AdvertisementAdvertisementForeign tourists walk past the closed Nana Backpackers hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, Nov 23, 2024. (Photo: AP/Anupam Nath)18 Jul 2026 04:56PM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST VIENTIANE: Laos authorities said on Saturday (Jul 18) they could not determine blame or the cause of the deaths in 2024 of six tourists previously linked to methanol-tainted alcohol because their families had refused to allow autopsies.Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died following what media reports said was a night out on the town in Vang Vieng in November that year."To date, authorities do not yet have evidence that can establish whether the deaths ... were caused by the actions of any individual or by any particular causes," the Laos Ministry of Public Security said in a statement on Saturday."This is because the authorities were not permitted to conduct autopsies on the bodies of the deceased, and therefore lacked the forensic evidence necessary to determine the cause of death," it said.Show MoreShow LessHowever, the statement said: "The Ministry of Health's Food and Drug Research Center found excessive levels of methanol in Tiger Vodka."Methanol is a toxic alcohol that can be added to liquor to increase its potency, but can cause blindness, liver damage and death.The statement said, based on information provided by the Australian Embassy and a Thai hospital, that "methanol had been detected in the blood of the two deceased Australian tourists".It said legal proceedings had been initiated against the owner of the Tiger distillery for "manufacturing or selling products hazardous to health" and "illegal commercial operation".CNA Explains: What is methanol poisoning and how can you avoid it while travelling?The owner and 10 employees of the hostel where the American tourist was staying have also been charged with "destruction of evidence" after transporting his body to the hospital.The pace of the investigation has been a source of contention between Canberra and Vientiane."The Australian Government is deeply frustrated and bitterly disappointed that authorities in Laos are not pursuing the most serious charges," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday.Wong said she would again put Australia's views directly to her Laos counterpart at a Southeast Asian ministerial meeting in Manila next week.Vang Vieng has been a fixture on the Southeast Asia backpacker trail since Laos' communist rulers opened the country to tourism decades ago.The town was once synonymous with alcohol- and drug-fuelled jungle parties for backpackers, but has since rebranded as an ecotourism destination.Australian authorities have warned travellers to Laos to "be alert" to the risks of consuming spirit-based drinks, including cocktails.The travel advice notes that the Lao authorities issued a ban on the sale and consumption of the local brands of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to health concerns.Source: AFP/fhNewsletterMorning BriefSubscribe to CNA’s Morning BriefAn automated curation of our top stories to start your day.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST