Laos charges in deadly tourist methanol poisoning not harsh enough: parents – National

Australia’s government and the families of two Australian teenagers who died of methanol poisoning in Laos have criticized Laos authorities after charges for the distillery owner linked to the deadly drinks were announced on Friday — but which only carry a maximum of four years in prison.

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, 19, died after they were served tainted alcohol laced with methanol at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in November 2024, part of a mass poisoning that also killed two Danish women, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21; a U.S. tourist, James Louis Hutson, 57; and a British woman, Simone White, 28.

The two 19-year-old Australian women fell ill following a night out drinking with a group and failed to check out of the Nana Backpacker Hostel as planned. The women were found sick in their room and then taken to Thailand for emergency treatment, where both died in hospital.

Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died by “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system.”

Methanol is a clear, colourless alcohol used in all kinds of everyday products like industrial cleaners, solvents, paint, cosmetics and anti-freeze. Methanol is toxic and deadly when consumed.

Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks at disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but it can cause severe poisoning or death. It is also a byproduct of poorly distilled homebrew liquor and could have found its way into bar drinks inadvertently.

A court in Laos brought charges against a distillery owner in connection with the deaths of the tourists on Friday.

The charges will make the accused liable to a prison sentence of between three months and four years and a fine if found guilty, Denmark’s Foreign Ministry announced Friday, according to The Associated Press.

The ministry’s statement, issued in Copenhagen and citing Lao authorities, said the charges were selling food that is harmful to health and operating an illegal business.

It also said the case will formally remain open for 15 years and charges can still be brought for a more serious offence, such as negligent homicide.

Australia’s government and the families of the Australian teenagers who died held a news conference to announce that the charges were expected to be officially revealed.

Jones’ mother, Michelle, expressed anger over the charges being linked to minor offences.

“It’s like their lives didn’t even matter,” Michelle said. “We’re just really appalled by it all. You know, they were just going over to have a bit of fun and just doing the rite of passage that every child or teenager does. So for that outcome, it was just devastating.”

Shaun Bowles, the father of Holly Bowles, also spoke at the news conference and referred to the legal development as “mind-boggling because [Laos] is a popular tourist destination for a lot of travellers, a lot of Australian, young Australian travellers and young people from around the world.”

He suggested that tourists reconsider visiting Laos “because they’ve demonstrated, the way that they act, and as I say, the value that they put on tourists’ lives over there and the way they’ve tried to cover this up.”

On Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was “deeply frustrated and bitterly disappointed” that Laotian authorities weren’t pursuing “the most serious charges” in connection with the tourists’ deaths.

“Since their deaths, Australia has advocated for a thorough and transparent investigation that takes into account all available evidence and for those responsible to be held to account. We have engaged repeatedly and at the highest levels of the Lao Government to support that objective,” Wong wrote in the statement.

Wong and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had dispatched an envoy to Laos on Friday “to convey the Australian Government’s objections and reinforce our expectations for an investigation that delivers justice for Holly, Bianca and the other victims of the methanol poisoning,” the minister said.

“The Albanese Government will continue to advocate for Holly and Bianca’s families with the Lao Government at every level, and will continue to provide consular assistance for as long as required,” Wong added.

This isn’t the first time the families of the two Melbourne teenagers have spoken out after charges were announced in the ongoing case.

In February, it was announced that the hostel staff members who served the deadly drinks received fines of AU$185 (approximately C$176).

The women’s fathers, Bowles and Mark Jones, said they were uninformed about the court case involving the hostel staff, which took place at the People’s Court of Vang Vieng in Laos.

They were part of a group chat with the families of the victims that provided them with updates and that’s how they learned 10 people connected to the hostel faced a judge in late January.

Those 10 people were fined AU$185 each and given a suspended sentence for destroying evidence, 9News reports.

“We were shocked by the absolute injustice for our girls and the others,” Jones said. “We have had no correspondence with anyone from the Laos government. We had no idea the court case was going ahead.

“To think that the Laos authorities believe that those who were involved in killing our daughters is worth $185 is absolutely disgraceful.”

The fathers initially thought the court case was linked to the deaths of their daughters, but the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that the charge for destruction of evidence was linked to the death of the American tourist.

In November 2024, Canada issued a travel advisory after six tourists, mostly aged 19 to 20, died from methanol poisoning in the popular backpacker town in northern Laos.

“Several foreigners in Vang Vieng have been victims of suspected methanol-adulterated alcohol poisoning,” the warning read. “Be vigilant if you choose to drink alcohol. Avoid accepting free or extremely low-priced drinks. Only buy alcohol in sealed bottles and cans from reputable shops. Seek medical assistance if you begin to feel sick.”

— with files from The Associated Press