"Don't Travel There": Families Demand Travel Ban on Laos After Methanol Poisoning Kills 6 Girls

The parents of two 19-year-old Australian tourists who tragically died a year ago from methanol poisoning while traveling in Laos are now making a desperate public plea to have the country removed from recommended travel lists. They claim that the Lao government is actively attempting to cover up the incident and conceal crucial information, asserting that the lives of travelers there are deemed worthless.

The warning comes after the UK recently issued a safety alert for eight destinations, including Kenya, Japan, Mexico, Peru, and Laos, over fears of methanol-contaminated alcohol. The global warning was issued after four tourists died from alcohol poisoning in Laos last year.

The parents of Holly Morton-Boles and Bianca Jones allege they have not received fair treatment from the Lao government, which they labeled as "corrupt" in an interview with the Herald Sun. They assert there is no evidence that local police have genuinely investigated the tragedy that claimed the lives of their daughters.

The Fatal Trip

Holly and Bianca were traveling in the tourist town of Vang Vieng in November 2024 when they consumed the deadly counterfeit alcohol. The toxic chemical methanol was added to their drinks, and those of other victims, as a cheap substitute for ethanol. The two young women died at the "Nana Backpackers" hostel, along with other tourists from Denmark and the US.

In a statement following her death, Bianca's family said: "With heavy hearts, we share the news that our beloved daughter and sister, Bianca Jones, has passed away." They found comfort in the fact that "her incredible spirit touched so many lives during her time with us."

Now, the families are focused on preventing future deaths. "Our hope is that Australians will remove this province from their list of destinations, the lives of travelers there are worthless, and we have seen this firsthand," the families said. "To date, no person or organization has been prosecuted following the event. It appears that the deaths of innocent young women may be forgotten, disappear, and remain unresolved."

Government Refusal and Delayed Justice

Further compounding the families' anguish, it was revealed in February that the Lao government had refused to meet with the families of the young people killed in the mass methanol poisoning incident which has lead to 6 deaths in the past year.

Bianca’s father, speaking on the investigative program 60 Minutes, said, "We have heard nothing from them." He added, "I cannot allow my daughter's death to have no meaning." He detailed that last November, following the incident, the Lao government sent a letter to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressing "deep sorrow" over the deaths and claiming they were "investigating the cause of the incident to bring the perpetrators to justice." He concluded that despite those words, little to no action has been taken.

Methanol is an industrial chemical commonly found in antifreeze and windshield washer fluid. Health agencies confirm that it is highly toxic to humans, with as little as 25 ml potentially proving fatal. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it nearly impossible to detect when used by unscrupulous sellers to cut alcohol costs.