Five tourists have died in a holiday town in Laos over the past fortnight due to suspected methanol poisoning from allegedly contaminated drinks.

A British woman, an Australian woman, an American man and two Danish nationals have diedWhile another Australian woman remains seriously ill in hospital. The deaths are under police investigation, but news reports and online testimony from other tourists suggest they may have consumed drinks laced with methanol, a deadly substance often found in illicit liquor.

Methane poisoning has long been a well-known issue in Southeast Asia, especially in poor countries along the Mekong River.

But despite foreign governments posting warnings about alcohol consumption in these locations, there is still very little awareness in the backpacker party scene.

Tasteless and colourless, methanol is difficult to detect in beverages and victims usually do not immediately notice symptoms of poisoning.

and in countries like laos The problem stems from alcohol suppliers exploiting an environment where there is little law enforcement and almost no regulation in the food and hospitality industries – one of the poorest and least developed in Asia.

Methanol is a toxic alcohol used in industrial and household products such as paint thinner, antifreeze, varnish, and photocopier fluid.

It is colorless and smells similar to ethyl alcohol – a chemical found in alcoholic beverages.

But methanol is dangerous for humans and drinking just 25 ml of it can be fatal.

It can take up to 24 hours for victims to start showing symptoms of the illness, including: nausea, vomiting and stomach pain that can progress to hyperventilation and breathing problems.

If not treated, the mortality rate is often reported to be 20% to 40%, depending on the concentration of methanol and the amount ingested. International medical charity Medecins Sans Frontiers says (MSF) which tracks the number of global outbreaks.

But if the poisoning is diagnosed quickly, ideally within the first 30 hours, treatment can reduce some of the worst effects.

According to MSF’s database, Asia has the highest prevalence of methanol poisoning worldwide.

It is a problem that often affects poor countries – outbreaks are common in Indonesia, India, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Indonesia is considered a hotspot – the highest number of incidents have been recorded here over the past two decades. According to MSFMainly due to the widespread production and consumption of illegal liquor.

Cities like Vang Vieng in Laos, where the fatal poisoning occurred, are famous stopovers. Backpacking route through Southeast AsiaThe city’s economy is built on tourism, with streets of bars, restaurants and hostels serving visitors.

But in Laos, law enforcement is under-resourced and there are few regulations regarding food and alcohol standards. There is also a domestic liquor industry, which can lead to accidental poisoning.

Local observers say manufacturers also counterfeit the drink by making products with methanol instead of ethanol because it is cheaper.

A Western diplomat in the region told the BBC, “Unscrupulous producers are adding methanol to their drinks because it is cheap – it is used to make a stronger-looking drink or to make a lower quality alcoholic drink more powerful.” He also said that methanol poisoning has been reported in consulates throughout the region.

However, a lack of data means it is difficult to measure the scale of contamination, and where contaminated drinks enter the supply chain.

“I don’t think these nefarious bar owners are going out of their way to poison tourists – it’s not good for them or their industry either,” the diplomat said.

“It’s more about the production side – there’s less education, less regulation, people shying away from work.”

The diplomat also said the dangers of illicit alcohol are well known among tourism operators and embassies, but a high-profile campaign is needed to inform tourists.

“This horrific incident will probably help educate people, but will not solve the cause of the problem,” he said.

Several Western governments this week updated their advice about the dangers of alcohol in Southeast Asia on their embassy and travel pages.

Some campaigners have tried to draw attention to the dangers before. Australian man Colin Ahern runs a Facebook page called “.Don’t drink spirits in Bali‘ where he warns against mixed drinks such as cocktails or drinks made from open bottles of spirits.

He told Australian media earlier this week that his page received a presentation every week about methanol poisoning in Southeast Asia.

Addressing this, a Western diplomat told the BBC that it would be difficult for people to keep themselves safe unless they abstain from drinking alcohol altogether on holidays, as it is unrealistic for tourists to check the original source of all their alcoholic beverages. Is.