A 25-year-old British tourist has died after suffering a severe reaction to magic mushrooms while on Christmas holiday with his girlfriend in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Pol. Col. Worapong Khamluea, Commander of the Investigation Division, told reporters British National Mr.Akhil Vadher, 25, was found dead at a resort hotel in the Mae Rim District of Chiang Mai.
He told reporters that when police and rescue workers arrived at the luxury resort, his girlfriend, also from the UK, said Akhil had consumed magic mushrooms he purchased from a cannabis shop earlier in the day.
She said 40 minutes after he had taken the magic mushrooms, he began foaming at the mouth and then fell onto the floor and passed out.
She said she immediately called the front desk for help, and they summoned an ambulance. He was rushed to Chiang Mai Hospital but later died from mushroom poisoning, Pol. Col. Worapong said.
Upon further questioning, Akhil’s girlfriend told police he purchased the mushrooms at the Glory Day’s cannabis store in Mae Rim District in Chiang Mai.
The next day, an undercover officer posing as a customer bought a small bag of mushrooms for 500 Baht. Police then raided the shop and arrested the owner on suspicion of selling category 5 narcotics.
She was taken to the Mae Rim police station and remanded in custody to be charged with ‘selling and possessing Category 5 narcotics without permission. She now faces a jail term of at least two, a maximum of 10 years, and a fine of between 40,000 and 200,000 Baht.
Pol. Col. Worapong said the shop owner would be interrogated further to find her supplier of the drugs so that they, too, could be arrested.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
