Episode Summary: “Do Not Disturb”

MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
Release Date: March 5, 2026
Host: John Allen (MrBallen)

Brief Overview

In this episode, MrBallen tells the chilling true story of Noemi and Audrey Belanger, two Canadian sisters who died mysteriously while vacationing on Phi Phi Island, Thailand. Initially thought to be the result of alcohol or accidental poisoning, the real cause of their deaths is revealed to be something far more sinister and shocking. The episode explores the dangers hidden in seemingly idyllic places, the complexities of international investigations, and the haunting question of accountability when tourists die abroad.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Arrival and First Night

• [04:01] Noemi and Audrey Belanger, college students from Quebec, begin their stay at a hotel on Phi Phi Island after a month of travel in Southeast Asia.
• Travel Fatigue: Noemi is exhausted from their journey and checks their hotel bed carefully for cleanliness and bedbugs before relaxing.
• Sisterly Concern: Noemi feels protective of her younger, more naive sister, reflecting on their parents’ safety concerns.

2. The Night Out

• [06:49 – 13:22] The sisters reunite with two Brazilian men they’d befriended in Vietnam for a night out at the beach.
• “Beach Buckets”: The men introduce the sisters to signature Thai “bucket drinks”—large cocktails believed to be a local specialty.
  • Notable Quote, 09:15:
    “Just try it. It’s really good. It’ll make you feel great.” — Brazilian man
• Safety Considerations: While Audrey dives in, Noemi hesitates, worried the drink might not be safe. Ultimately, seeing everyone else on the beach with similar buckets, she joins in.

3. The Separation

• [14:17 – 16:55] The sisters party into the early morning, eventually separating—Noemi goes back to the hotel with her guy at 1am, while Audrey and her companion stay out, returning later.

4. Discovery of the Bodies

• [17:41 – 20:15]
  • Three days later, housekeepers enter the sisters’ room after days of no contact and find both women dead in their respective beds, surrounded by vomit but with no signs of forced entry or struggle.
  • “Sombun’s First Theory”: Lt. Col. Rat Sombun, leading the Thai police investigation, suspects alcohol poisoning.
    • Notable Quote, 19:24:
      “There was all this dried blood on the girls’ gums and also under their fingernails. And so that was not consistent with alcohol poisoning.” — MrBallen

5. The Investigation & Suspicions

• [20:30 – 24:50]
  • Hotel surveillance reveals the timeline: both sisters return separately with the two Brazilians, who leave together at 6am.
  • The men, already back in Brazil, are interviewed by Interpol. They claim no wrongdoing and reveal that they, too, were violently ill after the night.

6. Theories and Autopsy

• [24:55 – 33:21]
  • Initial autopsy and toxicology reports show the presence of DEET (a component in mosquito repellent/pesticide) in the sisters’ bodies, leading police to conclude accidental poisoning from the Thai “4 by 100” bucket drinks.
  • Suspicion remains—if the drink is so hazardous, why aren’t tourists dying all the time? The parents and Canadian officials push for deeper investigation.

Notable Quote, 28:55:

“Our daughters drank this drink that apparently is sold at this beach bar all the time, and oh yeah, it killed them. No big deal. What? There's no warnings at this beach bar about how dangerous this drink is?” — MrBallen (reflecting the parents’ outrage)

7. The Shocking Truth: Secondary Autopsy

• [33:24 – 36:09]
  • Quebec coroner René Roussel conducts a second autopsy and discovers the levels of DEET are not fatal.
  • Further investigation uncovers a disturbing pattern: at least 20 tourists died under similar circumstances in Thailand between 2009–2015, all showing similar symptoms and test results.

Notable Quote, 35:27:

“Renee really began to do some serious research into this whole case. And eventually, she found something. And it horrified her, it horrified the family, it horrified the world.” — MrBallen

8. The Real Cause: Toxic Hotel Sheets

• [36:14 – 39:09]
  • The sisters’ fatal exposure wasn’t from what they ate or drank, but from their supposed “clean” beds.
  • Hotels in Thailand (and elsewhere) had illegally sprayed bed sheets with phosphine gas (a pesticide banned for direct use on beds), which is lethal to humans.
  • Noemi and Audrey, after a night of partying with their friends in those beds, were exposed for too long—unlike the men, who survived their shorter exposure but became gravely ill.

Notable Quote, 37:41:

“It would turn out [...] the way they were treating for bed bugs was by spraying the sheets with pesticide, specifically phosphine gas, which is highly toxic to bed bugs. So it gets rid of the bed bugs, but it's also highly toxic to people.” — MrBallen

9. Lack of Accountability

• [39:10 – 40:09]
  • Despite uncovering the cause and its illegality, no one has been held liable for the deaths.
  • The episode closes on the haunting note of tourists' vulnerability abroad and systemic failures that allow such tragedies to go unpunished.

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• [09:15] – “Just try it. It’s really good. It’ll make you feel great.” (Brazilian man introducing the cocktail buckets)
• [19:24] – “There was all this dried blood on the girls’ gums and also under their fingernails. And so that was not consistent with alcohol poisoning.” (MrBallen, describing police confusion)
• [28:55] – “Our daughters drank this drink that apparently is sold at this beach bar all the time, and oh yeah, it killed them. No big deal.” (Reflecting parents’ disbelief)
• [35:27] – “Renee really began to do some serious research into this whole case. And eventually, she found something. And it horrified her, it horrified the family, it horrified the world.” (Ballen on the turning point)
• [37:41] – “It would turn out [...] the way they were treating for bed bugs was by spraying the sheets with pesticide, specifically phosphine gas, which is highly toxic to bed bugs. So it gets rid of the bed bugs, but it's also highly toxic to people.” (The real cause revealed)

Key Timestamps

• 04:01 – Sisters arrive at the hotel in Thailand
• 06:49 – Beach night begins; introduction to “bucket drinks”
• 13:22 – Decision to separate for the night
• 17:41 – Discovering the bodies
• 20:30 – The investigation and surveillance timeline
• 24:55 – Initial toxicology and suspicion; Interpol involved
• 28:55 – Parental and Canadian outrage
• 33:24 – Secondary autopsy and discovery of a pattern
• 36:14 – Discovery of poisonous hotel beds
• 39:10 – Lack of accountability

Tone and Storytelling

MrBallen’s narrative style is engaging, suspenseful, and vivid, keeping the listener drawn in with careful pacing and dramatic flourishes. He maintains empathy for the victims and righteous anger at the lack of justice, which underpins the story’s emotional weight.

Takeaway

“Do Not Disturb” is a haunting exploration of unseen threats in paradise and the unsettling truth that, sometimes, the real danger lies not in irresponsible revelry or questionable drinks but in what happens behind the scenes—where shortcuts, negligence, and cover-ups can have fatal consequences. The episode is a sobering cautionary tale for travelers and a potent reminder of the importance of oversight and accountability in the global tourism industry.