Bangkok, Former surgeon at a famous hospital reveals that cyanide poisoning is extremely serious, affecting every organ, similar to turning off a light switch, causing death within 5 minutes without feeling pain.
Colonel Dr. Thawatchai Kanchanarin, former surgeon at Phramongkutklao Hospital, commented that from observing the photographs of the skin color of the six Vietnamese corpses who died in a hotel in the Ratchaprasong area, medically it is expected that the deceased may have ingested a large amount of potassium cyanide, which is enough to destroy the body’s systems, or from carbon monoxide, which causes the body to lack oxygen. However, in this case, it is expected that it may have been caused by potassium cyanide because the skin color of the six corpses is dark red, similar to being poisoned, similar to many past cases, such as Am’s cyanide or Yoko’s case, which have similar skin color characteristics. This substance can be inhaled, ingested, and touched through the skin. However, in this case, it w
as ingested and is expected to be mixed in a glass of water. It is expected that it was drunk on an empty stomach, causing this substance to act quickly and strongly within 5 minutes. When this substance is ingested, brain cells stop working, causing seizures, coma, heart failure, and kidney failure, which means that everything in the body stops working at the same time, like turning off a light switch without feeling pain.
For potassium cyanide, currently, Thailand does not produce it, but it is imported for industrial use. Currently, there are about 100 hospitals in Thailand that have cyanide antidotes, but it depends on the amount taken into the body. If the concentration is high, it can be fatal in no more than 5 minutes.
This is consistent with the opinion of Associate Professor Dr. Wirachai Phutthawong, or Ajarn Odd, a lecturer at the Department of Chemistry at Kasetsart University, who posted a preliminary analysis of the condition of the deceased’s body, stating that from the condition of the body,
there were signs that it was cyanide.
Also stating that cyanide is a toxic substance that inhibits cellular respiration, causing cells to be unable to use oxygen to create energy, therefore affecting organs that use a lot of oxygen and energy, such as the brain and heart, first. If a large enough amount of the toxic substance is received, it can cause sudden death. The color of red blood cells may be bright pink instead of dark red because red blood cells contain a lot of carboxy haemoglobin. This type of pink color may be found in bodies that have died from cyanide poisoning.
Source: Thai News Agency