Laos Methanol Poisining

[girlfriend44]

Not seen anything on MN about it.
AIBU to not understand what's going on?
Where the bars and clubs not aware the drinks were deadly, or was it deliberate?

What a horrible thing to happen to these young people!😱

The risks of these home brewed type spirits were around when I was travelling Thailand, Bali etc over 15 years ago. I stuck purely to bottled beers

it’s absolutely tragic and heartbreaking that what should be an exciting trip has ended this way for so many.

Similar has happened in other places. There were no spirits sold in Czech when we were there like 10 years ago. Fakes made their way into real supply and it was mayhem with some deaths so they had temporary prohibition until fakes were located. From what I remember it was mainly alcohol dated past x date.
Iirc Poland had bout of it too but can't remember if they had to resolve to full prohibition.

It happens. I don't think this was intentional poisoning of the particular people.

I travelled to SEAsia (and Vang Vieng) twenty years ago, we were warned of bootleg alcohol in the whole region. Only ever drank bottled beer and warned to avoid spirits. Very sad that this is still an issue and those young lives have been lost.

I hadnt even thought of that

I'm OK hols right now and someone just walked down the beach selling mojitos.

This story definitely made me stop and think.

please sign the petition for education in schools
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/716935

I'm bumping this up to encourage more people to sign the petition.
The governments in Indonesia, Laos and other countries are reluctant to take effective action in case it affects the tourist trade. So the best approach is to reach out directly to young people in the upper years of secondary school when they may be planning a gap year or foreign travel.
It's taken more seriously by the Australian authorities and we need our UK government to addrss this issue too before more young people lose their lives.