A 21-year-old Thai social media influencer died after being hired to chug whiskey at a party for £700.
Thanakarn Kanthee, popularly known as Bank Leicester, was a garland seller who gained popularity after the rap songs that he improvised to entice buyers made their way online.
He had previously been seen in videos accepting similar challenges, consuming alcohol, as well as hand sanitiser and wasabi, in exchange for money.
Kanthee was hired for a birthday party on 25 December in the Tha Mai district of Chanthaburi, according to Bangkok Post. He arrived at 11pm.
He was dared to drink Regency whiskey and offered 10,000 baht (£233) for every 350ml bottle he gulped.
Kanthee was reportedly paid 30,000 baht (£700) for the challenge after apparently drinking three bottles.
Social media videos showed him gulping down at least two bottles within 20 minutes. Thai media reports said he appeared sick after completing the challenge, vomited and lost consciousness.
Kanthee was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3.40am.
The autopsy revealed acute heart failure as the cause of death, The Nation noted.
On Saturday, police arrested two influencers from Chanthaburi and Pathum Thani provinces in connection with Kanthee’s death. One of them, Ekachart “Em” Meephrom, admitted to daring Kanthee to take up the challenge but denied knowing him personally or hiring him.
Mr Meephrom was charged with negligence resulting in death. He was denied bail after the local court he was presented in ruled that Mr Meephrom had exhibited reckless behaviour, The Nation reported.
According to Thai law, Negligence causing death could result in a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 20,000 baht (£465).
The second suspect was identified as Theerawat Srirot from Pathum.
Videos of the partygoers cheering Kanthee on as he drank went viral on social media after his death, drawing wide condemnation.
Social media users dug up Kanthee’s old posts in which the influencer said he performed such risky challenges to support his family.
“I am willing to be bullied and insulted to just get scraps of money from the rich people in order to provide for my family,” one of his posts read.
Kanthee lived with his 80-year-old grandmother, who had raised him.
“Currently, I live in this house with my son and Thanakarn, just the three of us. Thanakarn took care of everything for me. Now that he’s gone, I have no idea how I will continue to manage,” she told The Nation.
Kanthee had gone away promising to return with 60,000 baht (£1,396) they needed to settle overdue payments, the grandmother added.
