Parents condemn $176 fines for hostel staff after daughters died from tainted alcohol

The families of two Melbourne teenagers who died after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos have criticized the AU$185 (approximately $176 CAD) fines received by staff members who served the deadly drinks.

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, 19, died after they were served tainted alcohol laced with methanol at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in November 2024, part of a mass poisoning that also killed two Danish women, a U.S. tourist and a British woman.

The two 19-year-old Australian women fell ill following a night out drinking with a group and failed to check out from the Nana Backpacker Hostel as planned. The women were found sick in their room and then taken to Thailand for emergency treatment, where both died in hospital.

Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died by “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system.”

The women’s fathers, Shaun Bowles and Mark Jones, said they were uninformed about the court case involving the hostel staff, which took place at the People’s Court of Vang Vieng in Laos.

They were part of a group chat with the families of the victims that provided them with updates and that’s how they learned 10 people connected to the hostel faced a judge in late January.

Those 10 people were fined the AU$185 each and given a suspended sentence for destroying evidence, 9News reports.

“We were shocked by the absolute injustice for our girls and the others,” Jones said. “We have had no correspondence with anyone from the Laos government. We had no idea the court case was going ahead.

“To think that the Laos authorities believe that those who were involved in killing our daughters is worth $185 is absolutely disgraceful.”

The fathers initially thought the court case was linked to the deaths of their daughters, but the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that the charge for destruction of evidence was linked to the death of the American tourist.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Department of Foreign Affairs has been in communication with the Bowles and Jones families.

“I have made it clear to my Lao counterpart that Australia expects full accountability,” Wong said in a statement. “I have also made it clear that charges should reflect the seriousness of the tragedy which left six people dead, including Holly and Bianca.”

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware that the Vang Vieng District Court sentenced individuals over the destruction of evidence in relation to the death of a US citizen,” Wong said. “We continue to press Lao authorities on the cases relating to Holly and Bianca’s deaths, and we will continue to support Holly and Bianca’s families at this distressing time.”

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Bowles and Jones called on the Australian government to step in and help get justice for the death of their daughters.

“As citizens of this country we expect the government to look after their people and get justice for their citizens when they go travelling,” Jones said.

“We can’t get into the country. There’s nothing more we can do. We need the government to do something because we are out of options,” Bowles added.

The Australian prime minister said the federal government would do everything it could to support the families of Bowles and Jones.

“The foreign minister has made it clear to her counterpart in Laos that Australia expects full accountability and the charges should reflect the devastating seriousness of this incident. We will continue to engage Laos authorities on these cases,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during question time in a daily parliamentary session with members of Parliament on Monday.

In November 2024, Canada issued a travel advisory after the six tourists, mostly aged 19 to 20, died from methanol poisoning in the popular backpacker town in northern Laos.

“Several foreigners in Vang Vieng have been victims of suspected methanol-adulterated alcohol poisoning,” the warning read. “Be vigilant if you choose to drink alcohol. Avoid accepting free or extremely low-priced drinks. Only buy alcohol in sealed bottles and cans from reputable shops. Seek medical assistance if you begin to feel sick.”

Methanol is a clear, colourless alcohol used in all kinds of everyday products like industrial cleaners, solvents, paint, cosmetics and anti-freeze. Methanol is toxic and deadly when consumed.

Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks at disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death. It is also a byproduct of poorly distilled homebrew liquor and could have found its way into bar drinks inadvertently.

— With files from The Associated Press