Father and daughter die after eating deadly mushroom curry i ..

In Chiang Rai, Thailand, a family meal turned into a devastating tragedy when a father and daughter died after eating curry made with poisonous mushrooms. Seventy-eight-year-old Boonpan and his daughter Wijitra, 40, collapsed at home on August 22 with violent convulsions and foaming at the mouth. Despite being rushed to hospital, both were declared dead. Authorities confirmed that the mushrooms had been a gift from a friend, and the family had no prior experience preparing them.

Relatives described the harrowing scene in which Boonpan convulsed while Wijitra was found unconscious in her locked bedroom. Their mother had prepared the curry without realizing the mushrooms were lethal. The family even distributed some of the mushrooms to relatives, though those portions were never cooked. Samples have been sent for testing, while community leaders have urged extreme caution in handling wild fungi.

The incident underscores the peril of misidentifying mushrooms. Species such as the Death Cap and the Destroying Angel can appear deceptively edible while carrying toxins that destroy the liver or kidneys. Even seasoned foragers can be misled, making reliance on store-bought varieties the only safe option. Experts stress that tasting or visual cues offer no reliable protection, as fatal toxins can be present in seemingly ordinary mushrooms.

This is not an isolated case. Only weeks earlier, three people in Buriram died in a similar incident, and globally, mushroom poisoning continues to claim lives when wild fungi are mistaken for safe food. The warning could not be clearer: a single misstep in identification can have irreversible consequences.

For the people of Chiang Rai, this tragedy serves as a stark reminder that certain traditions, however familiar, carry hidden dangers. Public awareness and caution are the only real safeguards against such preventable losses.
**This news was published on Times of India on 2nd September, 2025.

 

 

 

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