BANGKOK: A second young Australian tourist died in a Thai hospital on Friday, bringing the death toll related to suspected methanol poisoning during a night out in a Laos backpacker hotspot to six.

Two Danish citizens, an American and a Briton have also died after what media described as a night out in adventure town Vang Vieng.

The group of 12 tourists became ill after going out on Nov 12, according to British and Australian media.

“All Australians will be heartbroken by the tragic passing of Holly Bowles,” Australia Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

“Just yesterday, Holly lost her best friend, Bianca Jones. I know tonight all Australians will be holding both families in our hearts,” the foreign minister added.Australian officials are now pressing Laotian authorities for a full and transparent investigation into what happened.

At the Bangkok hospital where Bowles had reportedly received treatment, staff said they could not confirm she had been a patient there.

Vang Vieng has been a fixture on the Southeast Asia backpacker trail since Laos’s communist rulers opened the country to tourism decades ago.

Published in Dawn, November 23th, 2024