‘Don’t go’: Methanol victims’ parents call on travellers to boycott Laos

The parents of two Aussie teens who died of methanol poisoning after their drinks were spiked have given a disturbing update about the police investigation.

The parents of two Melbourne teenagers who died of methanol poisoning in Laos have urged Australians to boycott the country until it investigates their daughters’ deaths.

Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, were on the trip of a lifetime in the tourist town of Vang Vieng in November last year when they fell ill after consuming alcoholic drinks spiked with the chemical.

Four other backpackers, at least three of whom were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel with Bianca and Holly, also died.

Mark and Michelle Jones, alongside Samantha Morton and Shaun Bowles, revealed in February the Laos government has refused to meet with them since the teenagers’ deaths three months ago.

Speaking to the ABC on Monday, Mr and Ms Jones revealed there still had been no communication or updates from authorities.

“I mean, our girls were murdered and nothing’s getting done. And that’s really hard,” Ms Jones said.

“What are they hiding? That’s what I’m thinking, that’s what we’re all thinking. Someone’s got to be accountable for it.”

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones

The Melbourne teenagers died of methanol poisoning in Laos in November. Picture: 60 Minutes

Any Australians considering travelling to the South-East Asian country should reconsider, Ms Morton said.

“Don’t go. Don’t go. It’s just not safe for travellers, it just isn’t, and we’ve seen that first hand,” she told the ABC.

Mr Bowles said if Laos wants “people to come to your country, make it safe. Make it a safe place”.

Anne-Sofie Orkild, from Denmark, also died after consuming the tainted alcohol. Her parents, Didier and Anne-Marie, agreed that a boycott of Laos is their only hope for answers.

“It’s a lot of leverage, it’s a lot of money,” Ms Orkild said.

“Our recommendation is not to go to Laos, it will hurt them.”

Though the Nana Backpacker Hostel remains closed, staff members arrested in the wake of the tragedy – all foreign nationals – have been released from custody and are understood to be under house arrest, according to the national broadcaster.

“We were led to believe they had 12 people in custody, they’ve all been released,” Mr Jones said.

“It’s incredibly concerning, it seems to reek of a cover-up.

“I can’t imagine that from the distilling process through to handing out drinks, there’s not one Lao national who was involved in the chain – so something seems incredibly off.”

Michelle and Mark Jones. Picture: 60 Minutes

Shaun Bowles and Samantha Morton’s parents at her funeral. Picture: 7News

Since the tragedy, the Australian government has supported the families’ call for a transparent and thorough investigation, “and has made these expectations clear to the Lao government”.

“What I have said to the Laotian government is we expect a thorough investigation and an investigation which brings those responsible to justice. We have made that clear to them,” Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told Sunrise last month.

“I completely understand the anguish of the families who haven’t heard from the Laotian government for the last couple of months.

“We will continue to press the Laotian government.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has repeatedly called on the Laotian government to conduct a ‘thorough investigation’ into the tragedy. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman

During Question Time on February 6, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, confirmed authorities in Laos has not accepted Australia’s offer to help investigate the crime.

“I have to report sadly to the house that at this point the Laos authorities have not taken up that offer on the part of Australian Federal Police,” Mr Marles said.

“We remain in contact with the Laos authorities and the offer of assistance is being consistently offered and raised with the Laos authorities.”

It is the “expectation” of the Federal Government, Mr Marles continued, “that there be a thorough investigation into these events, this crime, and that the perpetrators be found”.

“That is the expectation in the context of our relationship with Laos – and that has been directly related by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to her counterpart,” he said.

“What happened to Holly and Bianca struck at the heart of the nation and all of us stand in the embrace of their families, and it is unimaginable to think about what they are going through in the loss of their beautiful daughters.”