Deadly ‘Labubu’ party pills sold during Songkran spark national alert after two deaths and one hospitalisation in Bangkok. ONCB warns pills contain a lethal mix of MDMA, ketamine and diazepam. Public urged to report any information to 1386 hotline.
Thailand’s Narcotics suppression agency the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB)—has issued a stark warning about party pills and ecstasy tracked in Bangkok and surrounding provinces. It follows the deaths of two people over the Songkran festival in the capital. A third is fighting for their life in a hospital intensive care unit. The pill is branded ‘Labubu’ and contains a dangerous cocktail including MDMA and significantly, ketamine mixed with diazepam. The resulting mix creates amplification in the body’s neurological system, leading to seizure and death.
Thailand’s Songkran festival last week was hit by a deadly twist. Amid the fun and revelry, three people were struck down after ingesting a deadly new drug cocktail. Indeed, police in Bangkok and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) fear the tally could be higher. Two people have died and one is presently in intensive care. They had all taken a popular ecstasy-like pill called Labubu, also known as ‘Kanom’.
The latter means ‘snack’, while the former is a cartoon character created by a Hong Kong designer.
Victims collapse at Songkran festival after ingesting pills sold under rabbit-themed Labubu street name
Health officials confirmed the victims collapsed at Songkran events in Bangkok. They suffered unconsciousness, spasms, and breathing failure. Eventually, all three went into cardiac arrest.
According to ONCB Secretary-General Police Lieutenant General Panurat Lakboon, these cases were quickly reported to the Ramathibodi Poison Center. The pills matched the appearance of the cartoon rabbit “Labubu” and were sold under that name during the festival.
Bangkok police sources suggested that Labubu ecstasy pills were first detected on the streets in July last year. However, the latest batches appear to be more powerful.
Tests by the ONCB’s Institute of Academic and Drug Testing showed MDMA concentrations far above the typical 40–50% found in standard ecstasy. Furthermore, the pills were mixed with ketamine, caffeine, and diazepam. This deadly mix significantly increases both stimulant and depressant effects.
ONCB issues urgent warning as new Labubu pills found to contain dangerously high MDMA concentrations
On Friday, Police Lieutenant General Panurat Lakboon of the ONCB warned the public. He stated that tests on the green and blue pills like a rabbit had been conducted by the Ramathibodi Poison Center. This came after police linked the seizures among the three people to the drugs.
All experienced symptoms such as inability to breathe, muscle relaxation, and seizures. After that, they suffered cardiac arrest. Police say the Labubu pills contain MDMA-like ecstasy, ketamine, and significantly, diazepam, a depressant.
According to toxicologists, this mix overwhelms the nervous system. It causes a spike in neurological activity, followed by a total shutdown. While authorities await a full chemical analysis, they consider the situation an urgent public health emergency.
Bangkok police note they have tragic experience in dealing with such cases. A drug circulating among addicts in 2021 killed over a dozen people. Indeed, the effects of the drug were only noticed later, with some cases initially treated as natural deaths by hospitals.
Fears grow as Bangkok police link Labubu pills to earlier drug deaths misdiagnosed as natural causes
Therefore, this all echoes that deadly “K Nom Phong” outbreak in 2021. Again, back then, the mix of ketamine and diazepam killed all over Thailand but particularly in Bangkok. At first, the true cause of death was missed. Only after full autopsies did the danger become clear. The man behind the mix, Amornthep Chalermwat, was later arrested for the attempted murder of his girlfriend in Phetchabun.
At this time, Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police Bureau fears this may only be the start of the saga of the death toll. Therefore, they are particularly urging anyone linked with drug users to spread the word, especially warning about leftover drugs from last week’s Songkran festivities. In short, they could be deadly.
On Friday, Police Lieutenant General Panurat underscored that all drugs and narcotics are a threat to society. However, this was an acute emergency. Nevertheless, he asked family members of anyone linked to narcotics to advise them of the danger. In addition, he recommended the 1386 hotline, open 24 hours a day.
The Ramathibodi Poison Center issued another alert on Friday, saying more deaths may not yet be identified.
Medics there suspect other patients could still be in intensive care in other hospitals. Therefore, this case may be larger than first believed.
In response, the ONCB has teamed up with drug research centres and universities to investigate further.
Police fear more unreported Labubu-related deaths as ONCB teams with researchers to probe wider impact
Notably, they vividly recall the previous deadly drug cocktail that caused multiple fatalities across Thailand.
The lethal drug cocktail in 2021 started in Bangkok and spread to other provinces. It was subsequently discovered to be 93–98% Valium. The drug was called ‘K Nompong’ or ‘K Powdered milk’. At least 10 people died in Bangkok alone. Many were found unresponsive in a comatose state and were never able to be revived.
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Later, the Ramathibodi Poison Center issued a new alert. It warned that the Lababu pills in circulation caused severe reactions, including loss of consciousness, muscle spasms, respiratory failure, and finally cardiac arrest.
The drug cocktail causes a synergy where the effects of both stimulants and depressants are amplified.
In turn, this process is destructive to the body’s life functions. Authorities are presently urging the public to avoid taking any street pills, especially during festivals or parties. Moreover, they ask anyone with information on drug sales or storage to report it immediately.
The ONCB hotline (1386) is open day and night, and all tips will remain confidential.
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