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Friday, December 9, 2016

Tainted homemade rice wine kills 15 at funerals in Cambodia

Methanol, the simplest form of alcohol, is closely related to ethanol, the type of alcohol normally found in spirits, beer and wine. Home distillation can concentrate the level of methanol, which is highly toxic.

At least 18 people died in Cambodia's northeastern Kratie province last year after drinking methanol-tainted rice wine.
Intoxicating and deadly: Bootleg rice wine.
Intoxicating and deadly: Bootleg rice wine. Photo: Ben Doherty

Tainted homemade rice wine kills 15 at funerals in Cambodia

Sydney Morning Herald | 10 December 2016

Phnom Penh: Fifteen people have died and at least 78 have been hospitalised in recent weeks after drinking toxic rice wine at a series of funerals in Cambodia in the past five weeks, officials said on Friday.

Rice wine sales were banned in Kompong Chhnang province, about 90km from the capital, Phnom Penh, after villagers became sick from drinking methanol-tainted wine, said Sorin Tiravuthy, director of the provincial hospital.


The first death was reported on November 3 but villagers continued to consume the same rice wine at a different funeral, Tiravuthy said.

Rice wine is a staple in Cambodia, where it is consumed at weddings and funerals.

Home-brewed wine has led to fatalities in the past. The drink, which is relatively inexpensive, can be lethal if not mixed properly.

Tiravuthy said he had lost count of the number of people being hospitalised after drinking bad rice wine.

"At health centres, people are continuously coming in. I don't know how many now," Tiravuthy told Reuters.

Cambodia's Health Minister Mam Bunheng said on Friday the tainted wine included above-normal quantities of methanol and urged people to stop consuming improperly made rice wine.

Methanol, the simplest form of alcohol, is closely related to ethanol, the type of alcohol normally found in spirits, beer and wine. Home distillation can concentrate the level of methanol, which is highly toxic.

At least 18 people died in Cambodia's northeastern Kratie province last year after drinking methanol-tainted rice wine.


1 comment:

  1. Anonymous10:11 AM

    Many Khmers have insulted Vietnamese before as if the Vietnamese are breeding like rabbits [in explaining why Vietnam has a population 6 times of Cambodia]."

    When I cited Cambodia's birth rate to be 50% higher than Vietnam from USA's CIA facts, Khmer folks still disbelieve and accused CIA to be liars.

    I had to point out the facts that Khmers kept dying left and right due to stupidity, they got silent. I am not here to bash you folks but to remind you all to improve. And you must heed to my call: "Stop wasting money on fancy smart phone. Save them and send the money to your poor love ones and relative in Cambodia."

    I believe the trickled down wealth will help everyone in Cambodia. So, do what I say.

    ReplyDelete