At least six dead and 37 in hospital after drinking fake booze in popular holiday location

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Tourist in Thailand have been warned after at least six people have died and 37 other have been hospitalised after drinking “fake booze” in a popular holiday destination.

Thai authorities have identified a spiked drink which has been sold from market stalls in Bangkok. The Thai capital is popular with British holidaymakers and backpackers, as well as visitors from across the world.

Police officers have shut down more than 18 stall in connection to the alcohol poisonings, with more stalls in the Lat Krabang and Khannayao districts of Bangkok and in Lam Luk Ka district of Pathum Thani under investigation. According to The Bangkok Post, a 49-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of supplying the stalls with the fake booze and charged with illegal production of liquor and recklessness causing death and serious injury.

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The woman, whose name has been revealed as Phatrasa, said in a press conference on August 26 that she felt “guilty and sorry” over the poisonous drinks, adding that her family had been selling herbal alcohol for decades without any issue. She added that her recipe only used natural ingredients and did not contain methyl alcohol.

She said: "A year ago, I hired two men, who were brothers, to make rice whiskey for me. The batches they made tasted normal, so I continued ordering from them. However, last week, my customers reported that the flavour of the liquor had changed. They said it tasted weaker and fizzier, and seemed to have a lower alcohol content.

"I called the brothers to ask if they had changed the ingredients, but they refused to tell me, only saying they had improved it. 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. I couldn't believe it could happen."

The two men, Surasak Insam, 46, and Surachai Insam, 44, have since been arrested, with reports suggesting that they have admitted to diluting the recipe with ethyl alcohol only. They claim they had no knowledge of the mix including methyl alcohol.

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The poisonous drink was found to contain both methanol and isopropanol. Isopropanol is used in manufacturing to dissolve solvents and is also widely used in hand sanitiser products. Methanol is often used a fuel and in products such as antifreeze.

Thai Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said that of the 37 people remaining in hospital, 15 individuals had been placed on respirators and 22 people required kidney dialysis. 21 of the 37 patients were suffering from blurred vision, with only eight being released from hospital so far.

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