Methanol poisoning in Laos has claimed six international tourists' lives, including Australian teens Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, after they consumed tainted drinks while backpacking in Vang Vieng.

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.

This week, an American man and two Danish women, aged 19 and 20, died in the same town due to methanol poisoning.

What is methanol, symptoms of methanol poisoning and how can tourists avoid it after Laos deaths? - Foreign Office advises tourists how to avoid alcohol that may be accidentally toxic or may be counte

An American is among at least five tourists who have died after visiting a town in Laos where concerns have arisen about alcohol tainted with methanol.

At least six tourists who traveled to Laos have died in recent days, prompting international alarm about the dangers of consuming alcoholic drinks that contain methanol.

The U.S., Australia and U.K. have issued warnings for travelers in Vang Vieng after several tourists died in a suspected methanol poisoning outbreak.