Transcript of Six tourists have died of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos. #Methanol #Laos #BBCNews

Holy Bowl's now the sixth victim of this mass poisoning in Laos. They're all believed to have been poisoned by methanol. So what is methanol? Well, it's an industrial alcohol. It's made from wood. It's very different from ethanol, which is the basis for most alcoholic drinks, and it is very, very toxic to human beings. It's also very common. You find it in lots of products used around the house and in industry, like paint thinner, for example, is made of methanol. But it's very toxic. As little as 25 milliliters can be fatal to human beings. What's the advice being given to people traveling in Southeast Asia or going to Laos? Well, be careful, obviously. Do not drink anything that looks like it is locally made or unlicensed alcohol. Make sure you know what you're drinking. Go to a licensed dealer or a licensed shop. If you want to be extra safe, yes, drink something like beer that comes in a can that obviously is much more difficult to fake.