The mother of a young backpacker that died of suspected methanol poisoning is campaigning for greater awareness of bootleg alcohol, a deadly trend affecting backpackers in southeast Asian countries
Just a few months after six backpackers died in Laos as a result of suspected methanol poisoning, the deadly trend is making headlines again. Sue White, the mother and travel companion of Simone White, one of the six victims who died in Laos last November, resurfaced the issue by demanding the UK government put the country on the travel no-go list.
Sue is leading the campaign for greater awareness of methanol poisoning following the death of 28 year-old Simone, who died after her stay at a youth hostel in Vang Vieng. The location is a popular stop along the well-worn southeast Asian backpacker trail, known to attract party-seeking young adults with promises of cheap alcohol.
READ MORE: Laos poisoning victim’s mother fears she may never find out who is responsible
Simone and other backpackers staying at the Vang Vieng youth hostel were offered free vodka shots that are suspected to have been tainted with methanol, the Mirror reported at the time. While this specific incident cast a fresh spotlight on the issue, a 2025 study published by the Journal of Travel Medicine has revealed that methanol poisoning poses an increasing threat to international travellers.
What is methanol poisoning?
Methanol poisoning is defined by the NIH as the consumption of methanol (a type of toxic alcohol found in products like paint thinner and antifreeze). Given that methanol is clear, tasteless and almost completely odourless, it is nearly impossible to know whether a drink is contaminated.
But even a small amount of methanol can lead to critical illness or death. According to the NHS, “methanol poisoning can cause visual disturbance, and as little as 4mL methanol has been reported to cause blindness.”
The site states that other symptoms of methanol poisoning include: “dizziness, drowsiness, vomiting, severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea.” Depending on the amount ingested and the time before treatment, methanol poisoning can also lead to coma, nervous system damage and death.
Untreated methanol poisoning has fatality rates of 20% to 40%, depending on the concentration of toxic methanol and the amount taken. However, according to humanitarian aid organisation, Doctors Without Borders, this is an underestimation of the real situation.
Sue White and Simone White’s travel companion Bethany Clarke (who was also hospitalised in Laos in November 2024 but recovered) have been campaigning for greater awareness of the risks of methanol poisoning. They also want Laos to be put on the no-travel list for its lack of transparency about the 2024 incidents.
Where is methanol poisoning rife?
Methanol poisoning is not a new issue, and has in fact been a well documented problem in southeast Asia, most predominantly in poorer countries along the Mekong River. Asia has the highest prevalence of methanol poisoning worldwide with most common outbreaks occurring in Indonesia, India, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Methanol poisoning in these areas is attributed to alcohol suppliers exploiting the low law enforcements and regulation of food and alcohol standards. Producers cut corners by making counterfeit drinks with methanol instead of ethanol because it is cheaper and can make drinks seem ‘stronger’.
Southeast Asia is not the only area of concern, however. Since January 14, it has been reported that 70 people have died from bootleg alcohol poisoning in Istanbul alone. With another 30 reported deaths in Ankara, Turkey. According to First Choice, there is a 150% increase, year-on-year, of bookings to Turkey for 18-35 year olds .
In March 2025, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Hamish Falconer, addressed the risk to British travellers writing: “The risks of methanol poisoning are included in our travel advice pages where we see evidence of a trend that is likely to affect British nationals in that country or territory.”
Falconer went on to say: “We include information about the risks from methanol poisoning or counterfeit alcohol in our travel advice pages for Cambodia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.”
How does methanol poisoning effect travel plans?
Methanol poisoning is a particular concern as of late due to the rise of travel to southeast Asia, particularly among young travellers exploring the region during their gap years. Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam have already grown in significant travel interest this year.
One of the most searched for flights of January 2025 were to Thailand, a 27% increase in interest compared to last year. Reboot Online attributes the spike predominantly to Gen Z, who are increasingly favouring Asian over European destinations.
The ‘White Lotus effect’ is soaring too, as destinations like Phuket, Bangkok and Koh Samui are bracing for huge waves of tourists and already observing record numbers. Other factors contributing to the growing popularity of these southeast Asian destinations among young backpackers include a rising trend in solo travel and the appeal of more adventurous destinations.
TikTok travel influencers are also impacting where young adults travel. There are 94 million posts for ‘Vietnam Travel’ on TikTok, with videos detailing ‘Things to do along the Mekong River’ and ‘Solo Travel in Vietnam’ raking in millions of views.
How to avoid methanol poisoning when travelling
The UK government has highlighted the issue of methanol poisoning in its recent Travel Aware campaign, asking backpackers and travellers to Bali and Thailand to be vigilant about spiking and methanol poisoning.
The campaign provides the following advice to avoid methanol poisoning:
- Stick to legit places. Only buy your drinks from proper bars, reputable hotels or licenced shops.
- Avoid homemade booze. Local spirits or homemade vodka are high-risk.
- Check your bottles. Seals should be intact, and labels should look legitimate (no misspellings or dodgy print).
- Be picky about cocktails. Stick to sealed or bottled drinks. Pre-mixed cocktails and “buckets” (cheap mixed drinks served in plastic containers) in touristy areas can be a gamble.
- Report incidents. Let the local authorities know if you suspect methanol poisoning–this can help prevent further incidents.
