Mystery Death Of British Tourist Sparks E Coli Alarm In Thailand

[SICHONSTEVE]

Uh Oh - Drank a lot of iced lemon tea that time - Cheers, Amigo - I really should have known better !

Don't go writing a will yet on account of my post 'mrdjt' as this will likely only be the occasional ICEolated bar in touristy areas where the competition is pretty cut throat due to the large amount of bars and limited customer base meaning that they have to resort to some pretty unsavoury practices in order to make money (a case of sod the customer) i'm afraid.

[Chopperboy]

How do you die from acute diarrhea.. i've had it for years and it's never gone away. Those people are really weak or what?

Shigella produces toxins and causes dysentery, it can kill particularly if it spreads to organs like the kidneys. Children and old people are particularly vulnerable.

[jesselv]

It's a third world country with no regulation of anything, what would you expect. In a poor country anyone no matter their personal hygiene can hang out a shingle or sell food on the street. Yet another reason to find elsewhere to hang your hat if you're a retiree looking for inexpensive living. Just find an economically distressed area of the U.S., god knows there's plenty of options in that regard these days. At least you'll still have some measure of regulation and monitoring of food sources and handling.

Edited June 22, 2011 by jesselv

[exbelg]

what is the use of washing 10x your hands, when the cook of the restaurant doens't wash his after taking nr 2 if you know what i mean

[johncat1]

Oh dear, all this talk about poor Thai hygiene has gotten me real worried. Should I restrict myself to just eating in 5 star hotels? Do the chefs, waiters/waitresses wash their hands there? I guess there aren't any 5 star hotels in Isaan either considering that it seems so backwards so should I avoid going to Isaan?

I live in Isaan and find it no worse than any other parts of Thailand

BUT I would think twice about buying roadside food in Bangkok which is contaminated by all the traffic pollution and often the rancid smell from the poorly maintained drainage system, and I rarely see any hand washing facilities for the food vendors / cooks

[KRS1]

The four times that ive had it the worst were from food establishments located inside shopping malls. The first was that pretzel shop Aunty M's or whatever its called, that was a bad one and made me produce green turds,i had one of those sour cream and onion pretzels.

The second time was from a Kao Soi vendor at the Mall Bangkapi.

Thoird time was from a Kao Mun Gai seller at New World mall in Nonthaburi, soup was extra salty, i guess to preserve it.

Just recently i had a problem with the 'fresh' cold cut selection at tops supermarket Kad suan kaew chiang mai, outdated cold cuts. I was wondering why the meat looked browner than usual.

I cant recall street vendors ever giving me a problem because they are always made fresh daily.

[davidkia]

yes a lot of people have been getting sick in Thailand for years and the system still don't even try to do anything about it , in England although not perfict in many ways would have place closed down the minute things like this happen but here the official just seem to do nothing after all a death dosen't seem to mean a lot here, so sad as this is really a nice place but as usual it's the people that make or break a place ! ( maybe in time they will make people do thier jobs & cut out under the table system that they deny is here ) could go on but no point after all it's only another human visitor dead! SAD.

[ableguy]

Yet another mystery death in LOS. RIP

Obvious case of suicide.

[ableguy]

yes a lot of people have been getting sick in Thailand for years and the system still don't even try to do anything about it , in England although not perfict in many ways would have place closed down the minute things like this happen but here the official just seem to do nothing after all a death dosen't seem to mean a lot here, so sad as this is really a nice place but as usual it's the people that make or break a place ! ( maybe in time they will make people do thier jobs & cut out under the table system that they deny is here ) could go on but no point after all it's only another human visitor dead! SAD.

life and death is one of the cheapest commodoties in Thailand. and it willot change in our lifetime.

[ableguy]

Oh dear, all this talk about poor Thai hygiene has gotten me real worried. Should I restrict myself to just eating in 5 star hotels? Do the chefs, waiters/waitresses wash their hands there? I guess there aren't any 5 star hotels in Isaan either considering that it seems so backwards so should I avoid going to Isaan?

I live in Isaan and find it no worse than any other parts of Thailand

BUT I would think twice about buying roadside food in Bangkok which is contaminated by all the traffic pollution and often the rancid smell from the poorly maintained drainage system, and I rarely see any hand washing facilities for the food vendors / cooks

They do wash their hands I saw a street vendor wash his hands in a bag of bean sproute he had that were soaking in water

[bristolgeoff]

did he visit chiang mai and stay in the downtown inn

[outofoz]

"To date, 633,206 people are reported to have been stricken by digestive system disease. Of this number 583,501 fell ill from severe diarrhoea and 44,555 cases were suffering from food poisoning."

from which date to which date? Should i have reported?

[ableguy]

Diarrhoea is just a load of crap.

[kokesaat]

The original article from http://breakingnews.nationchannel.com/r ... sid=515970

said that

On 20 June at 12:30AM a 66 year old from London, England, was found naked in his room, with feces all over, no signs of physical assault. He had been dead about 4 hours.

Five days before his death, he rented a room at the hotel, alone. He drank frequently and a lot, according to the hotel manager. When the staff cleaned his room each day, there was vomit and feces in the room. The staff told him to go to a doctor, but he refused. He went out drinking at a nearby bar.

According to the investigation, a possible cause of death is from E. coli. The investigation continues.

[samurai]

. . . ."Meanwhile, an investigator, Police Lieutenant Veerachon Khonthai, who had conducted the investigation into the death of Daniel, developed acute diarrhoea on Monday night after eating at a restaurant in Udon Thani.". . .

Which restaurant?

I don't think that anyone knows.

Eating food is just the usual suspect and i think we can exclude that the man got the E.coli from eating an unpeeled banana or preparing and undercooking some roast beef by himself in his hotel room.

Maybe he got it from some ice cream vendor or he touched something and didn't clean his hands probably before peeling his bananas.

[sirchai]

How do you die from acute diarrhea.. i've had it for years and it's never gone away. Those people are really weak or what?

You have not had acute diarrhea. Acute means18 out of 24 hours you have severe cramps that immobilize you and only water comes out that end. Your body becomes dehydrated within 2 to 4 days. And if not treated properly by a doctor and fluids. you die.

"If this man was infected with E coli O104, his severe diarrhea would have developed within 10 days of his arrival in Thailand," Paijit added.

Please, there are different types of diarrhea, acute only means that you need to stay near a hong naam. Most people with a brain would go to see a doctor, which might be a problem in some areas.

Dermatologists do not know too much about Montezuma's revenge...........................:jap:

[sirchai]

. . . ."Meanwhile, an investigator, Police Lieutenant Veerachon Khonthai, who had conducted the investigation into the death of Daniel, developed acute diarrhoea on Monday night after eating at a restaurant in Udon Thani.". . .

Which restaurant?

I don't think that anyone knows.

Eating food is just the usual suspect and i think we can exclude that the man got the E.coli from eating an unpeeled banana or preparing and undercooking some roast beef by himself in his hotel room.

Maybe he got it from some ice cream vendor or he touched something and didn't clean his hands probably before peeling his bananas.

<deleted> is eating unpeeled bananas? Even monkeys know that..........................:jap:

[stanley2550]

There is no doubt that acute diarrhea can kill you..especially am amoebic kind. An it definetly can contracted by an unclean resturant etc etc. Acute means just that; a rapid onset and short and server course.

[seriouseats]

Seems a lot of people know my health.

I have to specify, my body has gotten used lately to all the thai germs, the unwashed knives touching raw chicken, etc etc. I dont get any diarhea nowadays unless i get food poisoning at a Thai BBQ place.

But i have had so many times where i was crouching in the shower, shitting acid water on the walls.. You don't ever die from this if you hydrate. There's always gatorade.

I have not seen a huge difference in the times i got antibiotics and the times i went through it by myself with electrolytes and stuffing of food(then vomiting it hoping to keep 5% of nutriments)

[webfact]

E-COLI

Dead Briton's things 'did not infect officer'

By The Nation

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit yesterday dismissed speculation that an Udon Thani policeman became ill after touching the passport of a 66-year-old British tourist who succumbed to similar symptoms on June 20.

"Police Lieutenant Veerachon Khonthai had diarrhoea before he handled Daniel Forges' passport," Jurin said, adding that the officer was on his way to recovery.

"He ate food that was partially raw before developing diarrhoea in the evening of June 20," Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit said. "The likely cause of his illness was food poisoning."

Paijit added that the policeman was not present at the hotel where Forges was found dead and those who inspected the scene, including hotel cleaners and members of the staff, were being monitored to see if they develop symptoms.

"To date, none of these 25 individuals have developed diarrhoea, though they will be watched for another seven days," he said.

Forges arrived in Thailand on June 5, developed diarrhoea on June 18 and died two days later. However, Paijit said the cause of the death will be determined through lab tests and expects the results to be released today. He said it was unlikely that the Escherichia coli O104, a European strain of the E coli bacteria, was responsible for the death.

Disease Control Department deputy director general Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, meanwhile, has advised officials dealing with autopsies to always wear protective gear. "They should also wash their hands with soap or alcoholbased hand gel after conducting an autopsy or if they have any contact with things belonging to the dead," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-06-23

[iancnx]

I am not a doctor, but I am a trained medic and qualified practitioner in 'Medicine in Remote Areas' (MIRA). Having worked (and therefore eaten) in the worst, dilapidated and most inhospitable countries in the world on 3 continents I can give you all a little tip - go buy some Ciprofloxacin. If this antibiotic has not worked within 24 hrs then it would be smart to get to hospital and have a sample tested. It has never failed for me.....yet!

[Semper]

How do you die from acute diarrhea.. i've had it for years and it's never gone away. Those people are really weak or what?

If you´ve had it for years - i strongly suggest you visit a doctor ASAP....think of your surroundings......with all that shit....maybe you are a strong man?

Nothing to worry about. He is just a Chang drinker like myself.

[overhaul38]

How do you die from acute diarrhea.. i've had it for years and it's never gone away. Those people are really weak or what?

If you've had diarrhea for years it is not acute, it is chronic and I would certainly see a doctor. Diarrhea for years is not normal.

[seriouseats]

How do you die from acute diarrhea.. i've had it for years and it's never gone away. Those people are really weak or what?

If you've had diarrhea for years it is not acute, it is chronic and I would certainly see a doctor. Diarrhea for years is not normal.

not in thailand.

[phanangpete]

Well im so glad there are an infinite number of doctors on this site, giving accurate diagnosis for all ailments ! Bowel problems go along side old age, so the elderly need to take more care about what they eat, anywhere. Lets wait and here what the authorities state on this incident.

One thing is for sure you will get acute food, drink or even ice posioning in many places in Asia, and Thailand is no different, i recall ordering a certain spirit and coke in a restaurant on Koh Chang some four years ago, all my company ordered beer, three hours later, i had acute everthing ! Severe band of pain around my head, diahorea, sweating, it lasted for 5 days and severely weakened me for a month afterwards. No one else had any symtoms, it was the ice, the conclusion was from experienced travelers, the ice, which had been scraped off the open fish cooler by inexperienced staff, as the hotel restaurant had run out, yes true, so since then im careful ! very !

The washing of hands here, watch the open stall owners selling food, is a strange habit for them, plus their immune systems are completely different to ours, they have been brought up eating this way , westerners have not, need i say more .

[anterian]

I hate long distance flying, I always end up constipated, at such times I would welcome a bout of diarrhoea.

[Rainmon]

Having said that, this victim arrived in LOS over two weeks ago but there's no indication of when he actually arrived in Udon. He may have eaten some dodgy German bean sprouts before he even got here.

Well said, that is the first thing I thought of after hearing of the outbreaks in Europe.

Also, note I had food poisoning 5 or more times in Thailand living 4 years there. I always keep a supply of Cipro or Norfloxacin and at the first sign of food poisoning start the medicine. Never wait or think it will be better tomorrow, take the meds quickly after symptoms appear. I even got food poisoning from MacDonalds once...

[webfact]

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Dead Tourist Had E. Coli Strain, Tests Show

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