Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

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Anthony's Weiner
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Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by Anthony's Weiner »

There have been a lot of sudden deaths of young tourist and expats in Cambodia that would appear to be poorly investigated if at all. On occasion, there are drugs found in the room but often there are no signs of drug use at the scene and usually, the cause of death is declared "heart attack". I have read that the cause of death is "fainting" which in other countries is rarely fatal and am well aware of the limited resources that both the medical examiner's office has and that the police use to determine the actual cause of death. What is your viewpoint on the topic and what can be done to warn people about the dangers of a hedonistic lifestyle in Cambodia?
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by Username Taken »

Heart attack is probably mistranslated. It is more likely heart failure. Though, that doesn't explain why the heart failed.
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by Anthony's Weiner »

I could not agree more. If your heart stops beating death will follow, it is extremely unlikely that so many young people are dying of heart failure. Abuse of prescription or recreational drugs is the likely culprit, though I am sure counterfeit alcohol is also to blame. The ability to walk into a pharmacy and choose what you want without a prescription and counterfeit name-brand drugs is a dangerous mix. What can be done to warn the casual user of the risks, I believe that intravenous drug users are already aware of the possibility of overdoses. Most western countries have seen a resurgence in overdose deaths in recent years. Many police forces and ambulance services now carry narcan.
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by canucklhead »

It's certainly nothing new here. Death by misadventure is more accurate.
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Flexxman
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by Flexxman »

Narcan contains Naloxone and is only effective for an OD on opioids. Heroin is easily available as is produced in the region, but morphine sulfate or diamorphine pills can also be bought at pharmacies without any prescription. No need to shoot up, lowering the threshold for use. Don't know whether the OxyContin pills by Purdue Pharma that fuelled the US opioid crisis are available in Cambodia, but if they are then probably also more expensive than real illegal opioids.

Oh yes, it seems that Purdue now is pursuing the production of a narcan alternative, probably good business as wholesale costs are $0.50 a dose and will most probably get sold for a multitude.

https://news.vice.com/en_ca/article/ywq ... lth-Canada
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/oxycontin- ... addiction/

Regarding counterfeit alcohol: I suppose only the locals drink that moonshine as alcohol is so cheap. Don't forget that locals also believe that adding pesticides to the alcohol will make it 'stronger' and 'get you more drunk'. I know someone who died from such consumption, he could only throw up blood in his last days living.
Last edited by Flexxman on Wed May 15, 2019 2:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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John Bingham
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by John Bingham »

Anthony's Weiner wrote: Wed May 15, 2019 2:31 pm I am sure counterfeit alcohol is also to blame.
What sort of counterfeit alcohol?
Silence, exile, and cunning.
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Flexxman
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by Flexxman »

John Bingham wrote: Wed May 15, 2019 2:57 pm
Anthony's Weiner wrote: Wed May 15, 2019 2:31 pm I am sure counterfeit alcohol is also to blame.
What sort of counterfeit alcohol?
The cheap sort used by locals, sometimes laced with pesticides. Like the Arak in Indonesia (sometimes blinding tourists on Bali as the real brands are quite expensive and not used in those cheap jungle-juice cocktails). This does not apply to the regular cheap wholesale alcohol. The cheap wodka at around $4/bottle for sale in most supermarkets is also available in 5 litre plastic jerry-cans at even lower prices. That stuff gets poured over into bottles then used in cheap cocktails and buckets. That is also why 'expensive' empty bottles will sometimes get salvaged by Khmer guys from your trash.

When the Led Zephyr in Sihanoukville sold double-wodka-double-red-bull for just $2,50 at their happy hour, I was amazed they could do that. The barkeeper told me that the costs from expensive to cheap were: the red bull (or local equivalent), the plastic cup, the ice-cubes, the wodka. Off course he was joking but with wodka at $2/litre it probaby was not too far from the truth. Also, Utopia Sihanoukville was at the time rumoured to produce some of the liquor sold themselves.
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by Anthony's Weiner »

John Bingham wrote: Wed May 15, 2019 2:57 pm
Anthony's Weiner wrote: Wed May 15, 2019 2:31 pm I am sure counterfeit alcohol is also to blame.
What sort of counterfeit alcohol?
Re: Mexican "shots" man in Pontoon night club

Perhaps couterfeit is the wrong word, adulterated may be a better term.
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by Flexxman »

Reposting my reply from the other thread:

It seems that most posters here use Occam's razor to come to the conclusion that when a young man suddenly dies, then it must be related to the use of illegal narcotics, or prescription meds (which additionally could be fake, adding to the dangers). I don't agree.

Fact is however, that when young people have an existing condition of the heart or brain, chances are they probably never have experienced any problems from it, thus never consulted a physician, thus not even aware of any potential threat. The first time they have an issue, it often is their last time as well. Moving to a tropical country as Cambodia might strain the body more and result in a heart failure or other (of course, any usage of illegal narcotics might also add to that).

A friend of a friend (young sporty guy, marathon-runner, married with two children, non-smoker, moderate drinker) once had to fill up his car at a petrol station, did just that then walked inside the station to pay his bill. Fell down and died in the line between entry and cashier, suffered some stroke or cerebral haemorrhage. One also can have a look at newspapers and see that heart-attacks on sporting-fields are also far from unusual. A few examples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_a ... le_playing

Oh yes, I have been offered cocaine as well, even several years ago already. Not interested, and could not believe that it would stay in the Kingdom. For all I know, what gets caught in the KoW usually is destined for other markets such as Thai hi-so. Also heard that often dope-dealers will try to pass off ketamine as such as it is very cheap, can be snorted in form of white crystalline powder and will not have as effect that the user dies (yes sure, has a different effect so they will notice when using). I suppose drug-dealers also prefer returning customers over dead bodies who don't spend.

It could also be that posters who will insist that drugs are always in play, might also be the types susceptible in general to conspiracy theories like chemtrails, lizard-people, illuminati, fake moon-landing, existence of Atlantis, flat-earth society theories...
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Re: Sudden deaths of young tourists / expats in Cambodia

Post by Cam Nivag »

The UK's advice about Cambodia says this:

Penalties for drug offences in Cambodia are severe and can include long jail sentences for possession of even small quantities of recreational drugs. Drugs have also caused a number of deaths of overseas visitors to Cambodia. These are suspected to be a result of purity issues, or adulteration by unknown substances.
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