Hostel Linked to Tourist Deaths Set for Controversial Reopening
A backpacker hostel in Laos, where six foreign tourists died after consuming methanol-laced drinks, is preparing to reopen its doors under a different name. The planned reopening comes almost a year after the tragic incident that claimed the lives of two Australian teenagers and four other international visitors.
The Nana Backpacker's Hostel in Vang Vieng, north of the Laotian capital Vientiane, has been closed since November 2024 when the methanol poisoning occurred during a happy hour event. Authorities linked the deaths to illicit alcohol production and initially detained 11 staff members for questioning, though no charges have ever been filed.
Victims Remembered as Fight for Justice Continues
Among those who lost their lives were best friends Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones, both aged 19 from Melbourne. The other victims included English woman Simone White, 28, Danish friends Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Sorensen, 21, and American James Hutson, 57.
Bethany Clarke, who survived the methanol poisoning after travelling from the UK to meet her childhood friend Simone White, has since co-founded the Simone White Methanol Awareness Foundation. She expressed horror at learning the hostel would reopen under the name Vang Vieng Central Backpacker Hostel.
'I just can't see how they think it's acceptable just to open up, especially when it's the same ownership,' Ms Clarke told the ABC. She has been campaigning for the site to be transformed into a memorial for the six victims.
Families Demand Answers as Investigation Stalls
The parents of the Australian victims have voiced their frustration with the lack of progress in the investigation. Mark and Michelle Jones, parents of Bianca Jones, stated that there is 'no evidence' that police in Laos properly investigated their daughter's death.
'No family should ever have to go through this. To date, no individual or organisation has been held accountable,' they told the Herald Sun earlier this month.
Similarly, Holly Morton-Bowles' parents, Shaun Bowles and Samantha Morton, described the Laos government as 'corrupt and unhelpful' and urged Australians to reconsider visiting the country. 'Your life is worth nothing over there and we have seen this first-hand,' they said.
Despite the Lao government informing the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs about possible charges related to evidence elimination and unlawful business operations, there have been no updates. Local authorities have also rejected offers of assistance from the Australian Federal Police.
An employee at the renovated hostel confirmed plans to reopen by the end of the month but provided few details. The venue currently isn't accepting bookings on the TripAdvisor website as the travel community continues to grapple with this tragedy and its implications for backpacker safety in Southeast Asia.
