Families race to Thailand as two young Australians fight for life after methanol poisoning

The families of two young women fighting for their lives after drinking cocktails laced with methanol in South East Asia last week have made a mercy dash to the Thai hospitals in which the women are being treated.

The women, believed to be aged 19 and at least one of whom graduated from Beaumaris Secondary College in Melbourne’s southeast last year were among 10 people believed to have fallen ill in the incident in the Laos town of Vang Vieng.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Melbourne teens fighting for life in Thai hospitals after methanol poisoning.

Two people also died in the mass poisoning event last Friday at a bar near the hostel at which the pair were staying.

One of the women has been flown to a hospital in Bangkok while the other is being treated at a hospital in the Thai city of Udon Thani.

Methanol is often deliberately added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, which is the normal alcohol used in alcoholic drinks.

The symptoms of methanol poisoning can include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties, blindness, blurred vision and seizures, according to the Methanol Institute.

On Tuesday, Sunrise reporter Teegan Dolling spoke about the incident.

“Two bayside best friends were taking a break from university. They went travelling across South East Asia with a group of others,” Dolling said.

“They were ... out one night having cocktails when they fell violently ill.

“It is understood they have fallen victim to a mass methanol poisoning.

“There’s been reports that two Swedish nationals have actually died and 10 others have fallen ill.

“The two women now in separate hospitals across Thailand fighting for their lives.

“Families from Melbourne made the mercy dash. DFAT confirmed they are providing consular assistance to two Australians as well as their families.

“We were talking earlier just about the amount of methanol that can be fatal. It’s often added to alcohol in some countries instead of ethanol.

“It can make you very sick and even kill you. Having a quick look, it said 30ml of methanol can be fatal that is just two tablespoons.”

A spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it was providing consular assistance to two Australians and their families in Thailand.

“Our thoughts are with them at this deeply distressing time,” the spokesperson said.

“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”

Methanol is often deliberately added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, which is the normal alcohol used in alcoholic drinks.

According to the Methanol Institute, this usually occurs in countries where taxes on ethanol are seen as too high.

Drinking just 25 to 90ml of methanol can be fatal, the institute said.