Laos hostel owner arrested after Brit lawyer is one of 6 tourists dead in 'poisoning'

By Hannah Kane, News Editor

Simone White, 28, from Orpington, fell ill on holiday in southeast Asia (Image: Facebook)

A Laos hostel owner at the centre of a suspected methanol poisoning has been arrested as six people have now died after consuming drinks laced with the dangerous substance.

Yesterday British woman Simeone White, 28 became the fifth person to die in the space of a week in the town of Vang Vieng.

The 28-year-old from Orpington was an associate lawyer specialising in intellectual property and technology at American law firm Squire Patton Boggs in London.

The boss of Nana Backpacker Hostel in the popular tourist hotspot of Vang Vieng was detained by local police for questioning, ABC reports.

19-year-old Australian teenager Holly Bowles has died this morning, days after her best friend Biana Jones sadly lost her life earlier this week.

Bianca Jones (right) has sadly died. Best friend Holly Bowles (left) remains on life support (Image: Facebook)

Her father told reporters outside the Bangkok hospital that she is fighting for her life in: “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.”

Following the death of Ms Jones, the owner of the hostel the pair were staying in denied that the establishment was responsible for the deaths, although he admitted that police had stopped them selling alcohol whilst an investigation took place.

The hostel’s manager told the Associated Press that they had served over 100 drinks on the night in question, including free shots, arguing that nobody else had shown signs of illness.

He took a swig from a bottle behind the bar in an attempt to show is safety and said that he hoped an investigation would clear the hostel’s name.

He told ABC: “Right now the police (are telling) every hostel and hotel and bar to stop selling drinks in Vang Vieng...not only our hostel, other hostel and hotel customers have the same problem.”

The hostel owner has been arrested in connection with the deaths (Image: AP)

One reveller said he saw the Ms Jones and Ms Bowles playing cards at the hostel from 8.30pm to 10pm where they had around three drinks each.

Hostel 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.

Methanol can sometimes be used as a cheaper alternative to ethanol I counterfeit drinks and is common ingredient in bootleg alcohol.

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.