Posted on 11/22/2024 11:59:21 AM PST by BenLurkin
A second Australian teenager who fell critically ill after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos has died in a hospital in Bangkok, her family said Friday, bringing the death toll in the mass poisoning of foreign tourists to six.
Holly Bowles, 19, had been in critical condition on life support following the poisoning in Laos more than a week ago.
"We are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace," her family said in a statement sent to Australian Network 10 and other Australian media. "We find comfort and solace in knowing that Holly brought so much joy and happiness to so many people."
An officer at Vang Vieng's Tourism Police office, who refused to give his name, told The Associated Press on Friday that a "number of people" had been detained in the case but that no charges have yet been filed. Staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which was still operating but not accepting new guests, confirmed that the manager and owner were among those taken in for questioning.
Tourist police offices are common in Southeast Asia and are set up specifically to help with incidents involving tourists and other foreigners.
The U.S. State Department on Friday issued a health alert for citizens traveling in Laos, warning of "suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, possibly through the consumption of methanol-laced alcoholic drinks," following similar alerts from other countries whose citizens were involved.
Australia's prime minister announced Thursday that a 19-year-old citizen, Bianca Jones, had died in a Thai hospital where she had been evacuated for emergency treatment, and that her friend — Bowles — remained in a hospital "fighting for her life."
A 28-year-old British woman, Simone White, also died in the suspected poisoning, the British Foreign Office said.
An American and two Danish tourists also died, though specifics about the causes of death have not been released.
New Zealand's Foreign Ministry said one of its citizens was sickened in Laos and was a possible victim of methanol poisoning.
White's family said they were "devastated by the loss of our beautiful, kind and loving daughter Simone," who had "the most wonderful energy and spark for life."
"Our hearts go out to all other families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy," the family said in a statement issued by law firm Squire Patton Boggs, where White worked as a lawyer.
Laos is a one-party communist state with no organized opposition and the government keeps a tight lid on information. In this case, officials have released almost no details.
The Foreign Ministry has refused to comment, and in Vang Vieng the small hospital where some of the victims are believed to have been treated initially referred all questions to the town's health office on the hospital grounds. The town health officials refused to comment, saying they lacked proper permission.
Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks at disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death. It is also a byproduct of poorly distilled homebrew liquor, and could have found its way into bar drinks inadvertently.
Landlocked Laos is one of Southeast Asia's poorest nations and a popular tourist destination. Vang Vieng is particularly popular among backpackers seeking partying and adventure sports.
Neil Farmiloe, a New Zealander who owns the Kiwi Kitchen restaurant in town, said a lot of his customers were very worried about the incident.
"I think it's never happened before, so it is hopefully just a one-off incident," said Farmiloe, who has lived in Vang Vieng for 20 years. "It's very sad all around. I'm sure nobody intended to cause injury, but it's happened."
The two 19-year-old Australian women who have both now died fell ill on Nov. 13 following a night out drinking with a group.
They failed to check out from the Nana Backpacker Hostel as planned and were found sick in their room and then taken to Thailand for emergency treatment.
Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died by "brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system."
Duong Duc Toan, the manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, told the AP the day before he was detained that the two women had joined other guests for free shots of Laotian vodka before heading elsewhere and returning in the early hours of the morning.
Note to self...pass on Laotian vodka. Not that I had ever heard of such until now.
Laos is just all over my bucket list. (sarc)
Will we ever know?
Shitholes are called shitholes for a reason.
Methanol. Actually I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often in various tourist traps.
Just bunk locally made alcohol I bet.
Jimmy Wah selling beer outside of Vietnam?
Ba!
Stick to weed
“Methanol is a byproduct of poorly distilled homebrew liquor”
I’ve never heard of that before. How can a simple distillation process be poorly done to create methanol?
> Laos is a one-party communist state with no organized opposition and the government keeps a tight lid on information. In this case, officials have released almost no details.
No comment, strikes too close to home. “Missed it by -that- much.“
I had a little too much Russian vodka in Kazakhstan in 1993. Never again. There was nothing wrong with the vodka. I’m just a lightweight.
“Laos is one of Southeast Asia’s poorest nations and a popular tourist destination.”
“Vang Vieng is particularly popular among backpackers seeking partying and adventure sports.”
These two statements sum up the whole situation.
Shitholes like most American Cities? you sound ridiculous. i’ve been around the world fairly extensively and the cities in the United States are some of the most dangerous places.
This has been happening in Caribbean islands as well....bars substituting real booze with homemade moonshine......if made incorrectly it’s deadly......obviously.
I used to watch the Moonshiners reality tv series on cable.....they ALWAYS poured out the first pint or so of a new batch because they stated its poisonous.
Many Westerners are naive. They simply can’t grasp the evil that exists in some places, and what some people will do for literally a few extra pennies.
By not initially running the distillation at a temp that allows the heads or methanol and fusels to boil off first, come down dripping from the cooled condensing coils of copper, and be discarded. If you touch a drop of that first product dripping to your tongue, you can taste the unique bitter methanol.
Then you keep what comes next, the “hearts” of the run batch. Tails are last, after moat og the ethanol is extracted
I know some people who just love traveling to places where a single US dollar can be stretched into a car cover. I have several problems with this. You’re often surrounded by people who make less in a year then you have on person at the moment. That makes me uncomfortable from several perspectives. There’s personal safety. I also feel guilty even though there’s nothing I could do for most of these people even if I gave them everything I own. Then there’s the possibility they’ll feed you dodgy alcohol or substandard food. As to the food, that might not be on purpose. If you grew up eating “bad” food, it might not bother you. My cat will snack on stuff that would easily kill me even if I cooked it. It’s all in what you’re conditioned to handle. (He did bring me a fresh mouse this moring.)
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