Fifth Frightening Death Takes Place in Popular Laos Backpacking Town

A British lawyer has become the fifth victim of methanol poisoning in a backpacking town in Laos.

Landscape of Laos / Unsplash

Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from Orpington, Kent in England, has recently become the fifth visitor to lose her life to suspected methanol poisoning. The young woman was visiting Vang Vieng, a town in Laos when the incident occurred after she was served an alcoholic beverage.

According to The Irish Times, just hours before White's death, 19-year-old Bianca Jones died from the same cause, along with an American and two Danish tourists.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) explained that some bars use methanol as an alternative to ethanol as a way to cut costs. However, as proven this past week, methanol can result in fatal consequences.

"Methanol breaks down in the body to formaldehyde and then formic acid. The formic acid upsets the acid/base balance in blood and the major consequence is initially the effect on someone's breathing," stated Professor of Environmental Toxicology at the University of Leeds, Alastair Hay. "There are effects on many other organs, the kidney being one. The disturbance of acid/base balance and disrupted breathing will eventually affect the heart and it will stop functioning."

Many of the tourists were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in town. The manager, Duong Duc Toan, shared that over 100 of their guests were offered free shots of a Coke Zero and Lao Tiger Vodka mixture. However, he stated that all alcohol was from a certified distributor and used properly in drinks made by staff members.

Bethany Clarke, White's friend, wrote, "Urgent - please avoid all local spirits. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars. Just avoid them as [it's] not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in [the] hospital currently with methanol poisoning."

The FCDO recommends that travelers only consume alcohol directly from licensed liquor stores and licensed bars.

"You should take care if offered, particularly for free, or when buying spirit-based drinks," the FCDO added. If labels, smell or taste seem wrong then do not drink."

At this time, Simone White's family and friends are grieving her tragic loss, as are the other families who have lost their loved ones to the poisoning.