In a tragic series of events in Bangkok, Thailand, eight people have lost their lives and many more have been hospitalized due to the consumption of illegally produced moonshine contaminated with hazardous chemicals.
The death toll rose to eight on September 2, with an additional six individuals still receiving medical treatment. The latest casualty was pronounced dead at around 6:30 PM on September 2 at a hospital in the Saphan Sung district.
This illicit alcohol, sold in various districts of Bangkok from roadside stalls, had been adulterated with methanol and isopropanol, leading to severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, and vomiting, all signs of alcohol poisoning.
Starting from August 22, 2024, a total of 44 people, ranging in age from 22 to 69, were initially admitted to the hospital in critical condition. The public health minister, Somsak Thepsutin, revealed that many required ventilators to support their breathing, half needed dialysis for kidney function, and a number reported blurred vision.
The origin of the toxic moonshine was identified as a residence in the Saphan Sung district, owned by a woman named Phatrasa, 49, who has a history of selling herbal liquor. Phatrasa insisted that the recipe, passed down from her late father, had never caused issues before. However, the recent batches produced by two brothers she hired resulted in the fatal outcomes.
Phatrasa was shocked upon discovering the lethal impact of the latest batch. “When I tasted the latest batch of liquor, I had a little diarrhoea, but it wasn’t serious. Later, I found out that someone had died from drinking it and I was very shocked,” she stated.
According to Phatrasa, she hired the brothers, Surasak Insam, aged 46, and Surachai Insam, aged 44, to produce rice whiskey for her. The brothers claimed they diluted the moonshine with ethyl alcohol to lessen its alcoholic content, but they denied knowing how the lethal methyl alcohol ended up in the batch.
Police Major General Kiatikul Sonthinen, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 3, stated that Phatrasa would face charges of negligent homicide and causing severe injury, along with violating the Excise Act for illegally producing and selling liquor.
The brothers, detained along with Phatrasa, maintain their ignorance of the contamination. In the meantime, the authorities are also investigating a factory owner in Samut Prakan province, who is suspected of selling a large volume of chemicals to the brothers, potentially leading to the deadly moonshine contamination.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has issued a critical advisory to anyone who may have consumed moonshine from any of the 18 locations identified by authorities, urging them to seek immediate medical attention. They emphasized that these individuals would not face arrest.
Methanol, a highly toxic form of alcohol often used industrially as a solvent, antifreeze, or fuel, is dangerous if consumed, even in small quantities, and can cause blindness, organ failure, and death. Isopropanol, another harmful chemical discovered in the adulterated moonshine, is typically used as a disinfectant or solvent, but it is also dangerous if ingested in large amounts.
Strict alcohol laws in Thailand, which restrict liquor sales to certain hours and prohibit them on religious holidays, have inadvertently stimulated a thriving black market for cheap, unregulated alcohol. This homemade liquor, known as “Ya Dong,” is often produced in concealed distilleries without proper safety procedures.