{"id":367977,"date":"2026-07-18T01:11:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T19:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=367977"},"modified":"2026-07-18T01:11:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T19:41:32","slug":"laos-charges-in-deadly-tourist-methanol-poisoning-not-harsh-enough-parents-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/laos-charges-in-deadly-tourist-methanol-poisoning-not-harsh-enough-parents-national\/","title":{"rendered":"Laos charges in deadly tourist methanol poisoning not harsh enough: parents – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Australia\u2019s government and the families of two Australian teenagers who died of methanol poisoning in Laos have criticized Laos authorities after charges for the distillery owner linked to the deadly drinks were announced on Friday \u2014 but which only carry a maximum of 4 years in prison.<\/p>\n

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, 19, died after they were served tainted alcohol laced with methanol on the Nana Backpacker Hostel in November 2024, a part of a mass poisoning that also killed two Danish women, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21; a U.S. tourist, James Louis Hutson, 57; and a British woman, Simone White, 28.<\/p>\n

The 2 19-year-old Australian women fell ailing following an evening out drinking with a bunch and failed to ascertain out of the Nana Backpacker Hostel as planned. The ladies were found sick of their room after which taken to Thailand for emergency treatment, where each died in hospital.<\/p>\n

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Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died by \u201cbrain swelling because of high levels of methanol present in her system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Methanol is\u00a0a transparent, colourless alcohol utilized in every kind of on a regular basis products like industrial cleaners, solvents, paint, cosmetics and anti-freeze. Methanol is toxic and deadly when consumed.<\/p>\n

Methanol is typically added to mixed drinks at disreputable bars as a less expensive alternative to ethanol, but it could cause severe poisoning or death. Additionally it is a byproduct of poorly distilled homebrew liquor and will have found its way into bar drinks inadvertently.<\/p>\n

A court in Laos brought charges against a distillery owner in reference to the deaths of the tourists on Friday.<\/p>\n

The fees will make the accused liable to a jail sentence of between three months and 4 years and a superb if found guilty, Denmark\u2019s Foreign Ministry announced Friday, in keeping with The Associated Press.<\/p>\n

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The ministry\u2019s statement, issued in Copenhagen and citing Lao authorities, said the costs were selling food that’s harmful to health and operating an illegal business.<\/p>\n

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It also said the case will formally remain open for 15 years and charges can still be brought for a more serious offence, equivalent to negligent homicide.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s government and the families of the Australian teenagers who died held a news conference<\/a> to announce that the costs were expected to be officially revealed.<\/p>\n

Jones\u2019 mother, Michelle, expressed anger over the costs being linked to minor offences.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like their lives didn\u2019t even matter,\u201d Michelle said. \u201cWe\u2019re just really appalled by all of it. You understand, they were just going over to have a little bit of fun and just doing the rite of passage that each child or teenager does. So for that consequence, it was just devastating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun Bowles, the daddy of Holly Bowles, also spoke on the news conference and referred to the legal development as \u201cmind-boggling because [Laos] is a preferred tourist destination for a number of travellers, a number of Australian, young Australian travellers and young people from world wide.\u201d<\/p>\n

He suggested that tourists reconsider visiting Laos \u201cbecause they\u2019ve demonstrated, the way in which that they act, and as I say, the worth that they placed on tourists\u2019 lives over there and the way in which they\u2019ve tried to cover this up.\u201d<\/p>\n

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On Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was<\/a> \u201cdeeply frustrated and bitterly dissatisfied\u201d that Laotian authorities weren\u2019t pursuing \u201cprobably the most serious charges\u201d in reference to the tourists\u2019 deaths.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince their deaths, Australia has advocated for an intensive and transparent investigation that takes into consideration all available evidence and for those responsible to be held to account. We’ve got engaged repeatedly and at the best levels of the Lao Government to support that objective,\u201d Wong wrote within the statement.<\/p>\n

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