Thailand officials say poisoning possible as 6 found dead in Bangkok hotel, including Vietnamese Americans (Bangkok, Thailand)

[dotr]

I’m sorry for being graphic but in this picture it looks as though legs are seen to the left side? Surely it’s not a victim lying there? Moo

At first glance it does eerily resemble a pair of legs, but thinking it is rolled up material of some sort, well hope so anyway! speculation, imo.

Spoiler: Graphic

They had dinner at the hotel (
Image:
ROYAL THAI POLICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Police believe Bangkok cyanide murder victims 'were poisoned by US woman'

Police say traces of cyanide were found in the cups of six Vietnamese and American guests at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok - with the six people last seen alive when food was delivered to the room Monday afternoon

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Michael_Rivers]

At first glance it does eerily resemble a pair of legs, but thinking it is rolled up material of some sort, well hope so anyway! speculation, imo.

Spoiler: Graphic

They had dinner at the hotel (
Image:
ROYAL THAI POLICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Police believe Bangkok cyanide murder victims 'were poisoned by US woman'

Police say traces of cyanide were found in the cups of six Vietnamese and American guests at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok - with the six people last seen alive when food was delivered to the room Monday afternoon

www.mirror.co.uk

I've attached the same photograph from the Royal Thai Police to show that the legs of a victim were indeed displayed within the previous photo:

Family break silence as faces of six killed by cyanide tea revealed

US citizen Sherine Chong, 56, is believed to have poisoned herself and five other people with cyanide inside the Grand Hyatt Erawan on Monday after she accrued huge debts.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[rockthecasbah]

I’m sorry for being graphic but in this picture it looks as though legs are seen to the left side? Surely it’s not a victim lying there? Moo

Yes it is, it's captioned as such and blurred out in this article:

Family break silence as faces of six killed by cyanide tea revealed

US citizen Sherine Chong, 56, is believed to have poisoned herself and five other people with cyanide inside the Grand Hyatt Erawan on Monday after she accrued huge debts.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[vls12345]

Thailand issues cyanide warning after mass murder-suicide - VnExpress International

The Thai government has issued warnings about the dangers of cyanide and the punishments levied on those who sell the chemical, following the deadly poisoning of six Vietnamese in a Bangkok hotel.

e.vnexpress.net

"Deputy Bangkok Police Chief Noppasin Poolsawat announced that authorities are focusing on finding the sources of the cyanide that Chong used. Noppasin said the toxin might have been imported into the country, or bought from within Thailand."

The article also mentions Sararat "Am" Rangsiwuthaporn (mentioned upthread) who used cyanide on her victims too:

"The case also raised public concerns about Thai authorities' lax management of cyanide in Thailand, as the serial killer bought and used the toxin as a murder weapon freely and undetected for a sustained long period of time.

Authorities found that Sararat purchased cyanide that was imported from Spain to Thailand. She bought the chemical online, from an unregistered company with a factory in Lat Krabang District."

The article adds that about 100 people bought cyanide from the same place.

 

[vls12345]

Bodies of Vietnamese citizens in Bangkok hotel cyanide poisoning to be repatriated - VnExpress International

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand on Friday supported family members of those who died in the Bangkok hotel incident to receive their personal belongings handed over by Thai police.

e.vnexpress.net

 

[Inthedetails]

Thailand issues cyanide warning after mass murder-suicide - VnExpress International

The Thai government has issued warnings about the dangers of cyanide and the punishments levied on those who sell the chemical, following the deadly poisoning of six Vietnamese in a Bangkok hotel.

e.vnexpress.net

"Deputy Bangkok Police Chief Noppasin Poolsawat announced that authorities are focusing on finding the sources of the cyanide that Chong used. Noppasin said the toxin might have been imported into the country, or bought from within Thailand."

The article also mentions Sararat "Am" Rangsiwuthaporn (mentioned upthread) who used cyanide on her victims too:

"The case also raised public concerns about Thai authorities' lax management of cyanide in Thailand, as the serial killer bought and used the toxin as a murder weapon freely and undetected for a sustained long period of time.

Authorities found that Sararat purchased cyanide that was imported from Spain to Thailand. She bought the chemical online, from an unregistered company with a factory in Lat Krabang District."

The article adds that about 100 people bought cyanide from the same place.

So the cyanide was from Spain??

jmo

 

[vls12345]

So the cyanide was from Spain??

jmo

It was for Sararat "Am" Rangsiwuthaporn who used cyanide to kill her victims. (Murders from 2015 to 2023.)
Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn - Wikipedia

In this case (at the hotel), they are still investigating where the cyanide came from.

The article mentioned the earlier case to demonstrate how easy it is to buy cyanide in Thailand.

Thailand issues cyanide warning after mass murder-suicide - VnExpress International

The Thai government has issued warnings about the dangers of cyanide and the punishments levied on those who sell the chemical, following the deadly poisoning of six Vietnamese in a Bangkok hotel.

e.vnexpress.net

 

[Inthedetails]

It was for Sararat "Am" Rangsiwuthaporn who used cyanide to kill her victims. (Murders from 2015 to 2023.)
Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn - Wikipedia

In this case (at the hotel), they are still investigating where the cyanide came from.

The article mentioned the earlier case to demonstrate how easy it is to buy cyanide in Thailand.

Thailand issues cyanide warning after mass murder-suicide - VnExpress International

The Thai government has issued warnings about the dangers of cyanide and the punishments levied on those who sell the chemical, following the deadly poisoning of six Vietnamese in a Bangkok hotel.

e.vnexpress.net

Yes. Here's the quote:

"Authorities found that Sararat purchased cyanide that was imported from Spain to Thailand."

I was expressing, inadequately, a general surprise about Spain more than the case itself (but it's not as if I'm in the loop about poison shipments so perhaps I'm alone in my surprise, lol!).

jmo

 

[sunspun]

I'm surprised this scheme worked so "well" (for the alleged killer.) It seems like there would be many ways this could have failed. I know cyanide acts very quickly when ingested. If one person took a drink before the others and began to convulse, I don't think the others would be drinking anything after they saw that. Even if they didn't immediately think the drinks were poisoned, just the instant tragedy they found themselves in would have made a lot of things more important than carrying on with dinner and drinks (like helping the victim.) And even if someone did stop to take a drink in the midst of all that, the same would happen to them, which would then give the others reason to suspect the drinks, and of course, no one else would drink theirs.

So that would end up with no more than 2 victims, but this worked so perfectly that all FIVE of the victims died and then of course, also the suspect. I can only think of one way to synchronize it so that the timing would work that well.

She must have made a toast with everyone included, even herself probably. Everyone had to have taken their first (and last) drinks simultaneously. I wonder if she drank at the same time, and died while everyone else was dying, or if she watched them all die, and then took care of herself only when she was sure.

It seems like that 7th person would at least be another suspect. I guess they had solid evidence to rule them out.

 

[Inthedetails]

I'm surprised this scheme worked so "well" (for the alleged killer.) It seems like there would be many ways this could have failed. I know cyanide acts very quickly when ingested. If one person took a drink before the others and began to convulse, I don't think the others would be drinking anything after they saw that. Even if they didn't immediately think the drinks were poisoned, just the instant tragedy they found themselves in would have made a lot of things more important than carrying on with dinner and drinks (like helping the victim.) And even if someone did stop to take a drink in the midst of all that, the same would happen to them, which would then give the others reason to suspect the drinks, and of course, no one else would drink theirs.

So that would end up with no more than 2 victims, but this worked so perfectly that all FIVE of the victims died and then of course, also the suspect. I can only think of one way to synchronize it so that the timing would work that well.

She must have made a toast with everyone included, even herself probably. Everyone had to have taken their first (and last) drinks simultaneously. I wonder if she drank at the same time, and died while everyone else was dying, or if she watched them all die, and then took care of herself only when she was sure.

It seems like that 7th person would at least be another suspect. I guess they had solid evidence to rule them out.

I agree. I'm envisioning a toast and everyone drinks at once. Horrifying.

jmo

 

[vls12345]

Yes. Here's the quote:

"Authorities found that Sararat purchased cyanide that was imported from Spain to Thailand."

I was expressing, inadequately, a general surprise about Spain more than the case itself (but it's not as if I'm in the loop about poison shipments so perhaps I'm alone in my surprise, lol!).

jmo

I'm not in the loop about it either & was surprised about Spain exporting cyanide as well as how easy it seems to be to procure cyanide. How does one go about finding that out, you know? In the case of this killer, how did she know who to contact, where to go, etc. to buy cyanide, whether in Thailand or the US or anywhere else? Since LE in Thailand hasn't yet said where the cocaine came from, I still wonder if she brought it with her from the US. (Is it easily smuggled?)

 

[vls12345]

I agree. I'm envisioning a toast and everyone drinks at once. Horrifying.

jmo

Had the same thoughts too....

Imo.

 

[Via Marple]

I can see 6 tea cups in two photos, including one circled (by a journalist?) on the food table, next to a fallen victim.

Doesn't look like they had just finished toasting together to me.. But I don't know how Vietnamese culture does toasts.

I've attached the same photograph from the Royal Thai Police to show that the legs of a victim were indeed displayed within the previous photo:
View attachment 520212

Family break silence as faces of six killed by cyanide tea revealed

US citizen Sherine Chong, 56, is believed to have poisoned herself and five other people with cyanide inside the Grand Hyatt Erawan on Monday after she accrued huge debts.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[rockthecasbah]

I'm surprised this scheme worked so "well" (for the alleged killer.) It seems like there would be many ways this could have failed. I know cyanide acts very quickly when ingested. If one person took a drink before the others and began to convulse, I don't think the others would be drinking anything after they saw that. Even if they didn't immediately think the drinks were poisoned, just the instant tragedy they found themselves in would have made a lot of things more
She must have made a toast with everyone included, even herself probably. Everyone had to have taken their first (and last) drinks simultaneously. I wonder if she drank at the same time, and died while everyone else was dying, or if she watched them all die, and then took care of herself only when she was sure.

Is there a way to find out forensically which?

 

[Michael_Rivers]

I'm not in the loop about it either & was surprised about Spain exporting cyanide as well as how easy it seems to be to procure cyanide. How does one go about finding that out, you know? In the case of this killer, how did she know who to contact, where to go, etc. to buy cyanide, whether in Thailand or the US or anywhere else? Since LE in Thailand hasn't yet said where the cocaine came from, I still wonder if she brought it with her from the US. (Is it easily smuggled?)

I'm not entirely sure which type of cyanide this particular substance is, but sodium cyanide is used in the gold mining industry within Kenya, particularly for low-grade ores. In an article from the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime, it is suggested that criminality and corruption turns this opportunity for exporting gold into a great risk, supposedly due to organised crime looking to make money by distributing or smuggling sodium cyanide. For Kenyans, the gold mining industry is a great opportunity for people to earn a living and is a big employer, providing over one million people with a livelihood in a country that suffers from a very high crime rate due to economic hardship. Potentially criminal organisations are circling around miners, applying pressure here and there, looking to exploit vulnerable people to provide them with unknown quantities of cyanide in order for them to be distributed elsewhere. It might be a source, it might not, but certainly something to be considered. JMO of course.

Summary

Trends, developments and insights into the relationship between criminal economies and instability across Eastern and Southern Africa.

riskbulletins.globalinitiative.net

Kenya | planetGOLD

Supporting the adoption of mercury-free technologies for a safer environment and better livelihoods

www.planetgold.org

 

[Michael_Rivers]

MSM has gone relatively quiet regarding this case. I've conducted some further research and have seen that the police did follow up on the group's guide who was requested by one of the group days before the incident to acquire medicine, snake's blood, which is believed to soothe aches and pains. I imagine that was just routine police work to rule the guide out. However, it certainly appears as though the Thai authorities and leading politicians are now considering the case closed and are looking to continue promoting Thailand's tourist industry. A strange incident indeed but one that could have been committed purely out of the suspect's fear of losing a great amount as they faced a series of court trials as a consequence of the failed investment opportunity.

Bangkok cyanide poisoning: What we know so far

Six people were found dead in a locked hotel room - but what happened remains unclear.

www.bbc.co.uk