Six Tourists Die From Methanol Poisoning in Laos
Six young tourists have died from poisoning after drinking alcohol containing methanol instead of ethanol in Vang Vieng, a backpackers hotspot in Laos.
Methanol poisoning in Laos
A case of methanol poisoning in Laos has claimed its sixth victim after another young backpacker succumbed to unknowingly drinking alcohol containing the highly toxic compound.
Nineteen-year-old Australian backpacker Holly Bowles died in a hospital in Bangkok, where she was flown after falling ill in Vang Vieng, Laos.
Yesterday, 19-year-old Bianca Jones, a friend and travel companion of Bowles, also succumbed to methanol poisoning.
The two young Australian women, both from Melbourne, are suspected to have consumed the methanol-containing alcohol during a night out with other backpackers in Vang Vieng.
Four other backpackers — two young Danish women, an American man, and a 28-year-old British woman named Simone White — also died from methanol poisoning after the night out in Vang Vieng.
Several other travellers who consumed alcoholic drinks containing methanol have since fully recovered.
Backpackers hostel
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, all six deceased travellers stayed at the same hostel in Vang Vieng, called Nana Backpacker Hostel.
Although it has yet to be determined whether alcoholic drinks containing methanol were consumed at Nana Backpacker Hostel or somewhere else in Vang Vieng, the venue has since been closed by the Laotian police.
Reportedly, guests were given free shots at the hostel bar, after which some ventured to other bars in Vang Vieng.
The owner of Nana Backpacker Hostel has denied providing alcohol made from methanol to guests.
Methanol
Although methanol is similar to ethanol, the compound that makes drinks alcoholic, it has a different chemical structure, making it toxic to humans.
In some countries, bootleggers use methanol instead of ethanol to make counterfeit alcoholic drinks, as it is much cheaper.
However, it is more common that inexperienced distillers inadvertently produce drinks containing methanol instead of ethanol due to inadequate distillation or fermentation processes and the use of rudimentary equipment without proper monitoring.
Without proper testing, it is impossible to distinguish by taste or smell whether an alcoholic drink contains methanol or ethanol.
Vang Vieng
The news of the six deceased backpackers has made headlines worldwide, with some media outlets focusing more sensationally on the “dark side of Vang Vieng”, emphasising the easy availability of drugs and hedonistic parties.
On my own Laos trip, I visited Vang Vieng for a few days, and the reality is – as always – much more nuanced than the sensationalist headlines portray.
Vang Vieng has long been a travel hotspot on the south-east Asia backpacker trail, mainly due to its highly picturesque setting on the Nam Song River, nestled between limestone cliffs.
The main activity in town is tubing, where travellers are taken upstream by a tour outfit before floating back to Vang Vieng in an inflatable tube on the Nam Song River.
Historically, tubing was closely associated with high alcohol consumption, as people would stop at ramshackle bars along the river to drink numerous beers and shots of alcohol.
Although the Nam Song River can hardly be described as treacherous, the combination of alcohol, drugs, and the heat did cause a large number of tourist deaths each year, whether it was intoxicated people drowning or backpackers dying from an overdose.
In 2011, the local hospital in Vang Vieng recorded 27 tourist deaths.
However, local authorities in Laos have since cracked down on most of these excesses by closing many of the ramshackle tubing bars, increasing surveillance, and adopting a tougher stance on drug use.
Indeed, if you nowadays go tubing or walk through Vang Vieng during the day, you hardly get the impression of a town of vice, but rather that of a laid-back provincial town.
Although there are still the odd bars that openly list drugs for sale on their menus and quite a bit of partying by visiting backpackers, Vang Vieng has a much quieter scene than other backpacker hotspots in Asia, such as some of Thailand’s islands like Koh Phangan with its infamous full moon parties.
The issue of methanol poisoning is also not specific to Vang Vieng or Laos, as it is a broader problem across Asia, with countries such as Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines regularly reporting cases of methanol poisoning as well.
Conclusion
Six young people have died from methanol poisoning after a nigh out drinking in Vang Vieng, a popular backpacker hotspot in Laos.
Although Vang Vieng has an infamous reputation on the south-east Asian backpacker trail for its drugs and party scene, most reports of it being a town full of vice are exaggerated or outdated, based on the local situation more than a decade ago.
Sadly, methanol poisoning is a widespread problem not only in Laos but across south-east Asia, and tourists can also unknowingly be affected by it.
When travelling across Laos or another country in south-east Asia, it’s best to avoid strong alcohol if you’re unsure whether it’s made by legitimate distillers.
It’s best never to accept (free) shots if you’re unsure where they came from, and if you buy a bottle of strong alcohol, always check that it is properly sealed.
When buying mixed drinks or cocktails at a bar in Laos or elsewhere in Asia, it’s also a good idea to check whether the alcohol being used – whether it’s vodka, gin, or something else – comes from a reputable national or international brand.
