A woman has lost her life after she reportedly bought some herbal drugs on Facebook she had thought would help lighten her skin.


A Thai woman from Prae died after taking supplements sold online that were advertised as a way to get white skin and enhance breast size. But she developed kidney disease and died in her own bathroom before help could reach her.

Relatives who had arranged her 35th birthday party celebration on Friday were concerned when she didn't show. On Sunday they took her cake to present to her at her funeral, reported Kapook.

Wijitra Jantaphrom or Waew started taking the "herbal" supplements in capsules some months ago and initial results looked promising as her complexion improved.

She even recommended the capsules she found out about and ordered on Facebook to her friends.

But soon the mother of one, who was a furniture factory worker in the northern Thai province, suffered a swelling of the face. She went to hospital and passed out on the way and was diagnosed with kidney disease from taking the pills.

She was sent home and then things got worse. She passed out at home and this time there was no one around to help her and she died alone in her bathroom last week.

Kamchanok Kongkoi, 26, a relative, said she did not turn up to a planned birthday party on Friday.

Tragically they took her birthday cake to present to her corpse at the funeral at Wat Ton Khrai in Prae on Sunday.

Pharmacists told Kapook that this tragic case highlighted the problem of dangerous substances being sold online to people who wanted an answer to having lighter skin color and a better body shape.