Phuket Fruit Vendor Died Of Spider Bite: Wife

[webfact]

Phuket fruit vendor died of spider bite: wife

Phuket Gazette

Mrs Piyanan said she wanted to warn other Phuket residents about the dangers posed by large, black spiders. Photo: Warisa Temram.

Phuket Public Health officers photograph the arm of the late Mr Wanchai. Photo: Warisa Temram.

PHUKET: -- A Phuket fruit vendor died yesterday from a severe allergic reaction to a spider bite, his pregnant wife believes.

Mrs Piyanan Boonsri, 30, took her husband Wanchai Wonglakorn from their home in Mai Khao to Thalang Hospital on Sunday evening after he complained of soreness to his arm.

Eight month’s pregnant, the young wife said her husband returned from work as normal at about 6pm, then showered and changed clothes.

At about 8pm he complained of soreness to his right arm, saying the pain was so severe he could not lift it. An inspection revealed what appeared to be a red bruise and a small set of fang marks on his armpit.

Mrs Piyanan took him to Thalang Hospital, where he was given pain medication, told to rest and come back at 8am the following morning.

“I took my husband home, but he didn’t get any better. By 6am he told me he was in agony, so I took him back to the hospital where blood samples were drawn and x-rays taken. As we waited for the results he complained of tightness in his chest and had trouble breathing. Doctors gave him cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he passed away,” she said.

The official cause of death was listed as anaphylaxis from the bite of an unidentified animal, she said.

“I believe my husband was bitten by a black spider of the kind we often see around our home, sometimes in the bathroom sometimes in the corners of other rooms,” said Mrs Piyanan.

Mrs Piyanan is preparing to transport the body of her husband back to their native Sakon Nakhon province in north eastern part of Thailand.

Dr Sak Thaenchaikul of the Phuket Provincial Health Office is scheduled to release a statement about the case later today.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12114.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-01-24

[pimay11]

"At about 8pm he complained of soreness to his right arm, saying the pain was so severe he could not lift it. An inspection revealed what appeared to be a red bruise and a small set of fang marks on his armpit.

Mrs Piyanan took him to Thalang Hospital, where he was given pain medication, told to rest and come back at 8am the following morning"

Such a sad and needless death of this young father to be. "a small set of fang marks on his armpit".......dead give away for even someone with no medical training.

Note to self: Do not go ot the Thalang Hospital.

[thaiIand]

let me fix your note to self:

In thailand always diagnose yourself on google before going to the hospital. Then tell them exactly what you want and as soon as they ask a question, switch hospital.

Asian doctors are amazing surgeons. But anything requiring any thought, they are no better than an american janitor. I am talking about 'world class' specialist at private hospitals.

[seanocasey]

Sad for a young wife with a baby on the way.

Edited January 25, 2012 by LivinginKata
previous quote removed

[Jimi007]

aren't they turn into spider man?

Heartless comment RIP.

That's putting it mildly. The immature comment was a totally inappropriate!

[Tywais]

aren't they turn into spider man?

Heartless comment RIP.

That's putting it mildly. The immature comment was a totally inappropriate!

I removed the post but left the responses to that member as food for thought next time he posts.

[keestha]

Never heard of lethal or even poisonous spider bites in Thailand, could this have been an allergy? Or am I wrong, does anybody know more?

Edited January 25, 2012 by keestha

[necronx99]

Never heard of lethal or even poisonous spider bites in Thailand, could this have been an allergy? Or am I wrong, does anybody know more?

Official cause anaphylaxis ( or negligence ) usual result of an allergic reaction.

[keestha]

Never heard of lethal or even poisonous spider bites in Thailand, could this have been an allergy? Or am I wrong, does anybody know more?

Official cause anaphylaxis ( or negligence ) usual result of an allergic reaction.

Just asked the wife and my staff, they told me there is a poisonous type of spider called "bueng" in Thai, which is hairy and about as big as a human hand, but its bite just causes a painfull swelling and is normally not lethal. Oh well, a bit of googling would produce more reliable information I guess.

[webfact]

Phuket 'spider men' suspect brown widow in fruit vendor’s death

Phuket Gazette

Awat Nitikul and his team of 'spider men' hold up some of the 10 spiders collected from around the home. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

The spiders collected will be sent for expert analysis. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- A team of officers from Phuket’s Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary in Thalang today collected 10 different types of spiders from around the home of Wanchai Wonglakorn, who died on Monday of a suspected spider bite.

The officers, led by Awat Nitikul, chief of the Environmental Conservation Division unit based at Khao Phra Thaeo, rummaged through the undergrowth around the home in Mai Khao.

His orders to sweep through a 100-meter radius of the home for any potentially dangerous spiders came from the top – Damrong Phidetch, chief of the Department of National Park Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

Any spiders found are to be used as samples to compare with the findings of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Police General Hospital in Bangkok, which has been assigned to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of Mr Wanchai’s death, Chief Awat said.

“Today we collected more than 10 different kinds of spiders. We will be back tomorrow in the evening and on Saturday night to collect more spiders,” he said.

“The staggering of collection times is being done in hopes of catching a broader range of spiders, including the brown widow spider, which at this time we asume killed Mr Wanchai,” Mr Awat said.

Any spiders collected will be sent to an entomologist for analysis, he added.

“According to official research, brown widow spiders have been found in Amphawa and in Sumut Sakhon province, but none have ever been reported in Phuket,” he said.

“Its venom is stronger than that of a cobra,” he added.

However, Mr Awat said it was possible for a brown widow to have arrived via one of Phuket’s ports.

The search today followed a sweep of the inside of the house yesterday by provincial health officials, which netted two house spiders.

“We have yet to determine the cause of death. We have to wait for the autopsy report from Police General Hospital in Bangkok,” said Phuket Public Health Office Deputy Director Wiwat Seetamanotch.

“It is possible Wanchai had an underlying disease. I talked to the three doctors who examined him before he died. They all said they saw no wounds that looked like a spider bite and none of his symptoms before he died were consistent with being bitten by a spider,” said Dr Wiwat.

“The doctor who conducted a blood test on the morning before [Mr Wanchai] died also found nothing unusual in his blood. I have been told that Wanchai was drinking a lot of alcohol due to the Chinese New Year celebrations and that he had been drinking a bottle of Thai whiskey a day for awhile,” he said.

“One doctor said he smelled alcohol on him when Wanchai was in the hospital. This could possibly be a factor in the cause of his death,” said Dr Wiwat.

“Anyway, all we can do is wait for the autopsy report,” he said.

“We have never had any reports of black or brown widow spiders in Phuket, so there is no need to panic,” he added.

However, one of Wanchai’s neighbors, Kittisak Lomsongnern, 24, told the Gazette, “He was drinking with me on the day he was bitten. He went to take a shower and came back afterwards to keep drinking with us.

“He told us his arm was sore and that he had no idea what bit him. Then he could not stand the pain, so he went to see a doctor. The next day I was told he was dead,” he added.

“I went to the hospital to see the body. I swear that I saw two little white spots on the inside of his [upper] right arm, and I am standing by it,” said Mr Kittisak.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12127.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-01-27