Melbourne women Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones reportedly on life support in Thailand after ‘drink-spiking’

Close friends Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones have been identified as the Aussie backpackers fighting for life after a drink-spiking nightmare in Laos.

Holly Bowles (left) is critically ill after a suspected mass poisoning during a holiday in South-East Asia. Picture: Facebook

Close friends Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones have been identified as the Aussie backpackers fighting for life after a drink-spiking nightmare in Laos.

The 19-year-old women were on the trip of a lifetime in Southeast Asia when they fell victim to a mass poisoning which claimed the lives of two other travellers.

The Melbourne pair is reportedly on life support in Thailand after consuming drinks allegedly spiked with methanol in Laos.

The family of Ms Jones told the Herald Sun that they were by her side “praying for her”.

“Our beautiful Bianca was on a dream getaway with her best friend Holly,” they said.

“They were filled with joy and had such incredible adventures ahead of them, travelling through Asia.”

Bianca Jones is also reportedly on life-support in a Thailand hospital Picture: Supplied

The women were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel while travelling through Laos and Thailand during university holidays.

They are on life support in separate Thai hospitals in Bangkok and Udon Thani.

An employee at Nana Backpacker Hostel, who did not want to be named, said that staff were shocked by the poisonings and are working with police.

“You know not only our hostel other customers hostel has same problem as well,” they told The Australian.

“They (the girls) did go the bar in the town and drink.

“Police are investigating and we still working with the police we want to know (what happened) as well.”

Cafe manager of Franks Melbourne in Cheltenham, where Ms Bowles is employed, described the teen as “an absolute star”

“She’s a bundle of joy. To know her is to love her,” the manager told The Age.

It’s believed the young women graduated from Melbourne schools in 2023.

Two other people died from the poisoning while 10 others were also unwell, The Herald Sun reported.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was providing consular assistance to two Australians and their families in Thailand.

“Our thoughts are with them at this deeply distressing time,” a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said.

“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”

Melbourne radio host Jacqui Felgate said she had spoken with the father of one of the women, who had travelled to Thailand to be by his daughter’s bedside.

Felgate reported the two women were travelling with a larger group of about 10 teenage girls. It is believed the girls consumed methanol in what was supposed to be an alcoholic drink last Friday.

Both of the women’s parents found out a couple of days ago and were now in Thailand, Felgate reported.

The Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos. Picture: Supplied

One of the women reportedly graduated from Beaumaris Secondary College in Melbourne’s south east in 2023.

According to the Australian government’s Smartraveller website, alcohol production is less regulated in some overseas destinations which can lead to methanol being used in the production process to lower costs.

“Methanol is highly toxic,” it states.

“As little as one shot can be fatal.”

Locals and foreigners, including Australians, have died or become seriously ill from poisoned drinks in destinations such as Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Costa Rica and Türkiye, according to the Smartraveller website.

Symptoms of methanol poisoning include fatigue, headaches, nausea and vision problems.

“Symptoms of methanol poisoning can be similar to drinking too much. However, they are usually stronger,” the Smartraveller website advises.