Laos 'Methanol alcohol' tourist death toll rises to six

Two more foreign tourists who drank alcohol believed to contain methanol died in the Lao tourist destination of Vang Vieng, bringing the death toll to six.

According to the Associated Press on the 22nd local time, Australia's Foreign Ministry said Holly Bowles, an Australian woman who was taken to a Thai hospital while traveling to Vang Vieng, died.

Bowles stayed at a hostel in Bangieng with his friend Bianca Jones and was in critical condition after her health deteriorated on the 13th and was taken to a Thai hospital.

Friend Jones died the day before from "brain edema caused by high concentrations of methanol found in the body," Thai authorities said.

According to the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a British woman, Simone White, also died of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos.

An American and two Danes were also killed earlier.

New Zealand's foreign ministry also said one of its citizens was in critical condition in Laos and could be a victim of methanol poisoning, potentially raising the death toll further.

The manager of the hostel where they stayed said the two had free Lao vodka with other guests on the evening of the 12th, then went somewhere else and returned to the hostel in the early morning of the 13th.

According to Western media, including Australia, about 12 tourists, including them, went out and returned on the 12th in Bang Bieng, and their health deteriorated.

Lao police, who are investigating, reportedly arrested several people, including the manager and owner of the hostel where Bowles and Jones stayed.

In some countries such as Southeast Asia, there are occasional cases of selling cheap methanol-infused alcohol and killing victims who drank it.

Bangbieng is called the "Holy Place for Backpack Travel," where travelers flock from all over the world, including the West, and is also visited by many Korean tourists.