)... he also did not say whether or not every room was sprayed with that particular organochloride. Why doesn't he just come out and say that somebody made the concentration too strong and thus inadvertently poisoned the guests at his hotel (and probably at other nearby hotels). Land of massive censorship.

[ILOOKFORWORK]

Waiting to hear their official explanation of what happened.

Edited May 12, 2011 by ILOOKFORWORK

[laurentbkk]

WHAT ? there are bed bugs in hotels in Thailand ?????????? how revolting ....

[msg362]

and a health expert told him the spray used in the hotel was an unlikely cause because "even if you take a spoonful of it, it won't kill you".

Good grief. Is this guy serious? What a moron.

Typical Thai SOP... Deny, deny, deny. Repeated often enough, some people will start to believe.

Total incompetence from the Thai authorities. Of course, they have been paid off by someone influencial to make sure the truth does not come out. Everyone involved in the coverup should be charged with manslaughter.

What are you trying to say? That if you eat a spoonful you will die? What is the lethal dose for humans?

[laurentbkk]

Dont scare the tourists ...and the Thais ..as now this hotel might be haunted full of ghosts ..... I just hope the families of those who died in this hotel will know the truth one day .... not sure ... there are so unresolved "mysteries" in the country .

[yumidesign]

Guilt Culture vs Shame Culture

I have followed the details of this story as they have happened and i spoke to my Thai wife and a few Thai people about it.

In their own sweet way the severity of what happened and the understanding to find the answer does not sink in as i try to form a deeper understanding with them.

Also i feel the collectivist thinking does not allow them to proportion blame on somebody.

I feel for the family in New Zealand as Thailand deals with wrong doings in a strange way but its their way.

If you complain or debate something you are the one bringing the bad karma and its true they find it hard to admit blame becuase they do not like feeling bad.

RIP all those that died

so this makes it all right. To not feel bad you bribe your way out. Its WRONG. People other than those who were born Thai, who live or visit the country are also part of the culture of the country

[FOODLOVER]

What a moron.I guess his experts failed to tell him that some thing are respirated, while others are absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes, others orally. Be nice to have a farang doc explain the horse manure that seems to blow out of these peoples mouths.

[jfchandler]

He said the incidents were unfortunate for the hotel because each death was not related to the other

Well, since Thai authorities claim to still not know after all this time what exactly caused all the deaths, then how can the governor claim to know that the deaths don't have a common cause? Such as something inside the Downtown Inn?

PS - it's the CM province governor who's planning to have a news conference. The hotel isn't owned by him or his family. It's owned by the former CM mayor, who's a relative of the current CM mayor.

[personchester]

Dont scare the tourists ...and the Thais ..as now this hotel might be haunted full of ghosts ..... I just hope the families of those who died in this hotel will know the truth one day .... not sure ... there are so unresolved "mysteries" in the country .

Where the victims not examined after their death, a normal blood test together with any other medical examination should have discovered any poisonous chemicals within the body, and if it was done, was it all negative, is there any "info" about that ?.

[featography]

Dont scare the tourists ...and the Thais ..as now this hotel might be haunted full of ghosts ..... I just hope the families of those who died in this hotel will know the truth one day .... not sure ... there are so unresolved "mysteries" in the country .

And there lies the achilles tendon of Thais;

Want to close down the hotel? Get a few people courageous enough to stay a night there, and swear in the morning they saw ghosts fitting the description of the deceased. In no time it will become urban legend, and unstoppable. In 6 short months no Thai will stay there. Any and all Farang visiting won't stay there, if they are accompanied by Thai females.

[featography]

He said the incidents were unfortunate for the hotel because each death was not related to the other

Well, since Thai authorities claim to still not know after all this time what exactly caused all the deaths, then how can the governor claim to know that the deaths don't have a common cause? Such as something inside the Downtown Inn?

PS - it's the CM province governor who's planning to have a news conference. The hotel isn't owned by him or his family. It's owned by the former CM mayor, who's a relative of the current CM mayor.

Oh yea, we can see right threw this transparency.

[cheshiregent]

maybe its time we organised a picket line and told people that are thinking of checking in just whats been goin on

im sure they are still getting a few guests that have no idea what danger there in

[msg362]

What a moron.I guess his experts failed to tell him that some thing are respirated, while others are absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes, others orally. Be nice to have a farang doc explain the horse manure that seems to blow out of these peoples mouths.

This is getting boring. It depends on the toxicity of the compound. If relatively non toxic for humans ( I think it is) then,by whatever route into the bloodstream, a large amount is needed. Since there are no data that I know of for toxicity in humans, animal tests suggest a large amount- 5-40 grams is needed for a 50% chance of dying ( LD50).Accidental inhalation/ingestion/ absorption through the skin of such a large amount is unlikely. In addition, no traces were found at autopsy.

[dunkin2012]

Dont scare the tourists ...and the Thais ..as now this hotel might be haunted full of ghosts ..... I just hope the families of those who died in this hotel will know the truth one day .... not sure ... there are so unresolved "mysteries" in the country .

talk to Howes and Wilson then and introduce 'em to the g0vern0r.

Your mysteries should be solved over a short period of time.

[FOODLOVER]

Dont scare the tourists ...and the Thais ..as now this hotel might be haunted full of ghosts ..... I just hope the families of those who died in this hotel will know the truth one day .... not sure ... there are so unresolved "mysteries" in the country .

And there lies the achilles tendon of Thais;

Want to close down the hotel? Get a few people courageous enough to stay a night there, and swear in the morning they saw ghosts fitting the description of the deceased. In no time it will become urban legend, and unstoppable. In 6 short months no Thai will stay there. Any and all Farang visiting won't stay there, if they are accompanied by Thai females.

The movie that will surely com out will do the trick, dont ya think?

[batanha]

Ridiculous.

Of course they died from insecticide poisoning, same as the people in Phi Phi a few years back.

No one is ever to blame in Thailand, unless it's a farang who shouldn't be there in the first place.

[dunkin2012]

Ridiculous.

Of course they died from insecticide poisoning, same as the people in Phi Phi a few years back.

No one is ever to blame in Thailand, unless it's a farang who shouldn't be there in the first place.

"Luck"

ain't you seen the online 60' mins, Kiwi ver?

[sirchai]

Maybe the mayor can prove this by taking a spoonful during the press conference.

A New Zealand media report linking the hotel to Carter's death was not true, he said. Their charge that a chemical bug spray the hotel used might have caused her death was not correct. He stayed at the hotel every day, he was fine, and a health expert told him the spray used in the hotel was an unlikely cause because "even if you take a spoonful of it, it won't kill you".

Please major show the rest of the world that you are right. Take two spoonful of it, because it won't kill you. :jap:

[rich54321]

looks like more nonsense! What do the chemists say?????

[EyesWideOpen]

These people need a spin doctor badly....It is a bit like a big company that really screws up. First they always try to deny everything. Then later when the truth slowly comes out, the best path is to apologize profusely, admit everything, say you made a mistake before, and fall upon the mercy of the general public.

If Thailand has the expertise to figure this out, then DO IT. If they do not , then lose a bit of face and bring in foreign experts to do it. But either way this case is too big to do the standard Thai deny deny deny, then sweep under the rug. And hopefully the governor will no longer use the word " coincidence" in any more news conferences. This will stop further embarrassment to himself and his office.......

[sirchai]

Guilt Culture vs Shame Culture

I have followed the details of this story as they have happened and i spoke to my Thai wife and a few Thai people about it.

In their own sweet way the severity of what happened and the understanding to find the answer does not sink in as i try to form a deeper understanding with them.

Also i feel the collectivist thinking does not allow them to proportion blame on somebody.

I feel for the family in New Zealand as Thailand deals with wrong doings in a strange way but its their way.

If you complain or debate something you are the one bringing the bad karma and its true they find it hard to admit blame becuase they do not like feeling bad.

RIP all those that died

I think you’re right. Whenever a foreigner in this country is trying to explain why certain things had happened, then we’ll be blamed for being impolite, or that we just don’t understand their culture.

But understanding the truth and agreeing with certain points is not a weakness as some might think.

I feel very sorry for the deceased, their families and friends. I do hope there will be an end soon and the truth will change at least some peoples’ way of thinking. :jap:

[janverbeem]

The governor said Thai public-health officials had contacted Carter's father in New Zealand and he seemed to understand them better, although he still had some questions.

Probably questions in the line of,can you speak English please so I can understand you.