Fifth tourist dies after suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos | BBC News

[@ntube7]

The body converts methanol into formaldehyde which is highly toxic. Abdominal pains, vomiting, eventually blindness, kidney failure and death, a horrible end to those affected.

[@keithlillis7962]

The liver converts Ethanol, (ethyl alcohol), the 'safe' alcohol we drink, into some pretty nasty substances, such as Acetone as it breaks it down over time.

[@justinnsky]

Stay away from cocktails from street vendors.

[@guneytopal1713]

No shit Sherlock

[@gusgus7794]

ຄົນໂງ່, ເປັນຫຍັງພວກເຂົາກິນ?

[@patrickng9643]

The shots were at there resort it wasn’t just some random drinks from the street

[@justinnsky]

@@guneytopal1713 nothing wrong with advising future travellers to be aware, especially if they're traveling on a budget, cheap drinks are an attraction...

[@deezeed2817]

Never drink anything that has ice in it either from street vendors. You will up on the toilet next day

[@dorothyhannon3188]

I learned from my travels early on never to drink alcohol abroad except in safe establishments where I bought it myself. This is a tragic situation.

[@shazanali692]

Did something happen, so you learnt your lesson, just wondering

[@TheMasterblaster32]

Na you just have to understand monsters exist no matter where you go.

[@Nick_80599]

You are warned about this and bottled water in countries like this, in China for example there are a lot of counterfeits of big name alcohol brands and in India, you are warned about bottled water because people simply refill empty discarded bottles and sell them to tourist, whilst in the UK cryptosporidium has been found in tap water, so your not completely safe at home either

[@PrashantKumar-qp4er]

BOOTLEGGER here; don't blame the salesman, blame the producers of these defective products. As for me, I take great pride in my work and I work hard and earn good money to support my girlfriends.

[@Nick_80599]

@@PrashantKumar-qp4er Ha! How many girlfriends do you have

[@BagofDreams]

This is how my parents died, so sad, my heart goes out to these kids and their families.

[@DonnellOkafor-r2d]

They willingly drank it?

[@BagofDreams]

@@DonnellOkafor-r2dmy parents? They didn’t really know what it was, I was only a child at the time but I believe they were told it was like vodka and just needed to be diluted.

[@DonnellOkafor-r2d]

@BagofDreams how sad. Are you from a 1st world country?

[@BagofDreams]

@ Yeah UK.

[@phattjohnson]

@@BagofDreams Fark.. sucks to see people making the same mistakes again and again eh.

[@WD_R]

"It's not that we dont drink anymore. We just have to be careful" 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@sabineliebehenz4492]

Ikr

[@onenation8707]

I gave up alcohol 8 years ago, the best decision i have ever made. When i travel, it's always bottled water and good food.

[@YUNG-fr1kg]

street food are high risk too

[@onenation8707]

@YUNG-fr1kg I didn't say street food. I'm aware of how easy it is to get food poisoning. I always pay the extra to eat in nice restaurants, and I never eat raw meat like fish in sushi. I also stay away from salads, and if it's fruits, only ones where you have to peel the skin off.

[@zoro-w8x1k]

Quitter

[@onenation8707]

@@zoro-w8x1k who's a quitter d#ckhead? You didn't know my relationship with alcohol. I'm now a stronger person for it.

[@onenation8707]

@@zoro-w8x1kfool, who's a quitter? You didn't know my relationship with alcohol. I'm now a stronger person for it.

[@shannonschaerer1010]

From what I've read & studied, it is a HORRIBLE way to go - or to survive, but be in a coma in the hospital - & likely messed up for LIFE!! It's CRAZY how people can do this to others!!

[@SparrowHills08]

So it was maliciously done?

[@michaelb2388]

​@@SparrowHills08I doubt it was malicious. I've been to Laos a few times and I've never met a malicious Laotian. More likely someone trying to make some money by selling dodgy alcohol

[@shazanali692]

​@@michaelb2388Life is cheap in the third world

[@brackcycle9056]

Methanol can cause blindness too. ..... if no hospital treatment is available drinking good ethanol is said to be an emergency treatment, but don't take my word for it.

[@Lonelystar_xoxo]

@@michaelb2388trying to make money in that way selling dodgy alcohol sounds pretty malicious to me… well aware of the consequences

[@KennethGreenCMP]

Wait, they are drinking bootleg alcohol from strangers? Tip - Don't take drugs or drinks from strangers ANYWHERE.

[@stampedmetalsword8099]

Free alcohol? Nothing free out here. All ways be careful when they say something is free.

[@phattjohnson]

Usually it's just to get you into the club / pub to start paying for drinks for several hours. I think the club made LESS money doing it this way.. Plenty of cool free shit that doesn't kill you, but yeah there's usually strings attached.

[@brandonholliday4515]

Methanol comes from fermentation of pectins found in fruits, potatoes, carrots, sugar beet and lots of other plants. The concentration of methanol is relatively low compared to ethanol and should be almost completely removed by distillation (methanol has a lower boiling point than ethanol). In a proper distillery, the concentrations would be monitored all through the process. However, there are no safeguards with bootlegged alcohol which is common in some places. RIP to the unfortunate victims.

[@audreyplaysnice2086]

thanks i always wondered how the methanol got out of the alcohol.

[@liamwatson5125]

Ethanol is the only alcohol that is drinkable.

[@tomnguyen9931]

How about not taking anything that have had any VOC compound in them?

[@dontsettlefor500mill]

@@liamwatson5125 Ethanol is definitely the primary alcohol for drinking, but not only one drinkable... Have you heard of fusel alcohols? They're a by-product of ethanol fermentation. The individual alcohols playing the most important role in beer flavor include propanols and butanols conveying alcoholic, wine-like, and ripe fruity notes; active amyl alcohol (a methyl butanol) presenting the characteristic “fusely” or boozy pungent note; phenyl ethanol, producing a pleasant rose or sweetish note; and tryptophol and tyrosol, exhibiting bitter, almond-like, or solvent-like taste characteristics. The yeast strain, fermentation conditions, and wort composition all have significant effects on the combination and levels of higher alcohols formed. Fusel alcohols will be present at higher concentrations, in more robust and alcoholic beers, such as barley wines and imperial stouts, partly because of stresses inflicted upon the yeast by high ethanol concentrations and more strenuous fermentations. Otherwise, in most beer styles they should not be perceptible or just barely so. As a group, fusel alcohols are a major part of the “alcoholic” perception of beer and overall core beer flavor.

[@JosephLedbetter]

@@dontsettlefor500mill Thank you for a detailed reply there. Hey if you know does Everclear have any methanol in it?

[@Rudero3]

The idea of them saying "avoid alcohol that tastes strange", bro all alcohol tastes strange, it's kind of an actual poison to begin with.

[@natashajenkins-xh2xd]

its not "a kind of a poison", it is a poison. That why it makes you drunk, its the effects of the toxicity, and like most poisons it will kill you if you ingest enough.

[@catherina2611]

Holly has since passed away too. Terrible tragedy for their families. I hope they catch those responsible.

[@solsthrash2603]

That is so horrific, I really hope there will be some justice

[@Traceishere]

omg,,, as a former backpacker who has travelled alone, this has shocked me to the core as have never heard of this before,,,, so sorry for the loss,,,,

[@markskilbeck]

your comment needs more commas,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[@Heimbach1966]

Are you stupid, you gormless boomer

[@onlinme7884]

laos is generally a safe country. but caution should be taken when comes to food & drinks

[@Traceishere]

@@markskilbeck oh shut up dimwit

[@lovelylaughter11]

@Traceishere , you're telling me! Honey, I've never heard this!

[@SlxmRxcey]

Just more and more reasons for me to stay away from alcohol. Give me a bottle of orange juice and I’m chilling

[@simontan2022]

Not the alco that kills it's the fake alco that does. Especially in that part of the world anything goes to make quick money. $$$ is king there. Everything else comes 2nd , including human lives. One should be grateful that u aint living there

[@nemnem3232]

@@simontan2022 Yeah but what he is saying is that small chance there is methanol which is likely in Thailand is just not worth the risk.

[@sueprator9314]

Stop being so self righteous. These are young people. Keeping them safe yes but pontificating how wonderful you are is annoying. Everyone finds their own way and why the hell they need to go to Laos at all is beyond me says this Californian. We have plenty of Asian multi cultural here.

[@markwilliams2620]

Congrats on being the 2nd sanctimonious d-head on this thread. Celebrate your sobriety. Don't pontificate.

[@BumboLooks]

@@sueprator9314 And.... you now math methanol poisoning in California from Asians... Wow! go multiculturalism!!!

[@MichaelGill-x7l]

Sad news and my sincere love 🌹 to her close family and friends 🌹

[@PATCARSON-l6v]

How very distressing and worrying.

[@XnaihkKahtanhg]

Avoid Dominican republic also🎉

[@vshazam]

​@@XnaihkKahtanhg is... is that a threat?

[@XnaihkKahtanhg]

@vshazam it's a promise... Tourist are in danger they are known to give" ethanol" to people"fake vodka"

[@XnaihkKahtanhg]

@PATCARSON-l6v they are know for ethanol_fake vodka

[@visiow2691]

@@XnaihkKahtanhgrubbish

[@wobs5]

So sad. This was not uncommon when I lived in Lao from the 90's. I'm a Brit and as I lived there I used to warn tourists and back packers about this back in the 90's and early 2000's. As a warning my wife and I saw the same thing in Sri Lanka when we were there so it's not just Lao.

[@EB-jf5oi]

It's a thing in a lot of Asia. If people must drink alcohol I suggest bottled beer.

[@JohnTurner-uy3hn]

No its all the backwards countries

[@milesinnz]

same in Cambodia... whole wedding receptions can go down... young tourists think they are bullet proof - guess it is too late for them to learn now..

[@Creees]

​@@milesinnzis that the young tourist fault they are bullet proof or the older generations guiding them and culture of their countries. We should do nore to support our young generations

[@milesinnz]

@@Creees how do you guide 20 something western people who are on a buzz.. when I was their age, I was riding motorcycles and other dangerous activities at insane speeds no one told me not to. I am surprised I am still alive. I am not sure how the dangers of traveling in SE Asia are communicated.. I see so many cases of people making very basic mistakes..

[@alishademmery3581]

Condolences for the families loss

[@seandrew7837]

Which family?

[@JohnSaunders-k1e]

Yeah I'm sure they'll be comforted by your "condolences"

[@AkiraIlyas]

​@@JohnSaunders-k1eI'll expect you to be there at the funeral Jonathan

[@seandrew7837]

@ I’m sure your hard drive is toxic.

[@JohnSaunders-k1e]

@@AkiraIlyas Haven't you heard? Condolences are internet based these days.

[@VictorVictor-v8s]

Scary stuff. No one takes a drink ever thinking it could kill them. RIP.

[@kokoyaro]

What a statement. Those who would think so wouldn't take the drink at all

[@Heshem_Joel]

But Alcohol does. 😂

[@InterMalager]

millions of people do.....

[@Cecilia-ky3uw]

​@@Heshem_JoelYes but not in such a manner, it kills you in a much lighter way than the above.

[@1SeanPG]

Dignitas?

[@kadeledo8405]

Invent a methanol quick test strip. Kinda like a pregnancy test. 1 line is negative, and 2 lines equals a positive. Make it available and affordable.

[@Leviathan-h2h]

Not possible, methanol is too chemically similar to ethanol for that to work.

[@cornpop838]

I too like giving advice about things i have absolute zero idea about lol.

[@TrustMeIKnowEverything]

​@@Leviathan-h2hlol not true lol

[@danielch6662]

It's not laced with methanol. Nobody added it. It's naturally present in alcohol, because it *is* an alcohol. There are different kinds of alcohol. The one safe to drink is ethanol. Normal production methods produce them all in different quantities. Distillation is to separate them out. But the hypothetical spherical cows in physics/math don't exist in the real world. Neither is pure alcohol with only ethanol and no methanol. The dose makes the poison. This frequently happen when the person doing the distillation are too aggressive with not throwing away too much of the product in the head and tail.

[@TrustMeIKnowEverything]

@danielch6662 there is no methanol in alcoholic beverages you absolute moron. That's ethanol in alcoholic beverages lol. You are so stupid it's hilarious 🤡

[@SteveJauncey]

Rest in peace

[@Jb-mi2rm]

Never buy open drinks unless you pour from your bottle ..

[@XnaihkKahtanhg]

@vshazam they are known to sale fake vodka 🎉

[@admiral20055]

u can have matehnol in look orgin abottels man,

[@sunny-sz5ik]

its kinda hard, i mean it happens in restaurants etc, its normal

[@Imjonjones2024]

Could have been poisoned in the factory where it was made; then what?

[@admiral20055]

@@Imjonjones2024 Fake Makes, like u can get Gucci dolce gabana, right, u can get in Vodka Whishkey all brands Fake. mades, even Cigarats,

[@cameron-wd6sd]

ข้อเสียอย่างนึงของการไปเที่ยวลาว คือ เมื่อคุณเจ็บป่วยหรือได้รับอุบัติเหตุ พวกเขาจะส่งตัวคุณข้ามพรมแดนมารักษาโรงพยาลในประเทศไทย ซึ่งมันทำให้ค่าใช้จ่ายของคุณเพิ่มขึ้นมาก

[@JennyMapunda-d3m]

This increases the risk of death as well

[@abmong]

@@JennyMapunda-d3m Still less risk than being treated in a Laos hospital.

[@jackoh991]

Insurance

[@Ork-Valeriy]

So better to go for vacation straight to Thailand

[@johnnylah5058]

@@Ork-Valeriy yeah haha

[@Whalewraith]

Laced makes it sound like a deliberate attack rather than the dangerous trend of making knock off spirits.

[@phattjohnson]

Words are weapons and have lost all meaning now. "Justified self defense making me feel uncomfortable" = 'genocide' now, as one example.

[@CrayZJo3Davola]

Never drink anything in a 3rd world country that isn't bottle cap sealed.

Just don’t travel. Stay at home where it’s safe right

[@AB_123_AB]

If you're going to be that anal then don't travel. Period.

[@elsafralves]

[@SeanCooney1992]

I'd never drink anything in any country without a sealed bottle cap but you do you I guess.....

[@JMMin-Kahan]

Lol you say 3rd world as if we didn't create their poverty and need to do this. Uch people suck.

[@kingston4313]

So how will they find the person(s) responsible? Find supplier?

[@ga7a903]

They won't

[@hgv1947]

They are all making this elicit alcohol

[@DinoWilliams-ce9mi]

@kingston4313 Most likely they will blame someone who had a minor role in this tragedy & it will then be business as usual

[@Ruscococo1]

@@ga7a903 Thailand govt will cos they rely on tourism they are very strict there, 7 arrests have been made already.

[@Totally.Not.K24]

They never will! This is hard 2 prove.😢

[@Devonellah]

This is what you get with no Standards or Regulations for Food and Alcohol... How horrible!!!

[@Sdnaurs]

Makes you wonder how many people have drunk alcohol partially adulterated with this stuff rather than in pure form and who have undergone organ damage.

[@EB-jf5oi]

Quite a lot of people in Asia

[@newmankidman5763]

Yes, exactly, and many of them thinking that they got ill due to natural causes.

[@davidgray1515]

Most of the southern US

[@EB-jf5oi]

@@davidgray1515 Shows how unaware you are of the world

[@HoganWaveyBeats]

So in a nutshell they have murderers, just lacing people’s drinks and nothings being done about it. RIP to the tourists who succumbed to this situation. I hope we all have a eye opening on how careful we need to be and who we really should be trusting overseas

[@simontan2022]

I wouldn't trust even the tourguide nor the manager of the hostel. All they care is how to get quick bucks.

[@neungts]

yahh nothing like that is gonna happen, in which case only police from neighboring country like thailand n stuff would gave much attention, in fact i dont even think this make a round in Lao's media or news site.

[@milesinnz]

you are clueless about life in say Laos and Cambodia.. you would not even be able to find them on a map..

[@HoganWaveyBeats]

@@milesinnz 👍

[@festo8885]

​@@milesinnzit's not hard to find them on a map though. You talk bollocks

[@skindiver2]

Sending love ❤️ from all Australians Just so tragic

[@skunkrat01]

Seconded as another Australian. It's all just so incredibly heartbreaking

[@jakezywek6852]

The alcohol abroad can sometimes be dangerous. I had two bottles of seemingly ordinary Leo beer in Thailand a few years ago and woke up at 2am feeling the most ill I've ever been in my life. Bad batch.

[@finnneilson6229]

Was probably the food or something else from that day. Sealed beer out of the bottle probably wasn't the cause. Who knows though.

[@dok6149]

Happened in Laos Don't link it to Thailand.

[@jakezywek6852]

@@dok6149 not linking it to Thailand. I said I had a bad batch of Leo beer that gave an experienced drinker a hangover after two bottles. I'm ready for an argument over this.

[@jakezywek6852]

@@finnneilson6229 yeah didn't feel like food poisoning.

[@myhravergara]

In Thailand, 1992, our guide distinctly told us to be careful w the bottled beer, not drink too much, bc 'it had a little formaldehyde in it'. And absolutely, a couple of bottles would give u a hangover the next morning. After reading the various distilling explanations here, I see what he meant by 'formaldehyde' & was trying to express in English. It was indispensable advice

[@derricklangford4725]

🙏🏾 for the families 🕊️

[@spencerfrankclayton4348]

The thumbnail scared me.

[@samuelchandler7612]

What's wrong with this world

[@cookedit]

The human race are what's wrong.

[@johnclegg4993]

The world is beautiful, humans are what is wrong with it.

[@peplsuk7635]

Everything humans think of...

[@peplsuk7635]

@@johnclegg4993 Thank You

[@Heshem_Joel]

Alcohol.

[@tanyarenaissance8829]

A lot of countries do these. They give fake drinks at bars and stuff. It's safer to buy from a shop

[@MJ-Travel]

Shocking and sad news. I was in Laos last month, but I rarely drink alcohol. Need to be careful in future travel in south east Asia.

[@niamhturner1451]

need to be careful with alcohol in general in a place you don't know well, from Alaska to Zimbabwe shit like this will happen

[@lisamareepritchard6375]

I wouldn’t even go there but I’m glad you were safe 🙏

[@MJ-Travel]

@@lisamareepritchard6375 haha, thanks, very kind of you.😊 I love travel and want to see all 193 UN countries as long as I can, so far visited 29, it will be a long way to go but I treat it like a life task and enjoy the journey. Best wishes! 🙏🙂

[@stormcloudspass]

Same! I was in Vang Vieng, right by this hostel and had a beautiful time. I'll definitely be thinking twice about free shots on my next trip.

[@MJ-Travel]

@@stormcloudspass 😮Sound like a lucky escape! I didn't go Vang Vieng, but was in Vientiane and Luang Prabang, like their laidback relaxing atmosphere.

[@TheWatchman1893]

Not sure why, with a multitude of safe places to visit people insist on visiting places like this, looked like a right dump on the news this morning

[@moldovandorin6187]

It's very simple...don't travel, stay at home

[@gonefishing4204]

Absolutely disgusting. Condolences to the victims families and friends

[@Babyboffa2018]

It's at times like this I'm glad I don't drink alcohol

[@ciararespect4296]

Are you in Laos? If not be quiet

[@sextrance.enjoyer]

@@ciararespect4296 Why should he/she be quiet? Shit like this occur all the time. It's best to avoid drinking alcohol altogether.

[@davidgray1515]

At times like these Im so glad I have a high IQ and understand how truly dumb people are to travel to these places.

[@sunniieee40]

This sounds familiar. I am from.the Philippines which is a neighboring country of Laos. When the reporter said they were offered vodca. Here in the Phils we have a drink called Lambanog made from coconut sap, fermented and distilled which if done wrong can be lethal. Its just heartbreaking. The hostel would know who made it or where did they got it from. Hope these ladies get justice.🥺

[@stanbalo]

Meron na bang ganitong case sa lambanog?

[@stanbalo]

Well ang alam ko is yung sa cassava. Nasa news yun dati

[@Merh0le]

Bootleg booze sadly.

[@scudosmyth784]

Yes, I seem to remember something similar in Turkey a few years back.

[@jackoh991]

You been to Laos?

[@user-yk9sk7pg6v]

What's that mean exactly? Like booze made in poor /questionable circumstances with wrong materials?

[@scudosmyth784]

@@user-yk9sk7pg6v Basically bootleg is illegally made, In producing spirits the chemical process can have Methanol in it if not done properly.

[@pcliftonjr]

​@@user-yk9sk7pg6vPoorly distilled alcohol can cause methanol poisoning.

[@realmiss.chelle13]

My bf was hospitalized from alcohol poisoning after his holiday in Phuket just a couple of months ago. There is a lot of bootleg alcohol throughout SEA. We used to get a lot of poisoning here in the Philippines before, but rules are more strict nowadays. Be careful if you're a traveler. Never buy or accept alcohol from dodgy places or dodgy people.

[@DXR4488]

Lol... How about you westerners stay in the west then.

[@ciararespect4296]

I bet you said Phuket

[@piyajitkhotkhamsoon5793]

At least Phuket has best hospital that why your boyfriend doesn’t have more problems.

[@BumboLooks]

@@DXR4488 Lol... How about you Africans/Asians learn to stay in Africa/Asia then.

[@shayZero]

This is why I stay-cation these days. Utterly tragic, poor women

[@drew56209]

This is honestly so sad, I feel for these young people's parents man!

[@jasminecrouch7121]

“Both cases in Thailand and Laos”? All the case happened in Laos but the victims are being treated for in Thailand due to Thailand having better medical facilities. The accusations 🙄

[@dachochiyo3992]

no only in Laos. they dont have good hospital so they transfer victims to Thai hospital.

[@ferwallace1903]

Just buy and drink bottled liquor. Simple. Don't drink too much, don't accept a bottle that you didn't see opened or you might drink spiked alcohol. A friend of mine had her drink spiked and then woke up after being abused 😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@angieogden2308]

Pure evil 😢😢😢

[@hyperballadbradx6486]

Evil?

[@stevem-eu8lu]

That's thhe bbc

[@Tom-box1]

@@hyperballadbradx6486ofcourse evil you twit

[@pajeetkumar1645]

​@@Tom-box1 not evil, just business.

[@Tom-box1]

@@pajeetkumar1645 you are a muppet

[@emet17s]

Traveling if fun- but with caution, at all times, unfortunately. Condolences to the families.

[@twonyx213]

so glad i dont drink.

[@davidgray1515]

so glad i dont travel to strange places.

[@dragondude6984]

Thats so sad. Rip

[@camillechitrani]

It's terrible 😢may they rest in peace amen 🙏

[@emycer]

Oh, how sad! My condolences to their families!

[@AlexS-ds5mk]

Nannas hostel is done now. Stayed there last year, pure vibes. Shame!

[@tanthaman]

Did you get it on

[@poorsam9173]

I stayed at Spicey Lao, loved that hostel. Vang Vieng was an epic week. Travellers have always died at VV usually its from drowning after they hit rocks in the river or something. Usually always Aussies too.

[@hanslund2280]

Ahrrr, New curtains, New customers....

[@ianlisk]

Bro, change the thumbnail, I can feel her staring through my body and into the wall behind me.

[@annemoncrieff3875]

Methanol instead of ethanol.

[@XnaihkKahtanhg]

Some countries you can buy a gallon of ethanol and mix with water it will give you a berril of street alcohol that stuff is deadly if not mix properly 🥵🤧🤕😷🤒_crazy stuff pure evil and greed_

[@JeremyAndersonBoise]

Methanol is not the same thing as ethanol, which is the type we drink, just a note for the chemically challenged.

[@gafar247]

RIP

[@SamBarnett23]

One person did this. Rip to the young people who lost their lives. Very sad ❤

[@AlexAlcyone]

How awful and tragic. Rest in peace. 🌹

[@antekm2639]

Never trust strangers like that. Harsh realitu

[@bache72]

Agreed. They'd never listen though.

[@iedermensisanders]

This particular place has the name, just like Goa or Koh Pangan and the likes for lots of bad drugs and bad booze and has been such for decades. Smart people stay away from places like that entirely while travelling the world. Backpackers nowadays are so much better informed than when I was young, with their smartphones they also have incredible technology helping them getting around and booking tickets or airfare. What a shame

[@newgabe09]

I had a great time in Vang Vieng last year. I'm 70yrs old. (and know better than to drink when travelling, and I travel a lot) It's not really about the place. Methanol is more a '3rd world bootlegging' issue but drink spiking is real everywhere. Happened to my daughter recently in a respectable venue in a capital city in Europe.

[@ramicollo]

Tragic, my condolences 😞

[@bxurs28923]

On behalf of Lao people, We would like to express our conlodence to both of them, 🥺 We won't this thing like this happend to ours or all beloved visitors WE APOLOGIZE❤

[@niewieder99]

It’s not your fault. It’s someone who engaged in poor practices.

[@vernonkay1984]

Tourist bars will go bankrupt.

[@Ned88Man]

Lao people are lovely people.

[@lisamareepritchard6375]

You don’t need to apologise, there’s always bad people everywhere

[@jackoh991]

Laos was my favourite country and lovely people ❤❤❤

[@Vxvx22]

Fake/Poison drinks are also very popular in Mexico and Central America.

[@user-bf7zw3nt2q]

Not true... google it... we have had a few cases of moonshine made with methanol. Isolated cases... saying that is "very popular" when you don't even live there is so ignorant.

[@Vxvx22]

@user-bf7zw3nt2q Many American tourists that went to Mexico and Central America died or severely disabled because of poison drinks. It is widely reported in American news for years and years.

[@nemnem3232]

@@user-bf7zw3nt2q well when you hear many stories of people dying from these things whilst going travelling yeah it does raise concerns especially in a country that has thousands of cartels every year.

[@sueprator9314]

Dont make up sh*t. Of course there are bad people everywhere on the Planet but don't try to white wash this by dragging other Countries with different cultures into this.

[@BumboLooks]

@@user-bf7zw3nt2q It's true. Be quite please.

[@carolyns3720]

I was in Laos in 2011 and Vang Vieng was known as a place where backpackers went and did lots of drugs and drank a ton and went tubing. I skipped it and am glad I didn’t go. I spoke to a French guy who seemed traumatized by things he had seen there. Apparently the Laos government intervened in 2012 but I still wouldn’t want to go there

[@testicool013]

Worked on a mine site about an hour drive from vang vieng 14 years ago, 5 Laos guys went to the local village on their day off and bought some local rice whiskey, they were all found dead in their rooms the next day

[@Colin-jm8sk]

Some people have lost their lives, show some empathy instead of trying to get social credit points for avoiding the tourist hotspot.

[@andyrome316]

​@@Colin-jm8skwtf are you talking about?

[@Colin-jm8sk]

@@andyrome316 I know there's always a few dumb people on the internet that can't grasp the point so let me spell it out to you. The news story is about people who decided to go to Vang Vieng and have effectively been murdered. This person thought that this was a good opportunity to be self-congratulatory that they decided to pass on the most famous town in Laos. Cut the sanctimonious bullshit, it's a tragedy.

[@Callum-yl1fi]

So did you skip it or not? Very confusing wording.

[@zirixsmari8273]

I do not understand why people who live in beautiful countries travel to other countries for tourism.

[@stanbalo]

Same. I mean people all around the world want to visit UK while Brits go to these places. I get it, it becomes ordinary when you live in it. I am from SEA and i appreciate the nature etc but if i will stay in a place with communal bathrooms, might as well stay at home

[@safaa9654]

Im wondering how parents let these young kids go so far away alone?? I cant imagine doing this kind of trip as a teenager

[@jaylee9547]

White people?

[@DwightStJohn-t7y]

these are women with full blown careers that could afford the adventure. weren't two LAWYERS?? these ain't kids.

[@zakariamwita-q4z]

God gave us a life to worship Him, not to be wasted in such a horrific way.

[@Buttie2003]

Innocent people must have been horrible deaths. I don't touch alcohol and never like it. I lived abroad in Africa when I was younger The alcohol was cheap but I was never interested.

[@bache72]

Probably saved your life.

[@user-um7tw6kx4r6]

you lived in every country in Africa?

[@Morbazan125]

Have any locals been affected?

[@milesinnz]

interesting question.. this is common in Laos and Cambodia.. would be interesting to know if other locals suffered from the same source.. just how much alcohol was involved ?

[@jackoh991]

From experience westerner drink a lot more than the locals so it wouldn't surprise me if it was just tourists as their risk profile is higher

[@kiratwo4u]

no cares for the locals

[@CherryPie-d3f]

Many locals are also affected Im sure but I doubt they will get featured in news

[@user-mr8gb3jo4f]

This is guest house for foreigners so mostly foreigners

[@bereal6590]

So sad, just at the start of their lives.

[@donna9374]

Abeautiful daughter gone to soon❤ This is outrageous # JUSTICE NOW# GODBLESS THESE BEAUTIFUL🙏 BACKPACKERS R.I.P

[@whitefluffydogs9278]

Condolences to the victims and their loved ones.

[@spider82666]

I noticed the patients had to be flown to Thailand for care. If you travel to poor countries like Laos or Dominican Republic with sketchy healthcare systems, act accordingly. Tainted alcohol, motorcycle accidents and food poisoning can kill.

[@bodhiswayze1892]

I wish everyone would stop giving unsolicited “advice” Multiple people have died & the last thing their families need to see. Just post your condolences.

[@davidgray1515]

mind your business Some people post truth and not concepts of thoughts and prayers. Actually if their parents or themselves were smart enough to read they would know better than to travel to Laos. No sympathy for ignorance. Ignorance kills.

[@vanhocwong6689]

A note to all travellers: don't buy or drink homemade alcohol. A few dollars you saved could cost you, your life.

[@Flower_Lil]

Don’t drink alcohol. Poison

[@beerbug2020]

Not had alcohol for 5 years now i do not miss it one bit

[@garyclarke9685]

Aren't you a boring soul

[@kiratwo4u]

​@@garyclarke9685 aren't you a pathetic soul

[@multioptioned]

Exactly. Ethyl alcohol a slow poison. Methyl alcohol a fast poison. Think of it as drinking methylated spirits (which is 10% methanol) but without the additives that make it taste and smell bad and make it nauseating.

[@sueprator9314]

Oh save your pious lecture. There is plenty of safe legitimate service of alcohol on the Planet. Not in the fkng backwoods where you don't know or trust.

[@arrowarrow17]

I will have never gone to Laos. It isn't a safe country. I wouldn't go there.

[@HDsharp]

Bootleg means cheap produced alcohol made for profit. It must have been common in the prohibition era.

[@zitherzon2121]

Very common in third world countries to put "moonshine" into brand-name bottles of liquor even in "nice" hotels and bars. The first pint coming out of a liquor still is ALWAYS methanol, which is tossed out. (As any fan of the TV show "Moonshiners" can tell you.)

[@personalcheeses8073]

This has been happening for many years.

[@pmarreck]

This is why alcohol is regulated... and legal.

[@multioptioned]

Genuine high-quality spirits are expensive to produce and highly taxed. This is why so much illegal alcohol is produced and sold... Someone will always try to cash in.

[@ZlogsUK]

Why would you wanna be so adventurous

[@EB-jf5oi]

It's not for women. They should get a husband and travel with him and the kids. Of course modern western civilization is telling these women they can do what men do. They can't

[@ciararespect4296]

Wealthy privileged young people pretending to be cool and "with it" letting their hair down then later on with successful careers and easy money toffy nosed conservatives 😅

[@taurusmay1405]

Social media

[@TheLastGig]

Because it's an important life experience

[@Ethan-gi8se]

On behalf of Laotian people im so sorry for what happened 😢😢

[@tamtam171]

Laos ไม่ใช่ Thailand ขอให้ชาวโลกเข้าใจด้วย

[@kayflip2233]

Stay away from un-bottled alcohol in general in SE Asia unless it is a super upscale hotel or establishment. Certainly not a random hostel in Laos, Cambodia, or Burma.

[@multioptioned]

Stay away from cheap or free spirits, cocktails. Genuine spirits are expensive to make plus heavily taxed. Very attractive to make cheap moonshine...💰

[@larrycha6761]

If you want to live never ever go to drink in laos ,Cambodia you can drink in your own country not in se Asian if you tour there alot and drink alots you will get bad bad suffer in your life.

[@amirahazhar4192]

can't believe this isn't common sense smh...

[@multioptioned]

@@amirahazhar4192 It is reported that thousands of people suffer from methanol poisoning every year. If not treated, fatality rates are often reported to be between 20% to 40%, depending on the concentration of toxic methanol and the amount taken. However, this is believed to be an underestimation of the real situation. Due to the challenges in diagnosis and limited public awareness, many fatalities and ‘outbreaks’ are never identified as methanol poisonings. Statistics show that Asia has the highest prevalence of methanol poisoning worldwide.

[@rubycandy92]

This is absolutely awful, never except free drinks

[@TheGuyThatEnjoysArguments]

Her stare is terrifying

[@kokoyaro]

And being a lawyer, imagine being the other person on the opposite side of the case in court being stared at like that and interrogated

[@CTOTHER]

Guys, she died. I don’t think her stare is the important thing here?

[@aidancallaghan]

Yea she got that children of the corn stare

[@TheGuyThatEnjoysArguments]

@@CTOTHER it most certainly is

[@fnma21]

OMG, yes.

[@garyclarke9685]

How come we are only hearing about this now. This has been going on for years in countries like Laos so why has this never been a news story before?

[@TJS2022]

The incident occurred in Laos but was sent to Thailand for treatment. The Lao government does not care about the safety of tourists. When they go there, death is a non-issue for the government. There is no investigation into the cause of death and no punishment for the perpetrators. It is no different from traveling to Cambodia where tourists may be kidnapped and forced to work in call center gangs. Therefore, traveling to either of these countries is a matter of great concern.

[@highclassbum2538]

In some ways the PI is the same way

[@mikezooper]

So sad for those involved, and their friends and family.

[@scubarick1]

It’s locally called Laolaos. It’s rice whiskey that tastes like paint stripper. Local people distil it and hand it out to tourists.

[@anilbayalkotiofficial]

My sincere condolences.

[@rickace132]

These places are pretty safe to travel to, but you still need to be cautious.

[@Northcountry1926]

😢🙏 RIP … So very sad

[@Wilddiscodance]

Only drink bottled beers. Where I’m from in Zakynthos, bootleg alcohol is rampant in the tourist areas. It’s a drunk you never want to experience, you genuinely feel poisoned for days, I ended up in hospital for a day cause my heart was freaking out the day after

[@paulcooper1046]

Y'all keep drinking that Laotian moonshine at y'all's own risk.

[@deesnek]

Why are all the victims women if it is merely an issue of bad bootlegged alcohol?

[@simontan2022]

Those cheap drinks might be made by dodgy local , u don't know what sort of chemical in there to imitate real drink.

[@nancygonzalez9177]

Stop going to such countries.