Mayor of Lao tourist town hit by poisoning promises justice for victims

The mayor of the Lao tourist town of Vang Vieng has promised justice for the six foreign tourists who died after consuming drinks suspected of being laced with methanol on a night out in the riverside backpacker hub, the Laotian Times newspaper reported.

District mayor Bounchan Malavong told media on the weekend that authorities had responded quickly to the deaths, investigating and taking measures including inspecting restaurants and entertainment venues to ensure that safety standards are upheld and to protect tourists.

Two young Australian women, a British woman, two young Danish women and an American man have died, and about a dozen more people were reported to be sick, after going out for drinks on Nov. 12 in the town that has for years been a laid-back stop for young Western travelers.

“Bounchan Malavong … addressed the media about the ongoing investigation and the measures being taken to bring justice to the deceased,” the newspaper reported.

“The mayor acknowledged that the incident has negatively impacted the image of tourism in Vang Vieng and Laos but reassured the public that tourism in the area remains strong, with both domestic and international visitors continuing to come.”

The Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condolences on Friday and emphasized its commitment to investigating the incident and holding those responsible accountable.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased,” the ministry said.

Laos has not officially confirmed the cause of the poisonings though a Thai hospital, where one of the victims died, said it was methanol.

The Laotian Times said investigations were underway to determine the cause and the results, once confirmed, would be shared with foreign countries.

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Details of how the tourists came to drink tainted alcohol in Vang Vieng are sketchy and it is not clear if they were all drinking at the same bar.

However, a cheap hotel where at least some of the victims are known to have stayed, the Nana Backpackers Hostel, had been temporarily closed, the Laotian Times reported. The hostel’s Vietnamese manager has been detained for questioning, according to the AFP news agency, which didn’t name them.

Several governments, including the Australian, British, New Zealand and U.S., have updated their travel advisories to warn of the dangers of tainted alcohol in Laos.

“Please be alert to the potential risk of methanol poisoning, especially when consuming spirit-based alcoholic drinks,” the U.S. embassy said.

“Purchase alcoholic beverages and drinks from licensed liquor stores, bars, and hotels. Avoid homemade alcoholic drinks. Check liquor bottles for signs of tampering or counterfeiting, such as labels with poor print quality or incorrect spelling.”

Methanol is a clear, tasteless liquid that can be used to boost the alcohol content of drinks, often with fatal consequences.

Mass methanol poisonings occur with grim frequency around the world.

The aid group Doctors Without Borders said some 1,200 people have fallen ill from drinking methanol-laced drinks in the past year, with 394 deaths worldwide, many of them in Asia.

Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.