Topics: Social Media, Thailand, Alcohol, Health, World News
An influencer from Thailand has tragically died after taking on a dare for $875.
Thanakarn Kanthee, known online to his social media followers as ‘Bank Leicester,’ was just 21 years old when he collapsed and died on December 25 in the Tha Mai district of Chanthaburi, Thailand, according to the Bangkok Post.
The young man from Bangkok had reportedly been hired to attend a birthday party where he was bribed to gulp bottles of whiskey in exchange for cash.
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The Nation Thailand reported Kanthee was paid 30,000 baht for drinking two 350ml bottles in the challenge, amounting to around $875.
However, it wasn't long until he appeared sick after completing the challenge.
After he vomited and lost consciousness, he was rushed to Songpeenong Hospital, where he was tragically pronounced dead at 3.40am on December 26, just hours after he arrived at the party.
Thanakarn's cause of death has been recorded as acute heart failure, however, autopsy results have not yet confirmed if alcohol consumption played a part or if the man suffered from other underlying health issues, according to Thai Enquirer on Facebook.
Before his tragic death, the influencer was a student at the Ritthiyawannalai School and worked selling garlands.
He first shot to Facebook fame after his rap songs to entice buyers were posted online.
It is believed Thanakarn also accepted similar risky stunts to financially support his family and grandmother, as another video has since re-surfaced of him drinking hand sanitizer.
A post on his Facebook page read: "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."
Another Facebook post, posted days before his death, read: "Nowadays, I don't care who hates me, who doesn't like me, I just ignore it and let it go because these days, I only care about the people around me.
"If they don't like me, that's their problem, not my problem. My duty is to earn money and find happiness for myself, that's enough."
On Saturday, police officers conducting enquiries arrested two other social media influences, Ekachart “Em” Meephrom, from the Chanthaburi province, and Theerawat Srirot from Pathum, in connection with Thanakarn's death, according to The Independent.
If it is confirmed that the victim was paid to drink the fatal dose, perpetrators could be charged under Section 291 of the Penal Code for causing death through negligence.
Offenders convicted of this crime can see up to 10 years behind bars and a fine of up to 20,000 baht ($580), or both.
Tributes have since been flooding in to his Facebook page, with friends describing him as a 'very good person' who makes 'everyone smile'.
