Two Danish citizens have died and as many as 10 other foreign nationals are severely ill after ingesting what is believed to be alcohol tainted with methanol in the Lao tourist town of Vang Vieng, according to sources and media reports.
The victims had been out drinking late into the night on Nov. 12 and began to feel ill early the next morning, at which point they were taken to a hospital in Vang Vieng for treatment, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC.
Most of the tourists - who included Danish, Australian and Swedish nationals - had been staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in the town in Vientiane province, the report said.
Police told RFA Lao that they are investigating whether the source of the illness was methanol, a clear liquid that is often illegally added to alcohol as a cheaper alternative to ethanol. Even a small amount of methanol can be fatal if ingested.
They confirmed that one Danish tourist had died as a result of the poisoning and that “several other foreign tourists” were being treated at the No. 103 Military Hospital in in the capital Vientiane.
Other sources said two Danish women in their 20s had died from the poisoning.
ABC cited a statement from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming that two Danish citizens “have passed away in Laos,” but said it provided no further details, citing reasons of confidentiality in personal matters.
ABC reported that two Australian women, aged 19, had been hospitalized in Vang Vieng, but were later transferred to a hospital in Vientiane, before being sent to another medical facility in Thailand. They were both listed in critical condition.
The report cited a spokesman for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as saying that the government was providing consular assistance to the two Australians and their families in Thailand.
Investigation underway
RFA spoke with Duong Van Huan, an owner of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, who said that the poisoning did not occur at his bar.
“They went out to the bars - lots of people,” he said, referring further questions to police.
“I don’t know much of what happened,” he added. “They went to the bar and came back ... I only sent them to the hospital ... I don’t know which bar they went to - Vang Vieng has lots of them.”
A paramedic in Vang Vieng told RFA Tuesday that early on Nov. 13, three tourists were taken to the No. 103 Military hospital in Vientiane, but one of them was already dead.
“It seems like she drank something mixed with poison in Vang Vieng,” said the paramedic, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation with the media. “The police are investigating this incident.”
An official from the hospital in Vang Vieng confirmed that “many foreign tourists are being treated ... due to an illness caused by poison.”
“But then most of them were transferred to other hospitals,” said the official, who also declined to be named. “Some of them were in a coma when they arrived here.”
A police officer in Vientiane told RFA on Tuesday that the case is “under investigation,” but he was unable to confirm how many tourists had been poisoned.
After the incident, a tourist took to a Laos Backpacker group on Facebook to post a warning.
“Urgent - please avoid all local spirits,” the post said. “Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars. Just avoid them as so not worth it. 6 of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”
An official at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok declined to comment when asked for further details about the incident.
Translated by Phouvong. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.