A woman has issued an urgent warning after her best friend tragically passed away following their consumption of three shots in Southeast Asia.

In an Instagram video shared yesterday (23 July), Bethany Clarke revealed that it had been eight months since her best friend, Simone White, died 'tragically and unexpectedly' in Vang Vieng, Laos.

The two were traveling together in Southeast Asia in November 2024, when they both 'consumed three vodka shots during our hostel's happy hour on the 12th of November', and the next day, they both felt 'violently unwell'.

After Simone vomited and Bethany fainted, they were taken to a local public hospital, where doctors suspected food poisoning.

"But a few hours later, Simone was struggling to breathe and couldn't speak," Bethany explained.

"That evening, we managed to reach a private hospital where we were diagnosed with metabolic acidosis. Simone was rushed to the ICU, but despite undergoing hemodialysis and brain surgery, she never regained consciousness and remained in a coma."

According to the BBC, the drinks were allegedly tainted with methanol, a substance sometimes found in illicit alcohol.

It was later reported that five other tourists from Australia, Denmark, and the US staying at the same hostel, Nana Backpacker, had also died after allegedly consuming the same methanol-laced shots.

Following discussions with doctors and the UK consulate, Simone's mother, Sue, had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off her daughter's life support on the 21st of November.

The hostel's manager denied any wrongdoing, and twelve individuals, including eight hostel employees, were arrested by police, but no charges were filed at the time (via The Independent).

Simone White (left) tragically lost her life after falling ill from allegedly tainted alcohol (Instagram/@simonewhitemethanolawareness)

In her video, however, Bethany stated that Laotian authorities were 'preparing new charges, including the destruction of evidence, violation of food and health safety, and illegal business operations', while noting that there were 'no murder or manslaughter charges'.

She further claimed that the hostel 'will be reopening under another name'. Both the BBC and ITV News reported that a listing for Vang Vieng Central Backpackers Hostel appeared on travel websites, with the BBC adding that a link that previously redirected to Nana's hostel page now led users to an updated page.

ITV News also reported that reviews for the hostel referenced Nana, and the photos on the listing bore a striking resemblance to those previously featured for Nana's Backpacker Hostel.

Since returning to Australia, Bethany has launched a UK parliamentary petition and the Simone White methanol awareness campaign.

Bethany is now campaigning to raise awareness for travelers about methanol poisoning (Change.org)

Just last week, Bethany shared that the campaign achieved its goal with the UK petition, and starting September 2026, it will be mandatory for young people in schools to learn about the dangers of methanol poisoning.

"However, we still need more awareness," she emphasized. "Our work hasn't stopped, as we still need awareness in airports similar to what Australia has been doing, which is why I set up the Change.org petition to encourage the UK to implement measures such as posters and leaflets about the risks of methanol poisoning and the symptoms that may arise if counterfeit alcohol is consumed.

"We would also like to see airlines include warnings in their in-flight magazines about the risks of methanol poisoning."

You can sign the petition here.

Tyla has reached out to Khaosan Pathet Lao for further comment.