In Bangkok, Thailand at least six people lost their lives and dozens more were hospitalized after consuming illegally produced moonshine tainted with toxic chemicals.
The illicit alcohol, bought from street stalls in various districts of Bangkok, was laced with methanol and isopropanol, leading to severe symptoms such as dizziness, breathing difficulties, and vomiting – clear signs of alcohol poisoning.
The victims, aged between 22 to 69 years, began reporting symptoms shortly after consuming the moonshine. By August 27, 2024, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin confirmed that four individuals had died, while 34 others were hospitalized. Among the hospitalized, 15 were on respirators, 22 required kidney dialysis, and 21 suffered from blurred vision. Although eight patients have since been discharged, the severity of the outbreak remains alarming.
The moonshine was traced back to a house in the Saphan Sung district, owned by a woman named Phatrasa, who had been selling herbal liquor for decades. Phatrasa claimed that her family’s recipe, passed down by her late father, had never caused any issues before. However, recent batches of the liquor, produced by two brothers she had hired, resulted in the tragic deaths.
Phatrasa recounted her shock upon discovering the lethal consequences 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.”
Phatrasa explained that she had hired the brothers, Surasak Insam, 46, and Surachai Insam, 44, to make rice whiskey for her. The brothers allegedly diluted the moonshine with ethyl alcohol to reduce its alcohol volume, but they claimed to have no knowledge of how the batch ended up containing the lethal methyl alcohol.
Police Major General Kiatikul Sonthinen, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 3, stated that Phatrasa would be charged with negligently causing death and severe injury, as well as violating the Excise Act by producing and selling liquor without permission.
The brothers, who were arrested along with Phatrasa, have continued to deny knowledge of the contamination. However, authorities are also investigating a factory owner in Samut Prakan province, who allegedly sold a large bulk of chemicals to the brothers. These chemicals may have contributed to the contamination that resulted in the toxic moonshine.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has issued an urgent warning to anyone who has consumed moonshine from any of the 18 locations announced by authorities. They urged people to see a doctor immediately, without fear of arrest.
Methanol, a highly toxic form of alcohol, is often used in industrial applications as a solvent, antifreeze, or fuel. It is poisonous when ingested and can cause blindness, organ failure, and death even in small quantities. Isopropanol, another toxic chemical found in the moonshine, is commonly used as a disinfectant or solvent but is also dangerous when consumed in large amounts.
Thailand’s strict alcohol laws, which restrict liquor sales to certain hours and ban them on religious holidays, have inadvertently contributed to a thriving black market for cheap, unregulated alcohol. Known locally as “Ya Dong,” this homemade liquor is often produced in backstreet distilleries without proper safety measures.
