VANG VIENG, Laos — A New Zealand citizen poisoned after drinking contaminated alcohol in a popular tourist town in Laos has returned home, the authorities said on Nov 25, as Laos pledged to prosecute those responsible for the incident, which has killed six tourists.
"The New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok has been providing assistance to one New Zealander who we believe to have been poisoned with methanol in Laos. They have now departed Laos and returned home," a New Zealand Foreign Ministry spokesperson said by e-mail, without providing further details on the person.
Two Danes, two Australians, a Briton and an American have died from methanol poisoning after visiting Vang Vieng, an idyllic town popular with foreign backpackers.
Mark Jones, father of 19-year-old Australian Bianca Jones, urged officials in the South-east Asian country to take strict action so that similar incidents do not repeat.
"We can't have the passing of our daughter's life not lead to change to protect others," Jones told reporters outside the hospital in Bangkok where his daughter had been transferred after falling sick.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help the families of Melbourne residents Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, 19, to cover the cost of bringing them home, and support initiatives and awareness campaigns. The campaign has raised about A$179,000 (S$157,000) as at the morning of Nov 25.
Laos Foreign Ministry said it has been "conducting investigations to find causes of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law".
Australia, the US and Britain have warned their citizens to be cautious when consuming drinks in Laos, where counterfeits of well-known alcohol brands and homemade spirits pose a significant problem.
New Zealand on Nov 25 advised travellers to be cautious about consuming alcoholic beverages, particularly cocktails and drinks made with spirits that may have been adulterated with harmful substances.
Methanol is a toxic alcohol that is used industrially as a solvent, pesticide and alternative fuel source.
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