"Excited to embark on the trip of a lifetime, they travelled to Thailand and Laos to experience new cultures and create lasting memories together," read part of the fundraiser, wh

Six people have died, including Simone White from Kent, after falling ill in the town of Vang Vieng, a town popular with backpackers.

The suspected mass poisoning of six tourists in Laos last week has sent shockwaves through the backpacker scene, and highlighted Southeast Asia's problem with tainted alcohol. A Briton, two Australians,

Eight hostel staff have been arrested in Laos after tourist deaths from suspected methanol poisoning. Police have detained eight employees of a backpacker hostel in Laos following the deaths of six tourists, believed to be caused by methanol poisoning last week.

Police in Laos have detained eight members of staff at a backpacker hostel following the deaths of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning last week. According to local media, those detained include workers and management from the Nana Backpacker Hostel in the town of Vang Vieng, where several of the tourists who later died had stayed.

Laos party-goers are on edge and sticking to beer after six tourists were killed by 'methanol poisoning', with backpackers in the south-east Asian town in Laos speaking of their experiences

BANGKOK: Police in Laos have detained the manager and seven staff of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng following the deaths of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning,

The deaths of six foreign tourists linked to a suspected mass methanol poisoning has thrown a spotlight on a small town in Southeast Asia that has worked hard in recent years to shed its reputation for excess.

Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, was one of a number of people taken to hospital after the incident in the popular backpacking town of Vang Vieng last week