Rice wine samples tested by CCF officials on July 4 following a fatal incident in Ratanakkiri’s Kon Mom district. CCF
In response to a lethal incident in Ratanakkiri province, where 10 lives were tragically lost due to alleged contaminated rice wine, authorities have chosen to halt the sale of rice wine and traditional herbal liqueurs throughout the province. The suspension aims to prevent a recurrence of such a disaster.
Nhem Samoen, the provincial governor, confirmed to The Post on July 5 that the investigation into the recent rice wine poisoning case in Kon Mom district is ongoing. Meanwhile, a temporary pause on all rice wine sales has been implemented.
“We are investigating the origin of the suspected rice wine and searching for possible causes. We used loudspeakers to announce to the public to not consume rice wine while the sale of local rice wine must also stop. Vendors must also cooperate and send rice wine samples to the appropriate authorities to check for contamination,” he declared.
Kon Mom district governor Sek Hai revealed that a survey is being conducted on the number of rice wine vendors and producers in his district. However, he could not confirm the total number due to the continuing survey and investigation.
The district authority is supporting the investigation led by police and officials from the provincial health department.
Phan Oun, the director general of Consumer Protection, Competition, and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CCF), disclosed that laboratory tests have found alarming levels of methanol in some of the samples.
“Among the sampled rice wine collected, four were found to contain methanol levels between 10 per cent and 18.8 per cent, a life-threatening level for humans,” he revealed.
CCF reports state that a total of 86 wine samples were collected following the fatal incident. Using a methanol analyser, the CCF found methanol in 4 out of 49 samples, with the remaining samples still under analysis.
On June 28, in a sorrowful event, 10 out of 11 victims reportedly died from alcohol poisoning in the province. The victims included five workers from Hang Anh Andong Meas Co Ltd and were residents of Village 3 in Kon Mom district’s Sre Angkrong commune, as reported on July 3.
