Rachel Goh, Author at Goody Feed

Durians are a divisive topic in Singapore. Durian lovers are obsessed with them, while durian haters refuse to be near them. The “king of fruit” has a strong smell that some find pungent. In the case of one bus conductor in Thailand, the stench of a passenger’s durian caused her to faint. To top it all off, she had a durian allergy. The Incident The bus conductor, Kussama Srisong, took to Facebook on 8 September to share her ordeal. Apparently, a passenger had brought durian onboard the bus. She made the passenger alight with the fruit. Notably, durian is banned on public transport in Thailand. Unfortunately, Srisong suffered a severe allergic reaction from the durian’s fumes, causing chest tightness and breathing difficulties. She then fainted, causing the bus to be delayed as people attended to her. Attached to the Facebook post was a photo of Srisong lying on a row of seats on the bus as a woman in a jacket tended to her. Image: Facebook (@กัสมา ศรีสงข์) The other man in the photo was seen waving a piece of material to fan Srisong, presumably to create ventilation. She wrote, “When you bring durian onto the bus, it’s not just you who doesn’t get to continue , but many others might have to return home late because of you.” Aftermath Thankfully, Srisong was brought to the hospital and was able to make a quick recovery. She expressed gratitude to those who tended to her and sent her to the hospital. She also appreciated her supervisor, who called to check on her. In a post on 9 September, Srisong wrote that she was recovering well and had even gone back to work. Speaking to Bangkok-based newspaper Thairath, she explained her durian allergy. She said, “In the event that a passenger brings durian onto the bus, they can be invited to disembark immediately. But the smell still remains.” She also cautioned others not to bring items with strong odours onto public transport because it is prohibited. Such items include durian and fermented fish. She suggested, “If you want to eat it, buy it near your house, so there won’t be any problems.” About Durian Allergies As it turns out, durian allergies are rare. Here’s the bad news: It is possible to develop an allergy to durian as you grow older. Speaking to Channel News Asia in 2020, Dr Benjamin Loh, a resident doctor at DTAP Clinic Bencoolen, said that an individual’s body can become more “sensitised” with repeated exposure to durian. If you ever develop this unfortunate allergy, popping an anti-histamine before taking a bite of the thorny fruit may not be the best solution. According to Dr Loh, there is “no way to predict how the next allergic reaction will turn out, especially when there’s a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction”. Durian Laws For a country that is known for its durian superfans, Singapore has a few rules against durians. For one, eating durian is banned in many public spaces in Singapore. You can’t even carry durian on public transport. Going against the law can cause you to incur a fine. In July 2023, a Chinese tourist found this out the hard way. She received a warning letter from W Singapore - Sentosa Cove after eating Musang King durians in her hotel room. The letter noted that guests would incur a $500 fine if staff detected the smell of durians in the room. As this was her first warning, she was let off the hook. Singapore isn’t the only country that has such rules against durians. Durians are also banned from hotels, public transportation and flights in Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong. What to Do if You Have an Allergic Reaction According to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) website, food allergies occur when an individual’s immune system mistakenly treats food as a harmful substance. This causes the body to have a protective response. In Asia, the most common food allergies are seafood-related. Allergic reactions result in symptoms like an itchy mouth, hives, swells, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. In more severe cases, the person experiencing a food allergy could lose consciousness or stop breathing (anaphylaxis), Thus, to reduce the chance of having an allergic reaction, SFA advises the public to check food labels. Furthermore, people should seek medical attention if experiencing a severe allergic reaction.