Thread: Thailand: Unexplained Vomiting Deaths of Foreigners

As other thread was titled ..Food poisoning.." of one person and we are up to 6 (or is it seven deaths?) in Chiang mai as of March 19 2011
Allow new thread please, in news? Post verifiable linked news sources, please or personal experience.

Mostly young, attractive, foreign women.
Out of 16 listed cases, 13 are women.
Out of those 13, 12 are western, 10 are young and attractive. My theory is casual serial eyedrops- in -the -drink or water bottle poisoner possibly unaware of dire effects.
I might even buy my own water for use in the room if visiting that area.

LIST

Chiang Mai; Jan- current, 2011--- 9 illnesses- 8 women, 1 man. 6 deaths 5 women, 1 man .

Phuket; May 15, 2009 - 2 deaths ; German man and ( same time frame )
unrelated Iranian woman, Phuket, known to have visited Phi -Phi day prior.

Phi-Phi, May 1- 2, 2009 - 4 illnesses , 3 women 1 man.
2 deaths, women.

Ko Samet; early Jan, 2005 - 1 illness recovered, woman
( OK, maybe not so young but incredibly attractive. )

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CDC Bulletin on Heart Inflammation ( Note virus is not subject of bulletin. Unusual heart condition is. )



http://pr.ddc.moph.go.th/pnews/showimgdetil.php?id=243

"Common features of the illness among these patients include vomiting without diarrhea and lack of respiratory symptoms..."

Disease Outbreak News

Myocarditis cases in Chiangmai – update 1 (11 March 2011)

On 9 February, the Department of Disease Control was requested by the Chiangmai Provincial Health Office to assist in an investigation into myocarditis cases. The joint investigation team found four clinically-confirmed cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and another two patients with mild symptoms. These six patients were among three separate groups of tourists visiting Chiang Mai, Thailand, between 9 January and 4 February 2011.

All were young women aged 23-33 years and were from the United States (1), Canada (1), France (2) and New Zealand (3).


Of these six patients three died (one each from the USA, France and New Zealand). Five of them became ill while visiting Chiang Mai and one developed symptoms three days before arriving there.

Common features of the illness among these patients include vomiting without diarrhea and lack of respiratory symptoms. One patient had a fever but all others were afebrile. [did not.]
Extensive epidemiological investigation has not revealed any common exposures across the three groups. Laboratory testing of blood and stools to date has not revealed anything except for evidence of infection by an echovirus in one patient and by a Coxsackie virus in another patient from New Zealand. Autopsies on two of the dead patients (American and French) were done by forensic medical expert of Chiang Mai University. The autopsies found nothing abnormal except for inflammation of the heart muscle. The Department of Disease Control has shared this information with the WHO and US CDC offices in Bangkok, as well as the New Zealand Embassy and the International Health Regulation (IHR) focal points of France and the European Community.


In a separate episode, since 3 February, there were three other deaths in the same hotel where the three New Zealanders stayed. This included an elderly British couple and a 47 year old Thai woman. As these three deaths occurred outside the hospital, the police took charge of the investigation. The autopsies of the two elderly Britons found a high degree of coronary occlusion while the examination of the Thai woman found no inflammation of the heart muscle or any other clear evidence to explain the cause of her death.


Myocarditis is a well known illness that may result from many possible etiologies such as viral infection, bacterial infection and toxins and can be found everywhere from time to time. However, four cases among young healthy adults in the same location is rare. The Department of Disease Control will continue its intensive investigation and collaborate with the WHO, IHR authorities and embassy contact persons of the USA, France and New Zealand to determine the causes of myocarditis in all these cases, which may be of the same or of different etiologies.
While the causes of the illnesses remain unknown at this time, travelers are recommended to take general preventive health measures that include eating only hot food, drinking clean water and taking enough rest and exercise. Those
who experience severe sudden multiple vomiting with or without diarrhea, should seek medical attention immediately.

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I would add watch your beverage and maybe even buy your own water .

^ And since the " Food Poisoning " is way way out of date. If you start throwing up..

Common features of the illness among these patients include vomiting without diarrhea and lack of respiratory symptoms...those who experience severe sudden multiple vomiting with or without diarrhea, should seek medical attention immediately.


A channel to receive notification of illness of tourists and expatriates has been set up. Visitors can post their notification at -:- or call Events will be verified and investigated.

053 216 592

Hotline 1422

16th August 2001 report

http://www.ddc.moph.go.th/pnews/showimgpic.php?id=325

There can not have been a cover-up in this case because there were a lot of international experts liaising with Thai experts.
Their consensus seems to be that there was some kind of poison of as yet unknown origin and type. Not surprising considering the limitations of testing and sampling.
I once got some skin scraped off my foot to test for fungal infection, but it came back negative. I later realized (and proved, by treating it) that I had a really bad case of it. REALLY bad.....so bad I thought it was some other skin condition. But for something simple like that the test showed nothing.

re activated charcoal

Originally Posted by KAPPA

( and can be bought at vet stores )

Also can be bought at most Thai pharmacies in 10 or so per blister pack.

January and February, 2011 Chiang-Mai Tourist Deaths; Manslaughter or Murder ?

Whitewashing by Private Web Media

By _____


Regarding the six tourist and one Thai national deaths in Chiang Mai, January and February, 2011, Thai Visa Forum deliberately posts a misleading headline;
Outcome Of Probe On Chiang Mai Tourist And Thai Guide Deaths‏ AFP: Probe finds pesticide link.
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/...hs%26-8207%3B/

However, the Department of Disease Control’s actual statement;
"...likely to be chemical or biotoxin in nature and it is
probable that it might have been a rodenticide. However, the exact agent could not be identified because the quantity of sample from the case was insufficient...
...Despite these efforts, and as difficult as it may be to accept, ultimately, the precise causes for the deaths and illnesses can not be definitively identified or confirmed."

Link www.ddc.moph.go.th
Link update 5 final 16 aug 11.pdf

And already, foreign press and private blogs are relaying what I believe to be false and misleading information- falsely confirmed as death from accidental, random poisonings from innocent pesticide use.
Discussion and a site has been set up by one of the victim's families to post experiences Unfortunately the site relies on the same misleading headlines and poorly researched foreign based blog articles to prop up the pesticide link theory.
I submit the site's owners have an interest in having a specific company held liable for wrongful death.

Thailand Travel Tragedies Site
http://www.thailandtraveltragedies.c...carter-tragedy

I have for some time now come to believe the Phi -Phi deaths of two young and attractive western women, with another ill but recovered, a male companion, and then two more deaths on Phuket a week later - all having the symptoms of acute vomiting, are all related to this Chiang- Mai cluster.
Indeed, as the DDC report has listed just about every cause as possible aside from intentional prank or intent to harm poisoning, it is suspect by omission .
Young, attractive western women are overly represented in both clusters and this fact is also ignored by the DDC report, possibly not even noted.
It is deliberate and intentional, perhaps at time random poisonings by a person who may well not be aware of the dire consequences suffered by some of the victims due to underlying health problems or other factors , such as alcohol ingestion, age, etc..

_End

More on possible compounds

Eye drops;


WIKI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visine


A common urban legend is that a few drops of Visine in an unsuspecting victim's drink will cause a harmless bout of diarrhea. This will not produce diarrhea, but oral administration of Visine can induce dangerous side effects related to Visine's ingredient tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride such as:

• Dangerously low body temperature (hypothermia)
• Blurred vision
• Nausea and vomiting
• Difficulty in breathing or even a complete halt in breathing
• Elevating (hypertension) then dropping (hypotension) blood pressure
• Possible coma
• Seizures and tremors

Pfizer recommends that anyone ingesting Visine get medical attention or contact a poison control center immediately.[2]


More on compounds.

Currently, Visine is formulated in several varieties:
VISINE A.C. - Astringent/Redness Reliever Eye Drops (Tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.05%, Zinc sulfate 0.25%)

• Special formula for allergens, such as ragweed, dust, or pollen.

VISINE FOR CONTACTS - For Silicone Hydrogel and Hydrophilic lenses

• Used primarily for comfort during the day, moistening upon awakening and before sleep.

VISINE L.R. (Oxymetazoline HCI 0.025%)

• A longer-lasting formula that lasts for up to 6 hours.

VISINE TEARS (Glycerin 0.2%, Hypromellose 0.2%, Polyethylene glycol 400 1% - Used AS NEEDED)

• See artificial tears.

VISINE-A (Formerly OCUHIST) (Naphazoline hydrochloride 0.025%, Pheniramine maleate 0.3%)

Bangkok Post : 'No one held to account' for Chiang Mai hotel fatalities

That Bangkok Post piece is far worse than The Nation's in drawing false conclusions. The report is clear, cause unknown.

..released on Tuesday after a five-month probe into six deaths which were associated with the hotel _ concluded that three of the deaths were probably connected to the use of pesticides.

And this;

The report said that the Everitts, from Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom, may have been poisoned by the same chemicals, but it could not make a direct link to the other three deaths.

According to DDC report # 5, te Everitts [elderly couple] report reached no conclusion other than heart attacks and no link to toxin was reported.

Mr. Everitt, their son; "I don't understand why such deadly chemicals would have been used in a hotel _ there's no explanation..
..The parents of New Zealander Sarah Carter, 23, another hotel guest identified as likely to have died after exposure to pesticides, said they were hopeful that local health authorities would follow up the report's recommendation to better control the use of pesticides in hotels.

The explanation, Mr. Everitt and Mr. Carter, is quite possibly pesticides in the hotel aren't to blame. Which is why...

"....they certainly haven't done anything that's in any way likely to make anyone accountable, [such as launching a] thorough investigation around the hotel or into the pesticide company"...

..Local authorities originally said the woman had died from eating "toxic seaweed" from a food stall.

Drummond reported this snippet and it was seized upon, much like this pesticide theory is now being circulated. That was the first misinformation.

At this point I think families are so keen on it being pesticide at the DT Inn, they just aren't open to it being anything else. Angling for a lawsuit, no doubt. Maybe I'm wrong. Regardless, I wish the Carter's and other families all the best in dealing with their losses.

At least this was inserted in the middle which is the only factual statement in the whole article.

The report conceded that despite the best efforts of Thai authorities and their international partners, "the precise causes of the deaths and illnesses cannot be definitively identified or confirmed" and added that full laboratory tests had been hindered due to inadequate samples.

Read it for yourselves DDC Report # 5, August 16, 2011 update 5 final 16 aug 11.pdf

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V I S I N E

Visine causes all reported symptoms. It can kill in dosages under an ounce, it has little smell. It is cheap and available in every shoppe.
Why, why, why is the fact it is mostly young attractive, western women DYING has not been mentioned ONCE in any media error- filled report?
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Originally Posted by BobR

Call it an evil thought, but if someone here is deliberately poisoning farang women, it would not surprise me at all if the criminal was a male farang. No, I've never been there.

I agree with you that the murderer does not have to be Thai.

As Latindancer pointed out elsewhere it is noteworthy they haven't produced the "Portugese guy" who escorted the Belanger sisters to their rooms. Surely the Thais know who this is, or have narrowed it down, right? Immigration takes pictures of everyone arriving and I think they know when he flew out.