UDON THANI, Thailand – A bowl of noodle soup sent 13 people to the hospital, with six still receiving inpatient care and one having been in intensive care.
What began as a seemingly ordinary lunch on June 8th turned into a nightmare for numerous customers of a small restaurant in the Nong Bua sub-district. After consuming the noodle soup, patrons reported experiencing nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
A total of 13 individuals, aged between 17 and 87, exhibited severe poisoning symptoms. Six of them continue to require inpatient treatment at Udon Thani Hospital, and one was temporarily in intensive care.
“Salt” Tasted Salty, Then Cramps Set In
The 70-year-old shop owner, referred to as Mrs. Pan, has prepared the soup herself for years. When her purchased salt ran out, she used a bag that her son had brought her days earlier.
The powder appeared old and slightly yellowish. “I tasted it with my finger; it tasted salty,” she recounted to officials. Shortly after consuming two spoonfuls of the prepared soup herself, she felt numbness on her lips, followed by dizziness and diarrhea. In addition to noodle soup, she also sells durian at the market.
From the Trash Bin to the Soup Bowl
The investigation traced the source to a neighbor who works as a scrap collector. Mr. Chian, 46, who lives alone after his retirement, regularly sorts through trash bins for usable items. He had collected the powder on the same day as the bags that Mrs. Pan’s son later secretly took.
“I told him not to take that. It comes from the trash and is not clean,” Mr. Chian stated. The son admitted to giving his mother two bags of the substance for the shop, believing it to be table salt.
Father Reports Dramatic Minutes
Thirty-five-year-old construction contractor Sarawut was completely caught off guard. His father, Suriya, 60, described how his son collapsed at the construction site after eating. His eyes were fixed, his hands cramped, and his mouth had to be pried open while in the vehicle.
“My son almost died,” the father said.
He initially went to the Nong Khon Kwang Health Center before heading to Bangkok Hospital. “Now he is conscious but cannot speak yet.” Doctors intubated him and declared him out of danger. He will remain under observation for three days.
Suspicious Bags Secured
Police and the health department arrived on June 9th. Forensic investigators from Udon Thani provincial police took samples from the kitchen and secured three bags of the mysterious powder, which were then handed over to the laboratory of the Department of Medical Sciences.
Investigations are underway against four individuals: the shop owner, her sales assistant, the son, and the scrap collector. Results from the laboratory examination are still pending. The sales assistant maintains her innocence.
Complaint and Sharp Criticism
Mr. Suriya filed a complaint with the police, demanding that the restaurant be held accountable. “I want to ask the shop to cook cleanly and hygienically and to take responsibility,” he stated.
The shop owner, the sales assistant, the son, and the scrap collector were summoned to the police station. The investigation is ongoing to determine how a substance from the trash ended up in the soup bowl.