Overview

• Prosecutors in Laos are preparing to charge 13 individuals linked to the Nana Backpackers Hostel and Tiger distillery for food and health security violations, unlawful business operations, and evidence elimination.
• Families of victims, including Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, have condemned the absence of murder or manslaughter charges as insufficient and disrespectful.
• The Australian Federal Police offered investigative assistance, but Laos authorities have declined the support, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
• Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whiskey, implicated in the methanol poisoning, remain banned in Laos, and travel advisories have been updated to warn of methanol risks in unregulated alcohol.
• Survivor Bethany Clarke has launched a campaign advocating for methanol poisoning education to be included in school curriculums to prevent future tragedies.