SINGAPORE: Laos has banned the sale and consumption of a brand of whisky and vodka following the death of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning earlier this month.
This is according to Smartraveller, a service from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that provides travel advice for its citizens.
Authorities in the Southeast Asian country “have issued an order prohibiting the sale and consumption of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to their concerns about these products being a health risk,” the advisory stated.
“Australians should avoid consuming these products due to these serious safety concerns,” it added.
The advisory, which was updated on Friday (Nov 29), comes after two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died after being rushed to the hospital following a night out in backpacker hot spot Vang Vieng on Nov 12.
They were reported to have died from a suspected methanol poisoning.
“Several foreign nationals, including Australians, have been victims in November 2024 of methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks,” said the Australian advisory.
“Be alert to the potential risks, particularly with spirit-based drinks including cocktails.”
According to the Methanol Institute, methanol is often deliberately and illegally added to drinks as it is cheaper than ethanol, which can be consumed thus increasing the alcohol content in the drink.
The Laos government has expressed its “sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased”, adding an investigation was underway to find the cause of the incident.
On Nov 26, the Laos Post reported that the police had detained the 34-year-old manager of Vang Vieng’s Nana Backpacker Hostel and seven other employees for interrogation after the deaths. Those detained were Vietnamese nationals, according to local media reports.
The two Australian victims, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, were both aged 19 and from Melbourne.
They died after becoming unwell while staying at the hostel, and had drank at the hostel’s bar before they went out for the evening, Australian media reported.
Vang Vieng has been a popular destination for backpackers who travel Southeast Asia since Laos opened its doors to tourism decades ago.
The town which was once known for wild backpacker parties, has rebranded itself as an eco-tourism hub.
There have been no reports on Laos’ ban on the Tiger-branded spirits in the country’s English-language state media.
The US, UK and New Zealand have also issued warnings about the potentially fatal consequences of consuming tainted alcohol in Laos.