Fatal feast

Police questioned two wine vendors in Kratie province yesterday in the wake of four deaths that followed the ingestion of home-made rice wine and meat from a drowned buffalo. A 37-year-old woman was sent to the provincial hospital after exhibiting similar symptoms to those who died.  Srey Thmey village chief Lach Thong said Tiem Khnan, who had taken part in the weekend meal, was in a serious condition and had been sent to the Khsem Health Centre, then the provincial hospital, after experiencing dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath.  Khsem commune police chief Yun Hieng said two liquor vendors questioned in connect-ion with the death had said they bought the wine from nearby Khsem Krao village. “We also visited the place where the wine was decanted, and ordered that it be closed down temporarily because it looked unsanitary,” he said. Three women and a man, ranging in age from 24 to 40, died between last Saturday and Tuesday after ingesting the wine and buffalo meat. Earlier this month, nine people died in Pursat province after drinking rice wine at a funeral. Police have not officially declared a cause of death in that case either.