Today on behalf of our friends at Issan Lawyers we take a look at cyanide laws in Thailand.
This follows a major story this week in which four Vietnamese nationals and two American nationals with Vietnamese backgrounds died in what Thai police are saying was a murder suicide in Bangkok at a luxury hotel involving cyanide.
So now, let’s take a look at cyanide laws in Thailand, even as police continue to try to determine how the suspect in Bangkok managed to obtain cyanide.
Cyanide is classified as a hazardous substance in Thailand and is strictly regulated. It falls under the Hazardous Substances Act of 1992, which categorizes it as a type 3 hazardous substance. This means that producing, importing, exporting, or possessing cyanide without proper authorization is illegal.
The penalties for unauthorized possession of cyanide can be quite severe. Violators may face up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to 200,000 baht. Additionally, if cyanide is used in food, drugs, or cosmetics, it is classified as a type 4 hazardous substance, and the penalties can be even harsher, with up to 10 years in prison and fines up to one million baht.
Given the recent incidents involving cyanide, the Thai authorities are likely to enforce these regulations strictly to prevent further misuse.
In another major incident involving cyanide, which we covered last year, a notorious alleged serial killer in Thailand is accused of killing at least twelve people by poisoning them with cyanide.