The Laos bartender who supplied free Tiger vodka shots to two backpackers who were subsequently taken ill has denied his drinks are responsible claiming they were bought from a certified distributor.
At least five people have died and a further 11 tourists, including a 28-year-old British lawyer, are now in hospital suffering with suspected methanol poisoning in the popular backpacking destination Vang Vieng.
Bianca Jones died after being evacuated from Laos for treatment in a Thai hospital while her friend Holly Bowles, also 19, remains gravely ill in hospital.
Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from Kent has also sadly died in hospital after suffering from severe symptoms.
Both girls accepted free vodka shots at their hostel before a night out in Vang Vieng last week, it is claimed.
Hostel manager and bartender Duong Duc Toan, who served the shots, denied it was his Tiger Vodka that made the girls sick.
Toan said he bought the alcohol from a certified distributor and insisted it had not been tainted by himself or his staff.
He said the shots were served to around 100 guests and that the hostel had not received any other complaints and 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.
Toan said Holly and Bianca were at the bar playing cards from 8pm to 10.30pm and had three drinks each in that time.
Hostel manager and bartender Duong Duc Toan (pictured), who served the shots, has claimed it wasn’t his Tiger Vodka that made the girls sick
Heartbreaking CCTV footage shows a Laos ‘poisoning’ victim being transported to hospital
Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from Kent has also sadly died in hospital after suffering from severe symptoms.
Bianca Jones, 19, has become the fourth person to die after consuming alleged ‘methanol-laced’ drinks in Vang Vieng, Laos
Ms Jones and her best friend Holly Bowles (pictured) are two of 14 tourists who are believed to be victims of a mass methanol poisoning in the party town of Vang Vieng
He poured them a Lao Pdr Tiger Vodka containing 40 per cent alcohol and mixed it with ice and Coke Zero.
‘Right now the police [are telling] every hostel and hotel and bar to stop selling drinks in Vang Vieng,’ he told the Associated Press.
Toan said Holly and Bianca were at the bar playing cards from 8pm to 10.30pm and had three drinks each in that time.
He poured them a Lao Pdr Tiger Vodka containing 40 per cent alcohol and mixed it with ice and Coke Zero.
‘Right now the police [are telling] every hostel and hotel and bar to stop selling drinks in Vang Vieng,’ he told the Associated Press.
Staff became concerned after they failed to check out on November 13 and arranged to take the pair to hospital after they ‘calmly’ asked for assistance.
Hostel CCTV shows one the girls being transported to hospital on the back of a moped.
Two Danish women in their 20s, a 56-year-old US citizen and Bianca Jones, a 19-year-old Australian, have passed away and a 28-year-old British lawyer is fighting for her life following the poisoning on the evening of November 12.
Methanol can sometimes wind up in alcoholic drinks in southeast Asia as a cheaper, counterfeit alternative to ethanol.
The Foreign Office has issued guidance to Britons travelling to the country, warning them against consuming replica alcohol brands that may contain hidden amounts of methanol.
Ms White, from Orpington in Kent, was among the group of backpackers taken to hospital when she became ill last week in Vang Vieng.
She is an associate lawyer based in London specialising in intellectual property and technology at American law firm Squire Patton Boggs.
After completing her A-levels at St Olave’s Grammar School in Orpington, she studied law at Newcastle University before taking the fast-track course at the BPP law school.
Ms White’s friend, Bethany Clarke, a healthcare worker also from Orpington, took to the Laos Backpacking Facebook group to warn other travellers.
She said: ‘Urgent — please avoid all local spirits. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars. Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.’
Ms Jones and Ms Bowles, both aged 19 from Melbourne, also became unwell while staying at the Nana Backpackers Hostel last week.
The best friends were on a ‘dream getaway’ gap year trip across south-east Asia when authorities suspect they drank poisoned cocktails which reportedly contained tainted shots of ‘vodka’ while holidaying in Vang Vieng.
They were rushed to Udon Thani and Bangkok Hospital respectively after telling hostel staff they needed medical attention.
Simone White (left) and Bethany Clarke (right) both fell ill on holiday in Southeast Asia
The pair had booked a four night stay at Nana Backpackers Hostel where they had been drinking the night before they began to feel unwell
Tourists kayaking in the party town of Vang Vieng in Laos
It is not yet known where the contaminated alcohol came from.
The hostel’s manager told the Associated Press that more than 100 guests received free shots of Lao vodka from their bar on November 12, with no one else reporting health issues.
Ms Jones’ parents broke their silence on Wednesday to reveal they hope local police can swiftly find out what happened.
‘Our family has been overwhelmed by the messages of love and support that have come from across Australia,’ they told the Herald Sun.
‘This is every parent’s nightmare and we want to ensure no other family is forced to endure the anguish we are going through.
‘We hope the authorities can get to the bottom of what happened as soon as possible.’
Ms Bowles’ father, Shaun Bowles, said his family has spent every minute possible by Holly’s side.
He told reporters outside Bangkok Hospital on Wednesday: ‘Right now our daughter remains in an intensive care unit, in critical condition, she’s on life support.
‘We would just like to thank everyone from back home for all their support and love that we are receiving.
‘We would also like for people to appreciate right now, we just need privacy so we can spend as much time as we can with Holly.’
The two teens had booked in a four-night stay at Nana Backpackers Hostel, where they had been drinking and playing cards at the bar on the night they were poisoned.
The Jones family released a statement on Tuesday, saying their daughter had been on a ‘dream getaway with her best friend Holly’.
‘They were filled with joy and had such incredible adventures ahead of them, travelling through Asia,’ the statement said. ‘We are here by Bianca’s bedside praying for her. Please respect our privacy at this difficult time.’
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that it was providing consular assistance to two Australians and their families in Thailand, but couldn’t provide further information for privacy reasons.
‘Our thoughts are with them at this deeply distressing time,’ the office said.
The Australian girls’ families have said they are still on life support in separate hospitals
Hostel manager Duong Duc Toan, who served the girls the Laotian vodka, has claimed it wasn’t his Tiger Vodka that made the girls sick
Toan said the girls had drank three beverages each between 8pm and 10:30pm before leaving for another venue
Nana Backpacking Hostel manager Duong Duc Toan, who served the girls has claimed it wasn’t his Tiger Vodka that made the girls sick.
Toan said he bought the alcohol from a certified distributor and insisted it had not been tainted by himself or his staff.
He said the shots, a gesture of hospitality, were served to around 100 guests and that the hostel had not received any other complaints.
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.
Toan said Ms Jones and Ms Bowles were at the bar from 8pm to 10.30pm and had three drinks each in that time.
He poured them a Lao Pdr Tiger Vodka containing 40 per cent alcohol and mixed it with ice and Coke Zero.
‘Right now the police [are telling] every hostel and hotel and bar to stop selling drinks in Vang Vieng,’ he said.
Australian media also reported that two Danish tourists died after consuming tainted alcohol in Vang Vieng at the same time as the Australian women, but it was not immediately possible to confirm details.
Asked about media reports, Denmark’s Foreign Ministry said that ‘two Danish citizens have passed away in Laos’ but that it could not provide specifics for ‘reasons of confidentiality in personal matters.’
The US State Department confirmed the death of a US citizen, aged 56, on Thursday morning in in the popular party town of Vang Vieng.
Vang Vieng is a tourist town particularly popular among backpackers seeking partying and adventure sports.
Businesses appeared to be going on as usual on Tuesday evening in the surrounding neighborhood of the hostel bustling with bars and food stalls.
Ms Jones’ parents have said they hope local authorities are able to find out what happened to their daughter
Ms Bowles’ father said his family were spending every moment they could by her bedside in Thailand
Jasmine Antonius, a Dutch tourist who has been in Vang Vieng for three days, said that she tried to become more careful with drinks after she heard about the case.
‘I think sometimes you’re not really watching how your drinks are being made,’ she said. ‘I feel now it’s a wake up call for many people since this happened. So I hope people would take more precaution because it’s really sad.’
Local police have launched an investigation into the poisoning, which is ongoing.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: ‘We are providing consular assistance to British nationals and their families and are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Laos.’
