Vang Vieng: Laos party town stops serving shots after six tourists killed by 'methanol poisoning'

Laos party-goers are connected borderline and sticking to brew aft six tourists were killed by 'methanol poisoning', with backpackers successful the south-east Asian municipality successful Laos speaking of their experiences

A Laos enactment municipality has stopped serving shots aft six tourists were killed by "methanol poisoning".

Night spots successful the south-east Asian municipality of Vang Vieng has suspended the merchantability of shots pursuing the decease of six tourists, including Simone White, 28, a British lawyer who died from suspected methanol poisoning aft drinking contaminated alcohol. The municipality usually offers a accepted Lao whiskey, a rice-based tone which has proven fashionable with backpackers successful the country.

But tourists from each parts of the world are present saying the selling of shots has been suspended and that they haven't been capable to find immoderate implicit the past fewer nights. Australia tourer Aron Stephen said radical are "not truly scared" and spoke of his inability to find immoderate shots.

"They don’t springiness shots anyplace now," helium told The Times. "We couldn’t find immoderate successful the past fewer nights." Fellow Australian backpacker Holly Bowles, 19, died successful a Thai infirmary conscionable a time aft her champion person Bianca Jones. Two Danish travellers Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and 57-year-old American traveller James Hutson person besides died.

It is believed astatine slightest 12 others person fallen sick and were successful request of infirmary treatment, with backpackers everyplace from the UK to New Zealand affected. Unofficial reports from the country suggest a hostel proprietor and manager person been detained, portion further unnamed sources person suggested lone the manager is successful custody.

Yueng Van Huan, the manager allegedly detained according to sources successful the area, says helium is definite the poisoned drinks were not sold astatine the Nana Backpacker Hostel bar. He besides powerfully denied adding methanol to the drinks and said constabulary had checked his business. The Nana Backpacker Hostel has since been closed.

Five unit members stay astatine the property, which has a swimming excavation and warnings connected the chamber doors relating to intoxicant intake. A housekeeper who remains anonymous for information reasons, said: "We person nary guests now. The bosses each went to Vientiane [the capital]. I lone cleanable the rooms but I person a occupation extracurricular too. I americium retired astir of the day. The constabulary came already, but I don’t cognize however galore times."

Those tourists who are staying successful the country are present taking precautions connected their late-night escapades and person since said they volition beryllium sticking to beer, avoiding the fashionable atom atom whiskey shots. One UK tourer said: "We arrived yesterday and each we cognize is what is already successful the news. We’ll beryllium good arsenic agelong arsenic we instrumentality to brew and beryllium careful. We are not frightened of what happened."

Locals are besides horrified by the deaths, with a Norwegian who has lived successful Vang Vieng since 2004 saying: "People present don’t portion a lot, but they usage tons of drugs. All kinds of drugs. It’s casual to find."