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

(19 Nov 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vang Vieng, Laos - 19 November 2024
1. Hot air balloon flying over Nam Song river
2. Various of tourists on kayaks and inflatables on river
3. Various of Nana Backpackers hostel
4. Front desk staff
5. Notice warning guests not to do drugs
6. Hostel rooms
7. Wide of hostel manager Duong Duc Toan (wearing purple shirt) at hostel's bar
8. SOUNDBITE (Vietnamese) Duong Duc Toan, Nana Backpackers hostel manager:
“The hostel has always given out free shot of Lao vodka to our guests as a gesture of hospitality. We got the alcohol from a trusted shop in Vang Vieng. After drinking here, the guests were sober, they looked healthy and they went out for more drinking.”
9. Various of bottles of Lao vodka
10. SOUNDBITE (Vietnamese) Duong Duc Toan, Nana Backpackers hostel manager:
“I hope that the police and relevant health offices will carry out investigations and will soon give a conclusion so we can get back to business.”
11. Various of guests at hostel
12. Tourists walking down street with bars
13. Close of happy hour poster
14. Various of bar
STORYLINE:
Two Australian tourists are being treated in Thailand for suspected severe alcohol poisoning after apparently consuming tainted drinks in neighbouring 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.

Nana hostel manager said that the pair checked in on Nov. 9 and went out on the evening of Nov. 11 with a group of young people.

The manager said the women joined more than a hundred others for free Lao vodka shots provided by the hostel before heading out for bars.

Other guests reported no health issues after drinking the shots.

He said the women returned in the early hours of the morning.

An alarm was raised when the women failed to check out as planned on Nov. 13.

When they were found by staff, the two said they were ill and the hostel sought medical help for them.

They were then transported to Thailand and are being treated at hospitals in Bangkok and Udon Thani, The Age newspaper in the women’s hometown of Melbourne reported.

Their parents have flown in to be with them.

It was not clear what the two drank.

It was not immediately possible to verify reports that other tourists were also poisoned in the same incident.

AP Video shot by Hau Dinh

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