At least six people have died and more than 20 have been hospitalized in Thailand after drinking methanol-laced bootleg alcohol, authorities said on Wednesday. The deaths happened mainly in Khlong Sam Wa district on the northwest edge of Bangkok, where authorities found 19 illegal roadside alcohol stands, the Thai capital’s administration said.
Predominantly Buddhist Thailand has strict alcohol laws, restricting liquor sales to certain hours of the day and banning them on religious holidays. Somwang Chaiprakraiwan, the top local official in Khlong Sam Wa district, said authorities had cracked down on illicit alcohol shops in the area.
Illicit liquor is often spiked with methanol to increase its potency. If ingested, methanol can cause blindness, liver damage and death.
