TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Five families affected by the March Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) food poisoning incident have applied for criminal victim compensation, with one family still considering an application as of Friday, Oct. 11. Each family may receive up to NT$1.8 million.
The food poisoning incident, which occurred in March, resulted in six fatalities, prompting families to seek compensation. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, 衛服部) determined that the deaths were caused by bongkrek acid, a dangerous toxin linked to spoiled food.
The Association for Victims Support (AVS, 財團法人犯罪被害人保護協會) has been assisting the affected families, offering emergency living support and legal aid. Five families have already applied for compensation, while one is still deliberating.
With the implementation of the new Crime Victim Rights Protection Act (犯罪被害人權益保障法新法) in July 2023, the compensation process has been streamlined. The updated law replaced subrogation with a social assistance system, accelerating the review of applications.
The Ministry of Justice's Institute of Forensic Medicine (法務部法醫研究所) confirmed that the first two victims, Lu and Yang, died as a result of bongkrek acid poisoning. The causes of death for the remaining victims are still under investigation.