At least six dead and dozens injured after drinking illegal liquor in Thailand

At least six people have died and dozens more were injured after drinking illegal bootleg liquor contaminated with toxic chemicals in Thailand.

Customers reportedly bought the illegal liquor, which was tainted with methanol and isopropanol, from street stalls in Bangkok and then suffered dizziness, difficulty breathing and vomiting – symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin reported that as of August 27, four people have died from drinking illegal liquor, while 34 people aged 22 to 69 have been hospitalized.

Fifteen of the injured were on ventilators, 22 needed kidney dialysis and 21 had blurred vision. Eight have already been discharged from hospital.

Authorities have traced the source of the rotgut to the home of a woman named Phatrasa in the Saphan Sung district of the Thai capital.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has urged anyone who has consumed illegal liquor at any of the 18 announced locations to consult a doctor immediately.

Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is highly toxic if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin

Phatrasa claimed that she and her family had been selling herbal liquor for decades without any problems, using a recipe developed by her late father. She said the recipe used only natural ingredients and did not contain methyl alcohol.

Speaking at a police press conference on August 26, she said: ‘A year ago, I hired two men, who were brothers, to make rice whisky for me. The batches they made tasted normal, so I kept ordering from them.

‘Last week, however, my customers reported that the taste of the drink had changed. They said it tasted weaker and more fizzy and seemed to have a lower alcohol content.

‘I called the brothers to ask if they had changed the ingredients, but they wouldn’t tell me. They just said they had improved it.

‘When I tasted the last batch of the drink I got a little diarrhea, but it wasn’t serious. Later I heard that someone had died from drinking it and I was very shocked.

‘I couldn’t believe it could happen. I didn’t understand how it could happen because I had been doing it for a long time. I felt guilty and regretful.

“I didn’t want to kill anyone. I want to help the victims because one of the deceased was my friend.”

Police said they also arrested brothers Surasak Insam, 46, and Surachai Insam, 44, who allegedly admitted to diluting the illegal liquor with ethyl alcohol “to reduce the alcohol content.”

However, they claimed to have no idea how the batch sold to Phatrasa contained methyl alcohol.

Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said four people had died from drinking illegal liquor as of August 27

It has also been revealed that 34 people aged 22 to 69 have been hospitalized

Fifteen of the injured were on ventilators, 22 required kidney dialysis and 21 had blurred vision

Major General Kiatikul Sonthinen, commander of Division 3 of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said: “Phatrasa will be charged with negligently causing death and serious injury to others, and violating the excise law by producing and selling alcohol without permission.”

Police also investigated a factory owner in Samut Prakan province who allegedly sold a large number of chemicals to the Insam brothers.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority has urged anyone who has consumed illegal liquor at any of the 18 locations listed to consult a doctor immediately. They need not worry about being arrested.

Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is a simple type of alcohol used as an industrial solvent, antifreeze, and fuel. It is highly toxic when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.

Isopropanol or isopropyl alcohol is a colorless, flammable chemical compound that is often used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, and solvent.

It is widely used in households and medical facilities for cleaning and disinfecting, but it can be toxic if ingested in large quantities.