A BRITISH lawyer has died after allegedly poisoning himself with a drink laced with methanol while on holiday in Laos.
Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, is the fifth tourist to die tragically after falling ill last week.
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British tourist Simone White died while on holiday in LaosCredit: Pixel8000
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Simone and four others fell ill after alleged methanol poisoning Credit: Pixel8000
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Duong Duc Toan, manager of the Nana Backpackers hostel where some of the victims stayed
It came just hours after 19-year-old Australian tourist Bianca Jones was confirmed dead.
Two Danish women in their twenties and an American also died after the incident.
At least 11 people, including Britons, remain in hospital after allegedly being served spicy drinks at a bar in Vang Vieng.
Simone was an associate attorney specializing in intellectual property and technology at the American law firm Squire Patton Boggs in London, The Times reported.
She was a first pupil at St Olave’s Grammar School in Orpington and went on to study law at Newcastle University.
The Briton then completed an accelerated course at the BPP law school.
Simone’s friend Bethany Clarke raised the alarm with an urgent warning on the Laos Backpacking Facebook group.
She wrote: “Urgent — avoid all local liquor. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and drank the free drinks offered by one of the bars.
“Just avoid them because it’s not worth it. The six of us who drank in the same place are currently in the hospital with methanol poisoning.”
Bethany added that she was “very tired and then passed out, then just felt nauseous and then my liver started shutting down.”
She continued: “I got to the private hospital on time, but I went through many IVs and pills and days of recovery.”
Bianca Jones, meanwhile, was rushed to hospital on November 13 in neighboring Thailand after falling ill in Vang Vieng – a city popular with foreign backpackers.
The teenager from Melbourne, Australia, died on Thursday.
Her friend Holly Bowles, also 19, was with her that night and remains in hospital on life support.
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Some tourists reportedly fell ill with suspected methanol poisoning after drinking at the Nana Backpackers hostelCredit: AP
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Australian tourist Bianca Jones (19) also died in the hospital today.
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Her friend Holly Bowles, 19, is reportedly on the machines
A Thai police official told Reuters: “The doctor who examined her said the cause of death was methanol poisoning, a fake drink.
“The amount of methanol in her body was high, which led to swelling of the brain.”
The Australian and British governments have previously warned travelers to be careful with alcoholic beverages in Laos.
Methanol is a toxic alcohol used industrially as a solvent, pesticide and fuel source, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention writes on its website.
Duong Duc Toan, manager of the Nana Backpackers hostel where some of the victims stayed, confirmed that more than 100 guests were given free Lao Tiger vodka mixed with ice and Coca-Cola Zero.
He said the alcohol was from an authorized distributor and was not touched by his staff.
“Right now the police [are telling] every hostel, hotel and bar to stop selling liquor in Vang Vieng,” he told The Associated Press.
Toan told the Australian broadcaster ABC: “Police in Vang Vieng i [the capital] Vientiane has already come to the hostel to check, shop [where] let’s buy vodka, check the store [where] we buy whiskey.
“We’re not doing anything wrong, for sure. I really take care of all customers [who] stay at our hotel and hostel.”
Police in Laos have launched an investigation into the alleged poisoning.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are providing consular assistance to British nationals and their families and are in contact with local authorities following the incident in Laos.”
The British government has issued an emergency warning through the Foreign Office warning travelers of counterfeit alcohol on the market in a popular holiday area.
The FCDO said: “Methanol has been used in the production of counterfeit replicas of well-known brands of alcohol or illegal local spirits, such as vodka.
“You should be careful if it’s offered, especially for free, or when you’re buying alcoholic beverages.
“If the labels, smell or taste seem wrong, don’t drink.”
Travelers are advised to buy alcohol only from authorized liquor stores, drink only at authorized places and avoid domestic alcoholic beverages.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it supports Simone’s family.
A spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of the British woman who died in Laos and are in contact with the local authorities.”
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Simone is the fifth tourist to die
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She was an associate attorney specializing in intellectual property and technologyCredit: Pixel8000
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