Laos Police Arrest Eight in Connection with Suspected Methanol Poisoning of Six Foreign Tourists
A tragic incident has shaken the small riverside town of Vang Vieng in Laos, where six foreign tourists died after suspected methanol poisoning. The victims, who included two Danish women, two Australian teenagers, a British woman, and an American man, had been staying at the Nana Backpackers Hostel.
According to authorities, the eight individuals arrested in connection with the incident were all employees of the hostel, ranging in age from 23 to 44 and of Vietnamese nationality. The Laos government has promised justice, stating that they are conducting investigations to find the cause of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law.
The incident occurred on November 12, after the tourists had spent a night out at the hostel. Authorities suspect that the deaths were caused by poisoning, possibly due to tainted drinks laced with methanol. At least 12 other foreign tourists were hospitalized after consuming the tainted drinks from the same guesthouse.
The UK and US governments have issued travel warnings to their citizens visiting Laos, advising them to only consume alcohol from licensed liquor stores and to be cautious of free or suspicious drinks.
Methanol, a tasteless and odorless liquid, has been blamed for mass deaths in Asia. In 2012, around 50 people were killed in Cambodia after drinking rice wine contaminated with methanol. Between 2018 and 2019, at least 40 people died in the Philippines after consuming palm liquor laced with methanol.