Despite his wife's warnings, a man watched YouTube tutorials on how to modify an "earthen jar" into a herbal steam therapy device to treat his illness, ultimately dying tragically from suffocation.
The case involves Mr. Tom, 37, who suffered from a herniated disc compressing his nerve. He drilled into a red earthen jar at his home and converted it into a herbal steam therapy device to treat his condition. His wife later found him dead inside the jar, alongside a charcoal stove and a herbal steaming pot. The incident occurred inside their home in Pa Kho Subdistrict, Kumphawapi District, Udon Thani Province, in the morning of 15 Feb 2026 GMT+7.
Most recently, at 10:30 a.m. on 16 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Somchai Chinwanichcharoen, a senior pharmacist and head of the Thai traditional medicine department, Mr. Thanakorn Khamhanphon, public health officer of Kumphawapi District, along with other health officials and village health volunteers from Pa Kho Subdistrict, revisited the incident site. Mrs. Kan, 58, the homeowner and wife of the deceased, guided them to the scene and provided additional information.
Mr. Somchai, head of the Thai traditional medicine department, explained that the jar had been modified improperly and without sufficient knowledge. Although the herbs found steaming in the pot were harmless common local herbs with fragrant scents like lemongrass and pandan leaves, being enclosed in a confined space without ventilation, combined with the use of a charcoal stove for heat, caused the deceased to suffocate, similar to carbon monoxide poisoning in a car. The autopsy must be reviewed again. This is an extremely rare case, highlighting the need for caution when using herbal steam therapy for illness treatment.
In fact, herbal steam therapy requires careful attention to ventilation and limiting session duration. It should not exceed twice daily, with each session lasting no more than 15 minutes, allowing breaks for entering and exiting. As body temperature rises, heat is released through sweat. We regularly provide education on herbal steaming in public spaces. Venues must have proper licenses under the Health Hazardous Establishments Act to ensure safety. We plan to increase community education and inform service providers more. It is tragic to have this loss from such an incident.
Mrs. Kan shared that she had been living with her husband for less than five months, hoping someone would care for her in old age. But she lost him in this tragic event. Her husband suffered from back and leg pain due to a herniated disc compressing a nerve and also had psoriasis. She had taken him for treatment at multiple places. About a week ago, he watched YouTube videos on modifying an earthen jar for herbal steam therapy and began drilling into the jar from then on. Yesterday morning, when he went to feed the chickens, he was short of breath because he was already weak. She told him to rest and drink water to recover.
Then he invited her, saying, “If you want to go, come on, let’s go together.” She replied that she felt unwell and needed medicine and accidentally fell asleep. When she woke up and was watering the vegetables, she noticed her husband had been gone too long. She went to the jar and uncovered the blanket to find him unresponsive with his tongue stuck in his mouth. She quickly removed the stove and tried to carry him out but could not, so she called neighbors for help.
Before he began drilling the jar, she had warned him against it, feeling it was unsafe and nonstandard. She disliked the idea and told him not to do it. She suggested if he wanted to cut the jar, it would be better to use it as a fish pond. She also said she would take him for treatment if needed, but he did not listen. She said if she had joined him inside the jar, they both would have died. Mrs. Kan told this through tears.
After providing information to officials, Mrs. Kan closed the house and went to the deceased’s mother's home in a nearby village, where the body is kept for funeral rites. It is still unknown how many days the family will keep the body or when the cremation ceremony will be held; this will require further discussion with relatives.