Six people died after drinking alcohol in Thailand

Last Updated on August 30, 2024 10:49 am

At least six people have died and more than 20 have been hospitalized after drinking illegally brewed alcohol containing methanol in Thailand. Authorities said this on Wednesday.

The deaths occurred in the Khlong Sam Wa district on the northwest edge of Bangkok, where authorities found 19 illegal alcohol stands on the side of the road. The administration of the Thai capital said this.

Six people died in hospital and 22 others are in critical condition.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration gave this information in a statement on Wednesday morning.

“The symptoms my father described after drinking reminded him of gas reflux,” relatives of one of the alcoholics told public broadcaster ThaiPBS.

Predominantly Buddhist Thailand has strict alcohol laws. Liquor is restricted on sale at certain times of the day and consumption of alcohol is prohibited on religious holidays. But critics say the tougher rules have fueled the illegal market for cheaply produced alcohol. Brewed in unregulated backstreet distilleries, this liquor is locally known as ‘Ya Dong’.