Photo: People are warned not to consume herbal liqueurs, moonshines, or locally brewed spirits following at least six deaths from herbal liqueur poisoning.
Bangkok’s herbal liqueur poisoning cluster claimed two more lives today, bringing the total number of deaths to six, with seven people still in comas.
The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre reports that, as of today, 37 patients have been admitted to hospitals after drinking the methanol-laced herbal liqueurs.
The fifth victim died at Nawamin 9 Hospital in the Min Buri district, while the sixth victim died at home, the centre said. Of those who are still in hospital, seven are on ventilators and 23 are undergoing dialysis. Nine patients have already been discharged.
The issue has prompted authorities to close a number of stalls selling herbal liqueurs, locally known as “Ya Dong”, in eastern districts of Bangkok.
The son of a 43-year-old victim told reporters that his father was among the first group affected by the poisoning. His father purchased the herbal liqueur from a stall in Samwa Soi 1 in Min Buri on August 22, the son said.
He then experienced dizziness and was rushed to a hospital the following day after suffering a seizure.
An interview with a vendor led police to arrest a woman, identified only as “Pu”, who allegedly supplied the liqueurs in question to the stalls. The vendor told police that she had been purchasing the herbal liqueurs from Pu for over a year without any issues.
In the past two months, however, she noticed a change in the flavour. Pu had dismissed these concerns, assuring that there was no cause for alarm.
Police said Pu could be charged with recklessness causing death and serious injury, as well as producing and selling liqueurs without a permit.
Pu has attempted to shift the blame onto two of her relatives, who could face similar charges, claiming they were responsible for lacing the liqueurs with deadly methanol.
She asserted that she has sold the liqueurs for many years without any problems.
