RATANAKKIRI: Ratanakkiri authorities have released an official report on the deaths of ten people, many of whom were sprayers and fertilizers on a Vietnamese-owned banana farm in Ratanakkiri’s Kon Mom district. The fatalities from mid-June were attributed to alcohol poisoning rather than from pesticide poisoning, as initially thought.

According to a press release issued by the Ratanakkiri Provincial Department of Labor and Vocational Training on July 3, the ten victims died one after the other as a result of consuming alcohol bought at a nearby liquor seller. The department said it had taken samples from the victims and ruled their deaths a result of alcohol poisoning.

The press release stated, "As of July 3, 2023, a total of 11 victims have lost 10 lives, including 5 laborers, despite efforts to provide rescue intervention from all relevant authorities and units.”

Following the incident, the provincial health department investigated based on the victims’ shared symptoms of fainting, convulsions, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, and abdominal pain. Apparently the victims regularly drank alcohol and did not have a history of illness. The health department confirmed that the symptoms lasted between four to six hours before each of the victims died in succession.