The Laotian authorities kept the details murky on Saturday regarding the deaths of six tourists attributed in 2024 to tainted alcohol, saying they could not determine the cause while acknowledging that excessive amounts of methanol were detected in a local vodka brand.
Two Danes, an American, a British woman and two Australian women died after what the media in the affected countries had described at the time as a festive evening in the town of Vang Vieng, popular with backpackers.
Since then, their families have waited for justice to be served, but after more than a year and a half of investigation, Laos says it is unable to determine the cause of the deaths.
The Public Security Ministry nonetheless indicated, 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”.
Prosecutions have been brought against the owner of the Tiger distillery, but they relate only to “manufacture or sale of products dangerous to health” and to “illegal commercial exploitation”, according to the authorities’ statement.
The owner and nine employees of the youth hostel where the American tourist was staying were also charged with “destruction of evidence” after transporting his body to the hospital.
The Australian government said on Friday it was “deeply frustrated” and “disappointed” that Laos was not pursuing tougher charges against those responsible.
According to the public ABC network and other Australian media, Laos would be pursuing charges punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of less than 1,000 euros.
