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Since the time this video became available, now a 5th victim has died:

I would not want to be in the shoes of whoever is responsible if that person(s) gets caught.
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British woman dies in suspected methanol poisoning in Laos, taking toll to five

November 22, 2024

A British woman who fell ill after drinking contaminated alcohol in Laos has died, the fifth foreign national now suspected to have died in the incident.

British media reported on Thursday that 28-year-old Simone White, a lawyer from southeast London, was among the tourists who died after consuming drinks laced with methanol, a toxic alcohol.

"We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Laos, and we are in contact with the local authorities," Britain's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Four other tourists - an Australian, two Danes and an American - have died in the incident in Vang Vieng, a town in the Southeast Asian nation popular with foreign backpackers.

Bianca Jones, a 19-year-old Australian, also died on Thursday after being taken to a hospital in neighbouring Thailand on Nov 13, Pol Col Phattanawong Chanphon, superintendent of Muang police station in Udon Thani province said.

"The physician who examined her said the cause of death was a methanol poisoning, from fake liquor," he told Reuters.

"The amount of methanol in her body was high, leading to swelling of the brain."

Counterfeits of well-known alcohol brands, and home-made spirits are a problem in Laos, with the governments of Australia and Britain warning citizens to be cautious when taking drinks there.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/29067 ... ll-to-five

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Now the death toll has risen to 6.
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Second Australian dies after Laos poisoning

Vang Vieng hostel owner detained as death toll from tainted booze rises to six

November 22, 2024

A second Australian teenager has died of suspected methanol poisoning, bringing to six the number of foreign tourists who have died after apparently drinking tainted alcohol in Laos.

The owner of the backpacker hostel where the two young Australians were staying before they fell violently ill has been detained by police for questioning in Laos, the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) reported.

The family of Holly Bowles, 19, said they were “heartbroken” to confirm her death at Bangkok Hospital in the Thai capital, more than a week after she fell ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng.

Her friend Bianca Jones, also 19, and the British lawyer Simone White, 28, from London, were confirmed to have died on Thursday.

An unnamed American man and two Danish women, aged 19 and 20, are also among the victims of the suspected poisoning.

In a statement released to media on Friday, Holly’s family said they were taking comfort from the fact she had brought so much “joy and happiness to so many people”.

They added that she had been living “her best life travelling through Southeast Asia meeting new friends and enjoying incredible experiences” when she became ill.

“All Australians will be heartbroken by the tragic passing of Holly Bowles,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement. “Just yesterday, Holly lost her best friend, Bianca Jones.”

The two Australians were taken to hospital in Vientiane on Wednesday, Nov 13, after they failed to check out of their hostel in Vang Vieng, about two hours north of the Lao capital.

After their conditions worsened, they were transferred to hospitals in Thailand: Bianca to Udon Thani and Holly to Bangkok.

The Nana Backpacker Hostel, where the Australians were staying, has said it gave out free vodka shots to around 100 guests on the evening of Nov 12.

The hostel’s manager told the US news agency The Associated Press that no other guests had become unwell. Earlier he told ABC that the drinks in question did not come from his bar. He believed those who became ill could have consumed the tainted drinks at another bar in the town.

Australian officials are pressing Lao authorities for a full and transparent investigation into what happened, though little information has been revealed so far.

The Lao state-run news agency KPL said on Friday that authorities were gathering evidence and witness accounts following the foreigners’ deaths due to suspected “consumption of tainted alcoholic beverages”. An official statement was expected soon.

Counterfeits of well-known alcohol brands and homemade spirits are a problem in Laos. Australia and Britain have warned their citizens to be cautious when consuming drinks there.

The US embassy in Laos also issued a warning on Friday for its citizens to be on the alert for risks of methanol poisoning in spirit-based drinks, advising them to buy from licensed vendors and check for signs of tampering or counterfeiting.

Methanol is a toxic alcohol used in industrial and household products like antifreeze, photocopier fluids, paint thinner, varnish and windshield wiper fluid.

Despite being toxic to humans, it is sometimes used in cheaply made home brew.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -poisoning

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