HBO’s “The White Lotus” Season 3 has put a spotlight on Thailand’s natural hazards, featuring the pong pong tree (Cerbera odollam). When a resort worker warns guest Saxon Ratliff about the tree’s poisonous fruit, viewers get a glimpse of something far more sinister than typical resort landscaping. This tree, ominously nicknamed the “suicide tree,” has a real and deadly history that makes its appearance particularly chilling. The pong pong tree belongs to the Apocynaceae (dogbane) family, known for producing toxic compounds. This medium-sized evergreen, reaching heights of 10-15 meters, thrives in coastal regions, mangrove swamps, and riverbanks across Southeast Asia, … Continue reading Pong Pong Tree Blamed for 537 Deaths Yearly Now Appears in ‘The White Lotus’ Thailand Season