Alcohol poisoning in Laos leaves 2 tourists hospitalized

Associated Press

VANG VIENG, Laos (AP) — Two 19-year-old Australian tourists are being treated in Thailand for suspected severe alcohol poisoning after apparently consuming tainted drinks in neighboring Laos. Australian media said the women became ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng while on a backpacking vacation. It wasn’t clear what the two drank. But methanol is sometimes used as the alcohol in mixed drinks at disreputable bars and can cause severe poisoning or death. Two Danish tourists also died in Laos around the same time, but Denmark would not provide specifics about the Danes for privacy reasons.