[kellyhound]

Two women died in an explosion at a shophouse in Chiang Mai's Doi Tao sub-district that injured 7 others yesterday evening.

Investigators found traces of potassium chlorate, a chemical used in Thailand to induce off-season flowering in longan trees, at the scene.

Potassium chlorate is an explosive substance also used to make matches, and is used by some insurgent groups to make bombs.

The explosion occurred at around 5pm and badly damaged two houses in the same compound, as well as three trucks and a motorcycle.

Nearby homes were also damaged, and body parts were scattered around the area.

The two houses belonged to a 45 year-old woman and her sister-in-law (42). They both died.

Tests will be carried out on human remains found at the scene to determine if they come from the two women, who sold agricultural equipment from their homes.

Seven people were slightly injured in the explosion - one male and six females, including a child aged one year and nine months.

Investigators believe the women were grinding the potassium chlorate to add to their longan trees when the explosion occurred.

In 1999, an explosion at a longan factory in Chiang Mai's Sanpatong district killed 45 people and left 102 injured and 571 houses damaged.

The explosion was also blamed on the use of potassium chlorate.

[horatio]

Mess with mother nature an she will vent her rage....let the bloody tree flower when its supposed to

[Jere]

really scattered the body parts...

[Lythal]

Wow, wonder how much approximately would have been needed to cause this much damamge??

[GregK]

Pretty powerful stuff looks like

[MesaGrande]

Originally Posted by LydKyd ↗

Wow, wonder how much approximately would have been needed to cause this much damamge??

Might've been quite a shitload, when they sold this stuff from home

[Oswald2001]

At least they went quickly.

[uloveme]

Talk about a serious 'deflowering' of them ladies It's the only pun I could think of that hasn't been said yet...

[uloveme]

Originally Posted by LydKyd ↗

Wow, wonder how much approximately would have been needed to cause this much damamge??

I know that Potassium chlorate has been used in actual explosives as the main ingredient. And if I remember correctly it was mostly used as a military applicable explosive in European countries mostly Germany, France, Belgium and a few others. This was in the earlier part of the 20th century (1900's) and very late 1890's I believe, It was also substituted and in some cases preferred over traditional gunpowder as the main propellent charge. I think because it was more potent on a one to one scale with traditional gunpowder, but they also used it in mortars, grenades, and other normally explosive items lol. I am pretty sure though that it was quickly ascertained that Potassium Chlorate was exceedingly dangerously unstable. ESPECIALLY when used as a propellent or a charge, which it was mainly used during the first world war and around that era. After that they pretty much dropped it for any kind of military usefulness because of its serious instability. Thank god for plastic explosive...but that's another story I hope this helped explain a little bit about it, and how seriously dangerous this shit is, who knows whether or not they knew this information, or cared.

[nyazzip]

Potassium chlorate should be handled with care. It reacts vigorously, and in some cases spontaneously ignites or explodes, when mixed with many combustible*materials. It burns vigorously in combination with virtually any combustible material, even those normally only slightly flammable (including ordinary dust and lint). Mixtures of potassium chlorate and a fuel can ignite by contact with sulfuric acid, so it should be kept away from this reagent.*Sulfurshould be avoided in pyrotechnic compositions containing potassium chlorate, as these mixtures are prone to spontaneous*deflagration. Most sulfur contains trace quantities of sulfur-containing acids, and these can cause spontaneous ignition - "Flowers of sulfur" or "sublimed sulfur", despite the overall high purity, contains significant amounts of sulfur acids. Also, mixtures of potassium chlorate with any compound with ignition promoting properties (ex.antimony(III) sulfide) are very dangerous to prepare, as they are extremely shock sensitive.