Laos charges dangerous methanol poisoning for tourists who are not waist enough: parents – National
The Australian government and the families of two young Australians who died of methanol poisoning in Laos have criticized the Lao authorities after the owner of a store related to the deadly drinks was charged on Friday – but carried only four years in prison.
Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, 19, died after drinking contaminated alcohol laced with methanol at the Nana Backpacker hostel in November 2024, part of the murders of two Danish women, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21; American tourist, James Louis Hutson, 57; and a British woman, Simone White, 28.
The two 19-year-old Australian women fell ill after going out drinking with a group at night and failed to leave the Nana Backpacker hostel as planned. The women were found sick in their bedroom and taken to Thailand for emergency treatment, where they both died in hospital.
Thai authorities confirmed that Jones died of “brain inflammation due to high levels of methanol found in his system.”
Methanol is a clear, colorless alcohol used in all kinds of everyday products such as industrial cleaners, solvents, paints, cosmetics and antifreeze. Methanol is toxic and fatal if ingested.
Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks in bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but it can cause severe poisoning or death. It is also a poorly distilled alcohol product and could inadvertently find its way into bar drinks.
A court in Laos has opened a case against the owner of a restaurant in connection with the death of tourists on Friday.
The charges will result in the accused being sentenced to between three months and four years in prison and a fine if found guilty, Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday, according to the Associated Press.
The department’s statement, issued in Copenhagen and citing Lao authorities, said the charges were brought against the sale of dangerous food and illegal business.
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It also said that the case will remain open for 15 years and cases can still be opened for serious crimes, such as negligent homicide.
The Australian government and the families of the young Australians who died held a press conference to announce that the charges are expected to be made public.
Jones’ mother, Michelle, expressed outrage at the charges related to minor crimes.
“It’s like their lives didn’t matter,” said Michelle. “We were all shocked by that. You know, they were just having fun and doing what every child or teenager does. So in that outcome, it was very sad.”
Shaun Bowles, father of Holly Bowles, also spoke at the news conference and called the legal development “mind-boggling because [Laos] it’s a popular destination for many tourists, lots of Australians, young Australians and young people from around the world.”
He suggested that tourists reconsider visiting Laos “because they have shown, the way they behave, and as I say, the importance they place on the lives of tourists there and how they have tried to hide this.”
On Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was “deeply disappointed and very disappointed” that Laotian authorities were not pursuing “serious cases” in connection with the deaths of the tourists.
“Since their deaths, Australia has encouraged a thorough and transparent investigation that considers all available evidence and holds those responsible accountable. We have repeatedly and at the highest levels of the Lao Government to support that goal,” Wong wrote in a statement.
Wong and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sent an ambassador to Laos on Friday “to convey the objections of the Australian Government and reinforce our expectations for an investigation that brings justice to Holly, Bianca and other victims of methanol poisoning,” the minister said.
“The Albanian government will continue to represent the families of Holly and Bianca and the Lao Government at all levels, and will continue to provide diplomatic assistance as long as needed,” Wong added.
This is not the first time the families of the two young Melbourne men have spoken out after the charges were announced in the ongoing case.
In February, it was announced that hostel staff serving lethal drinks were fined AU$185 (about C$176).
The fathers of these women, Bowles and Mark Jones, said they were still unclear about the court case involving the hostel workers, which is in the Vang Vieng People’s Court in Laos.
They were part of a group discussion with the families of the deceased providing them with information and that’s when they learned that 10 people connected to this hostel faced a judge in late January.
Those 10 people were fined AU$185 each and given a suspended sentence for suppressing evidence, 9News reported.
“We are shocked at the complete injustice of our girls and others,” said Jones. “We have not done anything with anyone from the Lao government.
“To think that the authorities in Laos believe that those involved in killing our daughters are worth $185 is truly disgraceful.”
The fathers initially thought the court case was related to the death of their daughters, but the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that the evidence tampering case was related to the death of an American tourist.
In November 2024, Canada issued a travel advisory after six tourists, most of them aged 19 to 20, died of methanol poisoning in a popular backpacker town in northern Laos.
“A number of foreigners in Vang Vieng have been victims of suspected methanol-adulterated alcohol poisoning,” the warning read. “Be careful when you choose to drink alcohol. Avoid accepting free or discounted drinks. Only buy alcohol in sealed bottles and cans from reputable stores. Seek medical attention if you become ill.”
— via files from The Associated Press
