Laos Needs a Transparent and Thorough Investigation Into Methanol Deaths – The Diplomat

Last week, an international newspaper asked me for a comment on the political implications for Laos after six foreign tourists were killed last week, most likely because of drinking alcohol laced with methanol, in Vang Vieng, a tourism hotspot. At the time, I didn’t have one. My thoughts were, and still are, principally with families affected by this tragedy – not just as a recent father but also as a son of parents who permitted me to live halfway across the world as soon as I legally could. As Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said quite succinctly, “This is every parent’s very worst fear and a nightmare.”

A few implications have become clearer, though. There are two reasons why Laos makes it into international…