Last month, when six Vietnamese people were found dead at a luxury hotel in Bangkok, the news spread internationally. An autopsy conducted by Chulalongkorn Hospital reported that cyanide was the cause of death for all six victims. The tragic incident brought up memories of the case of Am Cyanide in 2023 and renewed awareness of the dangers of cyanide.
Am is currently charged with the murder of 14 people by using cyanide and attempted murder of one victim who survived. To raise awareness and discuss cyanide, Kasetsart University organised a forum titled "How To End Danger From Cyanide Poisoning". At the start of forum, Assoc Prof Sasimanas Unajak, the director of the Innovative Vaccine and Veterinary Biologics Center at Kasetsart University, gave examples of two cases in Thailand which made people realise the danger of cyanide poisoning is closer to everyone than people think.
"This year, a five-year-old child was hospitalised after inadvertently consuming a sip of cleaning solution which contained cyanide as one of its ingredients. After collaboration between Khun Yuam Hospital and Sri Sangwan Hospital in Mae Hong Son and receiving antidotes, sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate, the child recovered," said Assoc Prof Sasimanas. "A case in 1999 involved siblings from Chachoengsao.
Nine hours after a four-year-old girl and her one-and-a-half-year-old brother consumed boiled cassava, they began vomiting violently and lost consciousness. They were sent to Ramathibodi Hospital an.