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Six people, comprising four Vietnamese nationals and two US citizens, were found dead in a luxury hotel room in central Bangkok, and Thai police believe they likely drank from tea and coffee cups laced with cyanide following a dispute over bad investments. Why is the lethal poison an instant killer? read more
 "The deadly combination of cyanide and crime")
A screen shows a picture from the crime scene with teacups in which cyanide was found, during a presser following a case of six foreign nationals who were found dead in a room in a plush Bangkok hotel at Lumpini Police Station, in Bangkok, Thailand, July 17, 2024. Reuters
Six guests, comprising four Vietnamese nationals and two Vietnamese Americans, were found dead in a locked hotel room at the luxurious Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok, Thailand. Initial autopsy results revealed traces of cyanide in their blood, pointing to poisoning as the cause of death.
The victims, three men and three women aged between 37 and 56, were last seen alive on Monday afternoon when food was delivered to their room. Security footage showed them arriving one by one, with no other visitors entering or leaving the room.
When they failed to check out, hotel staff discovered their bodies the next day. The food from the previous day was untouched, but several used teacups and two thermoses were found on a table, which later tested positive for cyanide.
Lt. Gen. Trairong Piwpan, chief of the Thai police force’s forensic division, confirmed the presence of cyanide in the cups and thermoses. Bangkok police chief Lt. Gen. Thiti Sangsawang stated that the victims likely did not consume the poison knowingly, as their bodies were found in different parts of the room, indicating they did not wait for death together.
While police suspect one of the six poisoned the others, the exact individual responsible has not been identified. “This wasn’t an act of terrorism or a breach in security. Everything is fine,” said Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Not the first Thai high-profile case involving cyanide…
A recent case is that of Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, Thailand’s first female serial killer. In 2023, Sararat was charged with poisoning 15 people over several years, killing 14 of them. Her victims were often people she owed money to, and she used cyanide to settle her debts. Sararat’s ex-husband, Witoon Rangsiwuthaporn, faced charges of fraud but denied knowledge of the murders.
Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn was arrested after suspicions arose over the death of her friend Siriporn Khanwong. The two had met to release fish at a pier in Ratchaburi when Siriporn suddenly collapsed and died. An autopsy revealed cyanide traces in Siriporn’s body. Media reports accused Sararat of leaving the scene instead of helping as bystanders tried to revive Siriporn. Following her arrest, more families reported similar sudden deaths after meeting Sararat.
Victims included Sararat’s friends, a former partner, and police officers. The case prompted police to investigate other suspicious deaths with similar symptoms across five provinces.
Cyanide poisoning is not new, with several high-profile cases in history. One of the most infamous is the Tylenol murders in Chicago in 1982, where potassium cyanide-laced painkillers resulted in several deaths. The perpetrator was never caught, but the case led to significant changes in product safety and packaging.
Cyanide: The deadly poison
Cyanide is a fast-acting toxin with a notorious reputation in both historical and recent cases of poisoning. It binds to the iron atom in cytochrome C oxidase in the mitochondria of cells, inhibiting aerobic respiration by preventing cells from using oxygen to produce energy molecules.
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This leads to the rapid death of heart muscle cells and nerve cells, causing symptoms like headache, dizziness, weakness, confusion, and fatigue, progressing to respiratory failure, convulsions, and death.
How cyanide poisons
In essence, cyanide inhibits the body’s ability to utilise oxygen at the cellular level. The cyanide ion (CN-) binds to the iron atom in cytochrome C oxidase within the mitochondria, preventing the enzyme from functioning correctly. This enzyme is crucial for the final step in the electron transport chain of aerobic cellular respiration.
Without the ability to use oxygen, cells cannot produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy carrier in the body. This rapid cessation of ATP production leads to cell death, particularly in tissues that rely heavily on aerobic respiration, such as the heart and brain.
Symptoms of cyanide exposure
Exposure to cyanide can occur through ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact. Inhalation of high doses of cyanide gas causes immediate unconsciousness and death. Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, confusion, fatigue, low blood pressure, unconsciousness, convulsions, slow heart rate, lung damage, respiratory failure, and coma. Death typically results from respiratory or heart failure.
The lethal dose of cyanide varies depending on the compound and method of exposure. Approximately half a gram of ingested cyanide can be fatal for a 160-pound adult. Inhaled cyanide is more dangerous than ingested cyanide, and immediate medical attention is critical for survival.
Treatment and prevention of cyanide consumption
Small amounts of cyanide can be detoxified by the body, such as cyanide from cigarette smoke or certain foods. However, larger doses require immediate medical intervention.
Treatments for cyanide poisoning include the administration of antidotes that detoxify cyanide or bind to it. One common antidote is hydroxocobalamin, a form of vitamin B12, which reacts with cyanide to form cyanocobalamin, excreted in the urine. Inhalation of amyl nitrite may also aid breathing in victims of cyanide and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Also Read: 10 foods you should never eat raw
Prevention of cyanide poisoning involves careful handling and storage of cyanide-containing substances, avoiding exposure to industrial processes involving cyanide, and awareness of potential sources of cyanide in foods and the environment.
With inputs from agencies
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