Australian tourists hospitalized after apparent severe alcohol poisoning in Laos party town

VANG VIENG, Laos (AP) — Two Australian tourists are being treated in Thailand for suspected severe alcohol poisoning after apparently consuming tainted drinks in neighboring Laos. Australian media say the two 19-year-old women were on a backpacking vacation in Laos when they became ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that it was providing consular assistance to two Australians and their families in Thailand but could not provide further information for privacy reasons. It was not clear what the two drank, but methanol is sometimes used as a cheap alternative to ethanol as the alcohol in mixed drinks at disreputable bars and can cause severe poisoning or death.