51 in hospitals after eating free food
The Nation



5 Prachin Buri locals in serious condition; rushing waters also flood Chachoengsao

PRACHIN BURI: -- UP TO 51 flood victims in Prachin Buri have ended up in hospital after consuming food handed over as aid yesterday.

Of them, five were in a bad state and still being treated at hospital as of press time.

"The victims either began vomiting or got diarrhoea after eating the food that was handed out to them at a flood-relief centre in tambon Ban Hoi," Prachin Buri public-health chief Dr Nopporn Pongpleumpitichai said.

The flood-relief centre in Prachantakham district's tambon Ban Hoi was set up after strong currents of water broke down an earthen ridge in nearby Kabin Buri district and inundated the area.

Chachoengsao Governor Anukul Tangkananukulchai said the water current from Prachin Buri was so strong that many areas in his province were also flooded. Floods in Chachoengsao's Phanom Sarakham district are already a metre high.

Anukul said that though the floods were an inconvenience for many, some locals had decided to make the most of things and decided to start having fun splashing around.

"Even vendors showed up to sell things to those out playing," he said, adding that some villagers also began fishing in the floodwaters.

According to Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Chatchai Phromlert, flooding has now hit 24 provinces.

Since September 17, floods have ravaged more than 2.16 million rai of farmland and upset the lives of more than 2.87 million people. Over the same period, the flood-related death toll has risen to 27.

Floods have also damaged 4,947 roads, 201 bridges and 518 levees over the past few weeks.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has instructed provincial governors to survey affected properties and farmland, and deliver assistance to victims. She is also insisting that all infrastructure damage be fixed immediately after the floods subside.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra, meanwhile, assured residents that city officials were prepared to deal with floods, though he reckoned that some parts of the capital might end up getting flooded in the event of non-stop downpours.

"Slow down for safety when you drive on flooded roads," he advised.

Meanwhile, the Pasak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri, which is only about 150 kilometres from Bangkok, is close to brimming over. It is currently about 96 per cent full and the Royal Irrigation Department has started releasing about 600 cubic metres of water per second from the dam.

People living along the Pasak River in Saraburi and Ayutthaya have been warned to closely monitor its water levels.

"The water will rise," the department warned.


-- The Nation 2013-10-04

This article is terrible. It should be about sanitary precautions in floods. The newspaper just piles on and doesn't care about spreading the word about this among Thai trapped poor people.

Flooding then food poisening, what next?

This is not the first time that this has happened.

What a double whammy for those involved as first comes the feeling that no one in authority really cares about you being flooded then when you receivefood aid it puts you in hospital.

Was it red food?

Green rice?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Flooding then food poisening, what next?

Frogs? Do the riders of the apocolypse need work permits. How can you poison people with ration packs? Why don't they just distribute army rations?

What a ridiculous article headlining serious food poisoning and some serious health conditions of those infected and then deviating on to flood facts and how the locals are turning this disaster into a water festival.

No mention at all into any health department investigation as to the cause of the contamination of the food handout. This is the Mai Pen Rai mentality in full bloom.

Year after year and look at all the people smile, the people need to stand up!!! That my friends is the only way it will stop...

"Thailand: Kitchen of the World" ad campaign needs a health inspector?

I for one found the article disgusting , It did not answer any thing just left the door open.

On the other hand it was magnificent showing the resiliency of the people.

"Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has instructed provincial governors to survey affected properties and farmland, and deliver assistance to victims. She is also insisting that all infrastructure damage be fixed immediately after the floods subside."

It sounds wonderful but then again she forgot to add that she does not want the fiasco she delivered after the last floods. Two years and people still waiting for the 5,000 baht she said they were going to receive. 2,000 baht gift vouchers available only for certain items that could be found elsewhere cheaper than the items covered and their place of purchase.

Nice that she ordered the Governors to do it gives her more time for flying around the world from shopping mall to Photo studios.

"People living along the Pasak River in Saraburi and Ayutthaya have been warned to closely monitor its water levels.

"The water will rise," the department warned.

Well that is a step up for them. Look what has happened when they have said they had it in control. Now they admit that the water level might rise.

I wonder if the food that poisoned the people came in bags with a picture of Thaksin Shinawatra on them?

On the other hand it was good that some people could still enjoy life even with the rotten hand it had dealt them.

I noticed that the gove4rnment had nothing to do with that part of it. It comes from with in the people themselves.

This article is terrible. It should be about sanitary precautions in floods. The newspaper just piles on and doesn't care about spreading the word about this among Thai trapped poor people.

Fair enough, but I'm not sure how many 'Thai trapped poor people' would be reading the English-language Nation anyway...

Year after year and look at all the people smile, the people need to stand up!!! That my friends is the only way it will stop...

Stand up and the flooding will stop? I don't understand the mechanics of that...

Year after year and look at all the people smile, the people need to stand up!!! That my friends is the only way it will stop...

Stand up and the flooding will stop? I don't understand the mechanics of that...

Either per purpose or by incompetence this year again the dams collected too much water and released it in the worst possible time.

The protections were not built.

The protections the King planed decades ago where built half only, further construction was stopped when Barnharn was premier (no tea money in royal projects).

Cleaning the canals in Bangkok wasn't done the way the governor wanted.

Etc etc etc

kicking out corrupt government won't stop the floodings but it would reduce them.

Personal Hygiene is anyway not one of Thailand's strong points

sure didn't talk much about food poisoning. floods are inconvenient but people were splashing around having fun anyway, that could have made them sick.

Vendors were selling food to the inconvenienced people splashing in the water and having fun. They could have made them sick.

People started fishing in the flood waters, I wonder if that made them sick?

and then a whole lot of distraction about infrastructure and crap and nothing to do with the headline.

So whoever wrote this, you suck!

To the one that allowed this publcation after being edited, you suck even more.

IF someone doesn't tell you you suck, then you'll never not suck and people would find sucky behavior acceptable.

So where exactly did this happen, tambon's can be large. how serious is this, do I need to warn friends and/or family?

Flooding then food poisening, what next?

They're out to get us I'm telling you!

There is a very old rule I believe to be true:

'If it's free it is not worth having'.

Whoever provided this 'charity' - shame and curses on you!

Ridiculous. Can't at least one thing be done right?

Feel sorry for those people who are trapped made ill.

Edited October 4, 201312 yr by KRaymond

Thailand - Kitchen of the World. As seen on TV.

the food might be expired

If ever there were an example of children behaving irresponsibly and without adult supervision, and the consequenses that come of it, then this is most certainly it.

This article is terrible. It should be about sanitary precautions in floods. The newspaper just piles on and doesn't care about spreading the word about this among Thai trapped poor people.

Can't understand this, head lines 51 people in hospital after eating food provided for flood victims. About their condition not mentioned or where the food came from it is all about the flood water.

sure didn't talk much about food poisoning. floods are inconvenient but people were splashing around having fun anyway, that could have made them sick.

Vendors were selling food to the inconvenienced people splashing in the water and having fun. They could have made them sick.

People started fishing in the flood waters, I wonder if that made them sick?

and then a whole lot of distraction about infrastructure and crap and nothing to do with the headline.

So whoever wrote this, you suck!

To the one that allowed this publcation after being edited, you suck even more.

IF someone doesn't tell you you suck, then you'll never not suck and people would find sucky behavior acceptable.

So where exactly did this happen, tambon's can be large. how serious is this, do I need to warn friends and/or family?

You must be a real hit at parties where people enjoy them selves. Do you run around explaining to them the danger of drinking to much that they may feel bad in the morning.

The situation is bad enough and you want to take away any joy that they can find . Would it make you happy if they all stood around with long faces and espoused on the dangers of enjoying them selves?

Flooding then food poisening, what next?

Perhaps the introduction of food hygiene !

Food hygiene during flooding is always an issue - surprised it does not occur more often.

Mass cooking and keeping things warm where hand washing is not always remembered (!) or people making the food have little training, common sense but are well meaning will result in these failures.

Cam we at least be given some basic facts?

What food?

Where did it come from?

Who were supplying it?

My sympathy goes out to those affected.

Edited October 4, 201312 yr by flyingdoc

It maybe wiser if Yingluck not offer assistance, as it will eventually kill more people, due to the incompetence of the staff as far as sanitation goes.

Cam we at least be given some basic facts?

What food?

Where did it come from?

Who were supplying it?

My sympathy goes out to those affected.

Maybe the newspaper is afraid of writing details because of the criminal defamation laws, which have often been used against critics.

This article is terrible. It should be about sanitary precautions in floods. The newspaper just piles on and doesn't care about spreading the word about this among Thai trapped poor people.

This is the way reporting is done in Thailand. I used to edit copy at The Nation and the reporters would start a story with a good premise and sometimes devote two paragraphs to it before moving on to other stuff. They would never stick with the hot topic and go do some investigation. What you have to understand about the Thai media is it is spoon fed. The reporters are all brought into a room for a press conference where an official tells them the way it is. Thai reporters won't ask questions in front of other reporters so they never ask. They don't bother interviewing anybody else after the press conference or bother seeking out people who may have other views. That's too much work.

the good news is you ARE saved you are rescued,the bad news is you now have food poisoning.....i wonder ...is that with the insect leg or ala carte................

Edited October 4, 201312 yr by mok199