Thread: NZ woman in Thailand food poisoning death

can only laugh - in a headline from NZ Herald about 'Exaggerating' media they themselves exaggerate . . . seven people did not die at the Downtown Inn.

'Exaggerating' media slammed over Kiwi's Thai death
By Hayden Donnell and NZPA
10:37 AM Friday May 13, 2011

A Thailand governor has attacked New Zealand media for claiming a toxic insecticide caused the sudden death of a Kiwi tourist at a hotel in his province.

Sarah Carter, 23, became violently sick on February 3 while staying at the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai and died a day later.

Six others have died from similar symptoms after staying at the same hotel in January and February.

more

deleted post (reiterating someone above who correctly points out the idiocy of the moronic reporter who says 7 died in the Downtown Inn. )

The NZ Herald

Originally Posted by genghis61

Six others have died from similar symptoms after staying at the same hotel in January and February.

used their 'comments' section and suggested they stop exaggerating!, they revised that sentence to this

An elderly British couple, a Thai tourist guide and a Canadian man also died after staying at the Downtown Inn or using its facilities, while two other women died in similar circumstances within one month.

Bangkok Post censored? What a massive and unbelievable surprise.

Rat poison theory in NZer's death in Thailand | Otago Daily Times Online News Keep Up to Date Local, National New Zealand & International News

Rat poison theory in NZer's death in Thailand

Sat, 14 May 2011

Rat poison is among the latest theories surrounding the mystery deaths of several tourists in northern Thailand, including New Zealander Sarah Carter, earlier this year.

Reports from New Zealand have suggested the victims were poisoned by a chemical used to kill bedbugs, but a senior Thai physician has told AAP that forensic investigations were widening to include insecticides capable of killing rodents.

Dr Surasing Visaruthrat, a deputy director at the Chiang Mai Public Health Office, said investigations had widened beyond the initial theory that a bedbug killer spray containing chlorpyrifos was responsible for the deaths.

Dr Surasing said investigations covered three hypotheses focused on a potential virus, chemical contamination or environmental factors that led to the deaths and illness.

"We have to look at another type of pesticide," he told AAP.

Miss Carter, 23, died on February 7 and her travelling companions Amanda Eliason, 24, and Emma Langlands, 23, fell gravely ill but later recovered.

Later in February, a British couple, George Everitt, 78, and his wife Eileen, 74, died from reported heart attacks at the same hotel.

The Associated Press reported that seven tourists had died in Chiang Mai earlier this year, and six of them had been staying in the same hotel in January and February.

The AP said the other victims were from France, the United States and Canada.

An independent investigation carried out in New Zealand and broadcast on TV3's 60 Minutes alleged traces of chlorpyrifos had been detected in the hotel rooms.

Chlorpyrifos is a restricted-use agricultural pesticide in the United States.

Downtown Inn Hotel manager, Thanthep Bunkaeo, has denied the hotel used the bed bug pesticide containing chlorpyrifos in the recent past, local media reported this week.

Mr Thanthep was unavailable for comment when contacted by AAP.

Chiang Mai governor, Panadda Disakul, in media reports on Friday said there was insufficient medical information to support the claims that chlorpyrifos was responsible for the deaths.

Mr Panadda said Thai police were to launch their own investigation into the deaths, adding that the incident had damaged the image of Chiang Mai as a tourist destination.

The Chiang Mai Public Health Office this week met with foreign diplomats and consulates from affected embassies, as well as medical staff, to share the outcome of the investigation.

Test samples have been sent to the US-based Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta as well as Osaka University in Japan for examination.

"I think we are halfway now," Dr Surasing said, with investigations likely to be concluded in two months before a final report.

A spokesperson for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the New Zealand government was "actively encouraging the Thai authorities to progress the investigation into Sarah Carter's tragic death".

She said the New Zealand Embassy, as well as New Zealand medical experts, were in "close and regular contact" with their counterparts in Thailand.

But she added in a statement to AAP that given the "investigation is not yet complete", it was "premature to comment on possible findings".

WHO supports probe

WHO supports probe

By The Nation
Published on May 14, 2011


The World Health Organisation (WHO) is fully backing Thailand's investigation into the mysterious death of a young New Zealander in a Chiang Mai hotel, a senior health official said yesterday.

"Basically, WHO experts are of the opinion that Thai authorities are proceeding in accordance with principles and standard procedures," Dr Surasing Wisarutrat, deputy chief of Chiang Mai's public health office, said yesterday.

He added that WHO experts had also suggested that the investigation focus on three likely causes: infection, chemicals and environment.

"We were planning to do that anyway," he added.

Sarah Carter, 23, a tourist from New Zealand, died mysteriously in her room at the Downtown Inn Hotel in Chiang Mai in February.

Later, in an episode of the "60 Minutes" television programme broadcast in New Zealand, it was suggested that chlorpyrifos chemical spray, usually used to kill bedbugs, might have been responsible for the mysterious death of seven tourists at the hotel.

On Thursday, Chiang Mai Governor Panadda Diskul and officials from health agencies had invited foreign envoys to listen to clarifications and updates on the case.

Surasing said yesterday: "We have been handling the case transparently. We have recruited the help of several agencies. We will try to determine the cause of her [Carter's] death as soon as possible."

He said a news conference would be held as soon as there was substantial progress.

Note #7 below. This is a new name to apparently add to the other 7 Chiang Mai victims. I got the info below from the website started by the parents of Sarah Carter--thailandtraveltragedies.com (Sarah is one of the Chiang Mai victims).

7. James Thomas William from USA, stayed at Wild Comic Guesthouse Chiangmai. Died on 15-Feb-11.

Case of the Mysterious Death in Chiangmai
There were 7 deaths of foreign nationals in Chiangmai from January to March 2011. Four victims stayed at Downtown Inn and three stayed elsewhere. The victims were:
1. Soraya Pandola, died 11-Jan-11
2. Bill Mah, 59 years, stayed in People Place Hotel but used the facilities of Downtown Inn. Died on 26-Jan-11.
3. Waraporn Pungmahisiranon, a Thai female tourist guide, 47 years. Died on 3-Feb-11.
4. Sarah Carter from Auckland. Died 6-Feb-11.
5. George Everitt, 78 years. Died on 18-Feb-11.
6. and Eileen Everitt,74 years. Both from England. Died same day, on 18-Feb-11.
7. James Thomas William from USA, stayed at Wild Comic Guesthouse Chiangmai. Died on 15-Feb-11.
8. Also an unconfirmed report of a French woman who died in Chiangmai during Jan-Mar 2011.
Thailand Travel Tragedies > Travellers' Stories

p.s. I didn't think the French woman was unconfirmed. But we still don't know her name or anything else about her. Is there someone on Teakdoor who reads French who can try and google info about this death from the French media?

the Wild Comic Guesthouse?

a joke/hoax perhaps?
No source other than another forum, Google brings up 0

Also - after all this time there has not been a name/confirmation of the mystery French woman, if she existed at all, if she stayed at the DI . . .

Bangkok Post : Chlorpyrifos in Thailand

Chlorpyrifos in Thailand

• Published: 15/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: Spectrum

In Thailand, the substance is listed under the Hazardous Substance Act as a hazardous substance Type 3. Under this category, a substance is hazardous because it may have long residue time in the environment, pose a danger or become toxic if misused. A substance in this category may be imported, manufactured and traded here, but it must be registered.

According to a hazardous substance expert at the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, chlorpyrifos has been imported here for about 30 years. Chlorpyrifos for use on farms has different formulas to that aimed at killing insects in residential compounds. According to the expert, the substance for farm use comes in the form of a diluted solution, powder or tablet. Farmers generally use it whenever outbreaks of pests occur.

( a lot more at the link)

Bangkok Post : A little pest and a deadly toxin

A little pest and a deadly toxin

• Published: 15/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: Spectrum

UN chemical expert Ron McDowall theorised that the mysterious deaths in Chiang Mai were caused by chlorpyrifos, a pesticide used to control bed bugs, administered by an "overzealous sprayer". Large amounts of the toxin would have been necessary to cause death, so it is worth looking into why this is possible.


DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE

Bed bugs are notoriously hard to kill, and leave itchy welts on the skin. They commonly infest cracks and crevices in bed frames and mattresses rather than surface areas, so once they've infested a mattress they are almost impossible to remove. They are also regularly found in curtains, carpets, furniture and wallpaper.

In March, 2008, the State Railway of Thailand put 10 trains _ four Bangkok-Chiang Mai trains, two Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani trains and four Bangkok-Surat Thani-Yala _ out of action for 15 days in order to control bed bug infestations. The infestations were blamed on unclean backpackers but could have just as easily been spread by up-market travellers staying in multi-star hotels, since the bugs travel well, can survive for months without food and find comfort in the depths of suitcases.

Despite the revulsion they inspire, bed bugs are relatively harmless, not known to be the microbial or viral vectors that mosquitoes (malaria, West Nile disease, etc), ticks (Lyme, babesiosis) and lice (typhus) are. They can cause allergic reactions but are not known to cause any disease.

The bite itself is painless, but the small bumps on the skin that follow can be red, swollen and itchy. Often you see several bites lined up in a row as the bug takes several meals.

Two five-star hotels in Bangkok told Spectrum that they had contracts with a pest control company to spray all rooms once a year with two different industrial pesticides. After spraying, the hotels waited at least 24 hours before allowing guests to use the rooms. Kitchens and common areas were sprayed every month or once every two months.



FROM DOW TO CHIANG MAI?

In 1965, the Dow Chemical Company started production of chlorpyrifos _ or O,O-diethyl-(3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl) phosphorothioate _ under the brand names Dursban and Lorsban, which were used in homes and gardens and in agriculture as a pesticide. It has a strong odour and is white in appearance, crystalline and not very soluble in water.

It is also known as Agromill, Destroyer, Pyrifoz, Strike, Omexan and other trade names. Companies that manufacture chlorpyrifos include Dow Agro Sciences LLC, Cheminova, Makteshim-Agan and Garda, although Dow produces by far the most. Chlorpyrifos can be absorbed through the skin and can contaminate air, food and water that then enters the body and inhibits the action of acetylcholinesterase, which interrupts the normal transmission of nerve impulses in the body.

Symptoms of chlorpyrifos poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness, muscle twitching, weakness, increased sweating and salivation. Unconsciousness, convulsions and death can result from sufficient exposure.
It is a type of organophosphate, a group that comprises many insecticides, herbicides and nerve gases.

After DDT was banned in 1972, organophosphates became some of the most widely used pesticides in the world.

Poisoning cases became frequent, including organophosphate poisoning deaths of over 1,000 people in Spain in 1981, initially blamed on contaminated salad oil but probably caused by pesticides sprayed on vegetables like tomatoes.

Dow Chemical concealed 249 reports of poisoning by chlorpyrifos, and when the US Environmental Protection Agency found out, Dow had to pay a penalty of US$732,000 in 1995. In 2003 it was forced to pay a fine of $2 million related to false advertising that Dursban was "safe" _ one of the largest fines ever paid by a chemical company.

In 2001, the US Environmental Protection Agency effectively banned chlorpyrifos for use in homes and home gardens, although it is still widely used in agriculture.

The chemical continues to be sold for residential use in many countries, especially developing nations, even in common household products such as dog shampoos, pet flea collars and cockroach and ant sprays.

On July 31, 2007, a coalition of farmworker and advocacy groups in the US filed a lawsuit against the EPA seeking to end to agricultural use of the chlorpyrifos.

In India, the offices of Dow were raided in August, 2007, because it was suspected that the company had bribed officials to allow chlorpyrifos to be sold in the country.

A 2010 study found that a large increase in urinary concentration of organophosphate metabolites was associated with a substantial increase in the odds of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children.

In the EU it is a "priority hazardous substance under review", with a view to gradually phasing out its use.

The Pesticide Action Network estimates that around the world there are 200,000 deaths from pesticide poisoning every year. The website Chlorpyrifos.com, however, states that "Chlorpyrifos products have undergone rigorous, science-based review and received approvals from both the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations for public health and agricultural uses," and that it is authorised for use in over 100 nations.

Originally Posted by genghis61

the Wild Comic Guesthouse?

a joke/hoax perhaps?
No source other than another forum, Google brings up 0

Also - after all this time there has not been a name/confirmation of the mystery French woman, if she existed at all, if she stayed at the DI . . .

"7. James Thomas William from USA, stayed at Wild Comic Guesthouse Chiangmai. Died on 15-Feb-11."

Yes, probably a hoax. At least let's treat it that way for now. Totally unsubstantiated, especially since he allegedly died during the same time frame as others, yet we've heard zero about him--until now. I will try and track the source of this down--methinks it is a certain other forum.

So the owner of the Downtown Inn is a Thaksin supporter. ("The Buranupakorn family was known to be closely connected to the former ruling Thai Rak Thai party and are considered strong Thaksin allies.")

Interesting that all this bad publicity has hurt his business. Must be a coincidence that a bucks-up, super-rich, rolling-in-the-cash supporter of Thaksin had a bunch of tourists die in his hotels.

I mean, who could conceive of Thais murdering people to hurt their political/business opponents. This is the Land of Smiles.

The alleged death of an eight victim ("James Thomas William from USA, stayed at Wild Comic Guesthouse Chiangmai. Died on 15-Feb-1")

was first posted, it seems, on Thailandtraveltragedies.com website possibly on May 3, and then picked up by Thai Visa. Thailandtraveltragedies doesn't seem to be using moderators and, moreover, anyone can log onto site under anyone else's name and post comments under another's name, appearing to be them.

P.S. There is no Wild Comic Guesthouse in Chiangmai, apparently.