Australian tourists hospitalized after apparent severe alcohol poisoning in Laos party town

Two Australian tourists are being treated in Thailand for suspected severe alcohol poisoning after apparently consuming tainted drinks in neighboring Laos. Australian media said Tuesday that the two 19-year-old women were on a backpacking vacation in Laos when they became ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng. The manager of the hostel where the women were staying said that staff were told by other guests that the women were unwell after they failed to check out as planned on Nov. 13 and they arranged transport to a hospital for them. It wasn't clear what the two drank. But methanol is sometimes used as the alcohol in mixed drinks at disreputable bars and can cause severe poisoning or death.