#Healthsafety

A high-profile kratom incident abroad has intensified global scrutiny of the plant, a topic that resonates in Thailand where kratom is rooted in the landscape and recent regulatory changes. A 37-year-old man in Washington state died after consuming a single tablespoon of kratom powder, a case cited in legal filings as part of a broader trend of harms linked to concentrated kratom products.

For Thai families, the issue touches daily life. Kratom trees grow across southern Thailand, and many communities have used fresh leaves for generations to ease labor and pain. Today, the plant sits at the crossroads of youth safety, evolving laws, and the challenge of balancing tradition with modern science.

The sudden death of a 37-year-old man in the United States after ingesting powdered kratom—a plant long used in Southeast Asia—has triggered renewed international safety warnings and legal scrutiny, with fresh research revealing mounting risks for consumers worldwide, including in Thailand. The case, now at the heart of a wrongful death lawsuit against manufacturers and vendors, highlights a surge in kratom-related poisonings, youth experimentation, and the global push for improved regulation and public awareness.

Thailand’s dental tourism market is growing, but safety concerns and hidden costs are prompting a clearer look at standards. A recent SBS Insight story follows an Australian patient in Bangkok who sought extensive restorative work. The experience raised questions about post-procedure care, transparency, and patient responsibility in a booming sector that also promises affordable dental work and renowned hospitality.

Travelers are drawn to Thailand for lower prices, modern clinics, and shorter waiting times. The country has earned a reputation as a dental tourism hub, supported by a robust hospitality sector. Procedures like crowns, veneers, and implants can cost significantly less than in Australia or the United States. Yet the promise of an affordable, painless smile can clash with real-world outcomes when care standards vary.

South Korea’s rise as a global centre for cosmetic tourism is making waves throughout Asia and influencing medical travel trends worldwide. Fresh research and reportage reveal the bustling “Plastic Surgery Street” of Apgujeong in Gangnam, Seoul, now attracts more international visitors than ever, transforming the local beauty industry and prompting fresh debates on safety, pricing, and cultural attitudes towards cosmetic enhancement. The implications, both opportunities and risks, are especially pertinent for Thais considering cosmetic treatments abroad, and for the domestic industry responding to global change.

In the aromatic world of healing plants, few are as beloved or as widely recognized as lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). For centuries, its violet blooms have been prized by cultures from the Mediterranean to the Middle East and beyond—not just for their subtle, relaxing fragrance, but for a host of traditional medicinal uses. Today, a growing body of scientific evidence is putting lavender’s ancient wisdom to the test, unraveling the mystique around this time-honored herbal remedy and offering new insights for modern wellness seekers.

Lavender, a beloved herb known for its soothing scent, has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Today, scientific research is examining lavender’s therapeutic potential and translating centuries of lore into evidence-based wellness insights for modern readers.

Lavender’s roots lie in the Mediterranean, where ancient Egyptian and Roman cultures used it for perfuming, bathing, and medicine. The word lavender comes from the Latin lavare, meaning to wash, reflecting its historic cleansing use. During the medieval and Renaissance periods, lavender was common in monasteries and homes across Europe, valued for both health and fragrance.

In a compelling case that underscores the potential hazards of unregulated dietary supplements, Jenny Ramirez, a Texas resident, suffered liver failure seemingly linked to over-the-counter vitamins intended for hair, skin, and nail health. Her story has sparked a conversation about the safety of these supplements, highlighting issues that are relevant not only in the United States but also in Thailand and globally.

Jenny, from Fort Worth, Texas, embarked on a remarkable weight loss journey but faced unexpected challenges, including hair loss. To counteract this, she began taking a vitamin supplement advertised to enhance hair, skin, and nail health. Unfortunately, she soon noticed yellowing of her skin and eyes - a sign of liver distress. Medical tests revealed liver failure, which her doctor attributed to methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a common ingredient in her supplements. Although MSM is generally considered safe and even beneficial, in some individuals — particularly those with pre-existing liver conditions — it can have adverse effects.

Many people in Thailand turn to dietary supplements to boost wellbeing. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open in 2024 raises concerns that some well-liked botanicals may harm liver health. The liver is essential for detoxification and metabolism, and damage can lead to serious consequences, including liver failure.

The research identified six botanical supplements linked to liver toxicity: Ashwagandha, Black Cohosh, Garcinia Cambogia, Green Tea Extract, Red Yeast Rice, and Turmeric/Curcumin. These products are often marketed for arthritis relief, menopause symptoms, and other age-related concerns. In Thailand, where herbal remedies are deeply rooted in culture, this finding resonates with many consumers who trust “natural” solutions.

As health-conscious individuals, it’s not uncommon for those of us in Thailand to turn to dietary supplements as a means of enhancing our well-being. However, recent research highlights alarming findings from a study published in JAMA Network Open in 2024, pointing out that certain popular supplements might pose significant risks to our liver’s health. This is particularly crucial given that the liver is central to our body’s ability to detoxify and metabolize substances, and damage to it can result in severe health repercussions, including liver failure.

Savad, known in Thai as ป่าขี้แฮด or หวาด, has long been part of rural healing across Thailand. The plant’s grey seeds and fragrant leaves are rooted in local practice, where they are said to cool fever, ease digestion, and support overall wellness. Beyond medicine, Savad also carries spiritual and cultural significance, with seeds once worn as protective amulets in northern and northeastern communities. According to traditional knowledge from Thai farmers and herbalists, these practices reflect a blended view of health that ties body, spirit, and daily life together.

For centuries, the shimmering grey seeds and medicinal leaves of Savad—also known in Thai as ป่าขี้แฮด or หวาด—have played a quiet but consequential role in traditional healing across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Emerging from the branches of its thorny shrub (Caesalpinia bonduc), this ancient remedy is more than just folklore; it represents a fascinating nexus where spiritual belief, cultural tradition, and the frontiers of pharmaceutical science meet. As modern research peels back layers of inherited knowledge, Savad’s story exemplifies both the promise and the complexity of traditional medicine in a contemporary world, offering hope and inspiration for those seeking holistic health solutions.

In the fragrant tapestry of Thai herbal medicine, few remedies are as enduring and evocative as อบเชย — the inner bark of trees from the Cinnamomum genus, globally known as cinnamon. Revered for centuries in traditional Thai practice and now validated by an emerging body of modern scientific research, cinnamon’s story is one of remarkable intersection, where ancient wisdom and cutting-edge pharmacology converge. As cinnamon once wove itself into the heart of local temples, kitchens, and healing ceremonies, today it stirs renewed curiosity among health-conscious readers and researchers wishing to unlock the secrets behind this cherished bark.

Cinnamon, or อบเชย in Thai, sits at the crossroads of ancient wisdom and modern science in Thai herbal practice. The fragrant inner bark of Cinnamomum species has long been valued in temples, kitchens, and healing rituals. Today, researchers are revisiting this beloved bark to understand how traditional uses align with contemporary pharmacology, especially for health, education, culture, and tourism audiences in Thailand.

Cinnamon has long been a staple in Thai herbal medicine. Its warm aroma accompanies remedies for digestion, circulation, colds, and ceremonial occasions. From palace kitchens to rural markets, the spice has symbolized wellness and auspiciousness. In Thai pharmacopeia, อบเชย is recognized both as a flavor enhancer and as a therapeutic ingredient in traditional decoctions and powders. Data from Thailand’s pharmaceutical literature confirms its ongoing role in local health practices.

Deep within the forests and fields of Thailand, the twisting vines of หมามุ่ย (Mucuna pruriens), known colloquially as “Mahamui,” have been harvested for generations, their itchy seed pods treated with caution but their hidden treasures—the seeds—prized by traditional healers. For centuries, Thai folk medicine has celebrated this legume for supporting male vitality, easing nervous ailments, and, notably, restoring sexual health. Today, as modern researchers crack open the mysteries inside its tiny beans, Mucuna pruriens stands at the intersection of ancestral wisdom and cutting-edge science, offering a compelling case for the harmonious coexistence of traditional and evidence-based medicine.

Mucuna pruriens, known locally in Thailand as Mahamui or the velvet bean, has long been gathered from forests and fields. Traditional Thai healers valued its seeds for male vitality, nerve health, and sexual wellness. Today, researchers are exploring its compounds, especially L-DOPA, to understand how this ancient plant fits with contemporary medicine. The bean’s journey from folklore to science offers a thoughtful model of integrating traditional knowledge with evidence-based care.

Long woven into the fabric of Thai healing traditions, the humble vine known to villagers across the Kingdom as รางจืด—or Rang Jued—has claimed the spotlight in contemporary scientific inquiry. Once reserved for the spice racks and herbal bundles of folk healers, this “blue trumpet” vine is now under the microscope, revealing a complex reality where centuries-old wisdom resonates with new research. From roadside remedies in rural Thailand to promising anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents in international journals, Rang Jued’s journey spotlights the harmony—and the tension—between ancient intuition and modern evidence.

Rang Jued, the vine known in Thai as รางจืด, has long been a staple in village medicine. Now it sits at the center of growing scientific interest, testing whether ancient wisdom can meet today’s evidence standards. From roadside herbal tea to laboratory assays, Rang Jued’s arc highlights how cultural practice and modern research can converge—and sometimes clash.

Rang Jued (Thunbergia laurifolia) features violet-blue, trumpet-shaped flowers and is more than ornamental foliage. In Thai traditional medicine, it has earned a reputation as a general detoxifier. People in many regions brew teas from its leaves, roots, and stems to address poisoning, fevers, and other ailments, with the belief that it can draw out toxins. Today, the plant is commonly used to counter chemical exposure, drug effects, and even certain envenomations. Research by herbalists and scientists notes the plant’s potential, but it also urges caution, especially in how widely the detox claim is applied.

In Thailand’s forests and across Southeast Asia, whenyai khao, also known as Gnetum montanum, stands as a bridge between age-old healing practices and contemporary science. Known by several regional names—whenyai in Trat, mouy in Chiang Rai and Ubon Ratchathani, and mamuy in Chiang Mai—this robust vine threads through Thai culture, medicine, and folklore. Today it sits at the crossroads of traditional empiricism and scientific inquiry, inviting scrutiny of why this humble plant remains a cornerstone of rural remedies and a subject of modern study.

Nestled within the lush forests of Thailand and Southeast Asia, เมื่อยขาว (Whenyai khao, also known as มะม่วย or Gnetum montanum Markgr.) stands as a silent pillar of traditional healing. Revered in multiple regions under names such as เมื่อย in Trat, ม่วย in Chiang Rai and Ubon Ratchathani, and มะม่วย in Chiang Mai, this resilient vine spans generations of Thai culture, medicine, and folklore. It finds its place at the crossroads between ancient herbal empiricism and emerging scientific insight, inviting a closer look at what makes this unassuming plant part of both rural remedy cabinets and contemporary research labs.

Thai readers have long known the sugar apple, or noi-na, as a beloved fruit with a creamy interior and a place in village cures. Today, researchers are exploring its seeds, leaves, and bark for health applications, bridging ancestral wisdom and contemporary science. This piece reviews what we know, what remains uncertain, and how Thais can navigate use with safety and cultural pride.

In Thailand, the sugar apple is more than a dessert staple. It thrives across the Central Plains, the North, and the Northeast and appears in proverbs and folk stories. While the fruit itself is cherished for its texture and sweetness, traditional practice has emphasized the seeds for home remedies. Elders have ground the seeds into topical preparations, often mixed with coconut oil, to combat lice and skin conditions.

For centuries, the knobby green fruit known as “noi-na” in Thailand—Annona squamosa, or sugar apple—has delighted tastebuds and found a revered place in folk healing. But beyond its creamy sweetness, this humble fruit’s seeds and leaves have garnered scientific attention for an astonishing range of medicinal properties that stretch from Thai village traditions to cutting-edge global pharmacology. As interest in herbal remedies revives across Thailand, demystifying the sugar apple’s role in both culture and modern medicine offers crucial insight for health-conscious readers seeking trusted natural options—while recognizing the real risks and the need for professional guidance.

In Thai kitchens and markets, a slender, fiery-red flower conceals a dark seed—the mace of Myristica fragrans. For generations in Thailand, mace has flavored food and served in traditional healing. Today, as interest in plant-based remedies grows, mace stands at the crossroads of old practice and modern science.

Thai healing lore treats mace as both a spice and a remedy. As wellness trends rise, Thais and researchers ask whether science supports these long-held beliefs about this scarlet spice. Thai culture links food, medicine, and daily health, with mace often used to warm the body and support balance in traditional practices.

Across Thailand’s bustling markets and the aromatic kitchens of many Thai homes, there is a slender, fiery-red flower hugging a dark seed—the “dok jan” or “dok jan thet,” known in English as mace. Harvested from the seed’s aril of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg), this fragrant botanical has not only delighted generations with its sweet aroma but also played a storied role in Thai traditional medicine. Today, as the global wellness movement looks east for ancient remedies, dok jan stands poised at the intersection of centuries-old practice and 21st-century science.

Across Thai villages and markets, Kan Tee Saw (Vitex trifolia) has long been valued as a versatile healer. In regions from Chonburi to the North, this unassuming shrub is known by many local names, reflecting Thailand’s cultural diversity and deep plant knowledge. Today, researchers are investigating Kan Tee Saw with modern methods, turning ancient remedies into potential scientific insights while preserving its cultural significance for Thai communities.

Vitex trifolia is modest in size but historically powerful in Thai ethnomedicine. The plant’s seeds are prized for their cooling, cleansing, and gentle stimulating qualities. Traditional practitioners use Kan Tee Saw to address a range of ailments—from fevers and headaches to respiratory issues and skin conditions—often integrating it into broader herbal recipes for digestive upset, wounds, and postpartum care. This broad utility has cemented Kan Tee Saw as a mainstay in folk health practices across the country, with practitioners citing generations of experience and regional formularies.