Major update in case of lethal methanol poisoning that left two young Australian women dead

Daily Mail​

30-05-2025

Two staff members at the backpackers hostel in Laos where six tourists died, including two Melbourne teenagers, have started working in hospitality in Vietnam.
Best friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, were visiting the tourist town of Vang Vieng in November when they suffered suspected methanol poisoning.
The Australians were among dozens of tourists who were staying at the Nana Backpackers Hostel when they became sick after drinking at the venue's bar.
It was revealed on Friday by The Daily Telegraph that a bartender and the hostel manager who worked at Nana Backpackers Hostel during the alleged poisoning have found jobs in Vietnam.
The manager, who calls himself Pikachu, has been employed at a new hostel.
'I don't know, I go home to Vietnam. I have not gone back to Laos, I don't want to talk,' he said.
Asked about staff at the hostel who were detained by police, he said: 'I have not gone back to Laos, I don't want to talk.'
'Maybe one day I go back to Laos but not for a long time. The hostel closed. I have no idea,' he said.
Bianca and Holly were among six tourists who died due to the suspected poisoning at the hostel which has remained closed since the investigation was launched last year
A profile photo on WhatsApp of the hostel's former bartender, Duang Doc Toan, showed he was working at the Azalea Hotel.
Toan, who served Holly and Bianca Laotian vodka, claimed in November last year that it wasn't his Tiger Vodka that made the girls sick.
He said he bought the alcohol from a certified distributor and insisted it had not been tainted by himself or his staff.
To prove his point, the bartender drank from one of the vodka bottles that were in use on the night to prove it was safe.
Ms Jones' father Mark said more needed to be done to address the deaths.
'We want the Australian Government to apply as much pressure as they can to bring justice to all those involved in the methanol poisoning of our girls, the Danish girl and the British girl in Laos,' he said.
Eight men aged between 23 and 47 were taken into custody following arrests by police on November 25 as part of an investigation into the suspected poisonings.
Among those arrested by Vang Vieng police were general staff and managers.
There was no suggestion at the time that those detained were responsible for the tourists' deaths and no charges have been laid.
A further five people, who were linked to the Tiger distillery, including the manufacturer of the drinks served, were also taken in for questioning.
In February, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told federal parliament that authorities in Laos declined the offer of assistance from Australian Federal Police in its investigation of the incident.
He vowed that Australian authorities wouldn't drop the matter.
'I would want to assure the families of Bianca and Holly that we remain in contact with the Laos authorities and that the offer of assistance is being consistently offered,' he said.
The teens' families said in a joint statement they were 'extremely disappointed' by the lack of updates.
'As the Laos government rejects any support from the AFP our confidence in accountability and justice for everyone affected remains unanswered,' it said.
Nana Backpackers Hostel remains closed as the investigation continues.