Bianca Jones, who has died, and her friend Holly Bowles, who is fighting for her life in hospital, were seen at Jaidee’s Bar in Vang Vieng just hours before they fell ill
Two teenagers allegedly poisoned were at a bar which openly sells hard drugs to customers, it has been claimed.
Bianca Jones has sadly died, and her friend Holly Bowles is fighting for her life in hospital, following the alleged methanol poisoning in Laos. They were part of a group of other tourists, including British lawyer Simone White, who were reportedly offered free “Laos Tiger” vodka shots by a bar in Vang Vieng.
Bianca and Holly were seen at Jaidee’s Bar in Vang Vieng just hours before being rushed to hospital, WhatsApp messages have revealed today. The best friends, both aged 19, drank methanol-laced spirits at the beachfront bar, according to one man who tried to help the Melbourne teens after they began feeling unwell.
Jaidee’s Bar, which boasts of being the place to be for “drinking, talking, smoking, and smiling but no fighting”, is praised online for being a “happy café”. One Tripadvisor review reads: “Ignore bad food reviews, this is a ‘happy cafe’ so don’t come for good food. This place has an excellent ‘happy menu’.”
The Herald Sun reports the bar has links to the Asian mafia, describing it as a “dangerous” place with links to organised crime. The publication says the bar even has a drugs menu, which includes the option of buying weed by the joint or bag, “happy brownies”, opium, mushrooms and ketamine.
British tourist Simone, 28, did not visit Jaidee’s Bar, it is understood. However, the WhatsApp messages reveal Bianca and Holly, both from Melbourne, walked to the establishment from their hostel on the night they fell ill.
Despite the party atmosphere, the possession and use of all drugs including weed are illegal in Laos and penalties are harsh. According to the UK’s foreign travel advice, these include life sentences and the death penalty, with a number of Lao nationals having been sentenced to death in 2019.
Five people have died following the mass drink spiking in Vang Vieng and a further 11 are in hospital. Simone, who was an associate lawyer based in London specialising in intellectual property and technology at American law firm Squire Patton Boggs, was rushed to hospital in Laos, where she died.
Her friend, Bethany Clarke, a healthcare worker also from Orpington, Kent, took to the Laos Backpacking Facebook group to warn other travellers. She said: “Urgent — please avoid all local spirits. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars. Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”