The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has issued a national warning on a suspected drug cocktail known as “Kanom” or “Labubu”, after the deaths of two individuals and the hospitalization of one during the recent Songkran festivities.
In a Bangkok Post article, ONCB Secretary General Police Lieutenant General Panurat Lakboon said that the agency received reports from Ramathibodi Poison Center about three individuals “who collapsed after participating in water festivities in Bangkok”. The report continues that the victims suffered from seizures, stopped breathing and then went into cardiac arrest. Two of them have died while the third one remains in intensive care. Investigation leads to patients using the new drug cocktail.
In its initial findings, the drug may be a deadly mix of “stimulants and depressants”, similar to “K-Powdered Milk” drug cocktail – a combination of ketamine and diazepam (an anti-anxiety medication), that made headlines in 2022. The drug, shaped like the ‘Labubu’ cartoon character, is classified as an ecstasy containing a high concentration of MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine). MDMA gives the users euphoric sensations. Aside from MDMA, the lethal drug also includes ketamine and caffeine, which intensifies the palpitations of the user.
The exact composition of the suspected drug is still under laboratory analysis, said Pol. Lt. General Panurat. He is urging the public “to remain vigilant, avoid unknown substances, and report any drug-related activities to ONCB’s 24-hour hotline at 1386.”