The death toll of people consuming moonshine methanol rose to two as two siblings were arrested for producing and distributing the illicit liquor in northern Bangkok.
Dr Pairoj Surattanawanich, deputy director-general of the Department of Medical Services, said that as of 8am on Monday the death toll was two and 25 other victims remained at hospitals. Most of them –16 – were at Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital in Bangkok's Khannayao district. Two victims were dependent on respirators and a total of 17 needed dialysis.
The outbreak of moonshine methanol poisoning began last Thursday, with the first death on Saturday. Officials then closed 18 homemade liquor stalls in Khannayao, Khlong Sam Wa, Lat Krabang, Min Buri, Nong Chok and Prawet districts of Bangkok as they were suspected of selling the illicit brew.
Dr Pairoj said that the presence of methanol in liquor was not necessarily dangerous, but it must not exceed 1,000 parts per million (ppm). However, samples from such stalls contained as many as 100,000 ppm, he said. The vendors might be unaware of the dangerous content in the raw material from their suppliers.
According to officials, the stall owners received liquor from a woman called Jeh Pu. The woman said she made the liquor using the formula of her late father, and she sourced the ingredients from two brothers.
The brothers – Surasak Insam and Surachai Insam, aged 46 and 44 – were arrested at home in Saphan Sung district of Bangkok on Sunday. Both insisted that they had bought 95-degree ethanol, mixed it with plain water to produce 35-degree alcohol and sold the mixture to Jeh Pu.
Police initially charged the brothers with producing liquor without a permit and were waiting for laboratory examination of their liquor.