Sisters’ death blamed on insecticide
I hadn’t followed closely the saga of the death of the Bélanger sisters in Thailand because it wasn’t a Montreal story, but there are a lot of reports today about tests showing they had ingested a lot of DEET, a powerful insecticide – and even more weirdly, that people in Thailand (tourists, one assumes, not locals, though you never know) drink a cocktail of cough syrup, cola, DEET and kratom to get high. That seems worth a raised eyebrow or so. But it may never be made clear whether the sisters knew what they were getting into, or whether the mixture they consumed was made fatally toxic on purpose or by mistake.
SMD 13:23 on 2012/09/01 Permalink
Southern Thailand has many Muslims who drink this mixture instead of alcohol.
Ian 15:53 on 2012/09/01 Permalink
Bug poison? Shades of William S. Burroughs. I’ll stick with the Thai weapons-grade narcotics, thanks.
Kate 17:30 on 2012/09/01 Permalink
@Ian, There’s a theory that caffeine is essentially bug poison – that may be the reason it occurs in otherwise unrelated plants like coffee, tea and maté.
@SMD, gah. A simple beer or glass of wine seems so healthy compared to a toxic cocktail like that.
david m 14:08 on 2012/09/02 Permalink
pretty much clear that these two babes were out partying and popped some bad drugs. it’s a real shame and hopefully, instead of coming up with some other explanation to soothe the family’s grief, people straight up admit what happened so that others of their cohort going out there know that this weird drug is potentially lethal. like seriously, a year ago on some thai beach all drunk, i’d probably pop something everyone else is doing, but having come across this story, even all drunk, the first thought would be these dead girls.
Kate 14:53 on 2012/09/02 Permalink
Yes, one feels for their family but it does sound like a fatal party error, especially as both of them were affected.