victim Jill St. Onge."
Charles Carson departed Bangkok about a year ago.
We have been in touch with our counterparts from the Embassies of Norway
and New Zealand following yesterday's new report about identification of
the pesticide clorpyphiros as a possible cause of the recent unresolved
deaths in Chiang Mai. As you know, the U.S. Mission has offered the
technical assistance of Centers for Disease Control personnel in
Thailand to assist the Ministry of Public Health in its investigation.
That investigation continues.
Extensive information about clorpyphiros is available on the
Environmental Protection Agency's website, much of it from academic
sources. It appears that the primary reason clorpyphiros is no longer
approved for use for non-agricultural applications (except in child
resistant ant and roach traps) is due to risks chronic exposure poses
for vulnerable individuals, particularly small children. I have not had
time to search this information exhaustively, but it appears that
extremely high concentrations would be needed to cause death as quickly
as happened to your daughter, Ms. Burgheim, or the individuals in Chiang
Mai. It is premature to link all nine deaths to clorpyphiros.
Investigators have still not released the final report in your
daughter's case, although we contact them regularly. Please let me know
about other questions you may have and know that you have our deepest
sympathy.
Sincerely,
Tim Swanson
Timothy C. Swanson
Chief, American Citizen Services
U.S. Embassy Bangkok
phone: 66-2-205 4049
fax: 66-2-205-4103
This email is UNCLASSIFIED.
We have been in touch with our counterparts from the Embassies of Norway
and New Zealand following yesterday's new report about identification of
the pesticide clorpyphiros as a possible cause of the recent unresolved
deaths in Chiang Mai. As you know, the U.S. Mission has offered the
technical assistance of Centers for Disease Control personnel in
Thailand to assist the Ministry of Public Health in its investigation.
That investigation continues.
Extensive information about clorpyphiros is available on the
Environmental Protection Agency's website, much of it from academic
sources. It appears that the primary reason clorpyphiros is no longer
approved for use for non-agricultural applications (except in child
resistant ant and roach traps) is due to risks chronic exposure poses
for vulnerable individuals, particularly small children. I have not had
time to search this information exhaustively, but it appears that
extremely high concentrations would be needed to cause death as quickly
as happened to your daughter, Ms. Burgheim, or the individuals in Chiang
Mai. It is premature to link all nine deaths to clorpyphiros.
Investigators have still not released the final report in your
daughter's case, although we contact them regularly. Please let me know
about other questions you may have and know that you have our deepest
sympathy.
Sincerely,
Tim Swanson
Timothy C. Swanson
Chief, American Citizen Services
U.S. Embassy Bangkok
phone: 66-2-205 4049
fax: 66-2-205-4103
This email is UNCLASSIFIED.
