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Inside the wild YOLO nights at the drug-fuelled bars of the exotic 'new Bali' - where every traveller's worst nightmare is now unfolding as six people die after drinking 'contaminated' alcohol.. and the death toll is expected to soar Two Aussie mates died after drinking 'contaminated alcohol' Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones were travelling together Region is a known party hotspot and a 'step back in time' READ: Two Aussie teens who drank poisoned cocktails in Laos are identified By WAYNE FLOWER, MELBOURNE CORRESPONDENT Published: 21:54, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 22:02, 24 November 2024 e-mail View comments Young travellers visiting the Vientiane Province of Laos do so with danger at the front of their minds. Now those risks have proved deadly. It's the new must-go destination for those in the know - but also where two Melbourne teens died after being poisoned by methanol-laced drinks. Two other young Danes, a UK lawyer and a US man have also been killed in the tragic mass poisoning, with another eight still believed to be in hospital. While the town of Vang Vieng has been a go-to spot for adventurers keen on tubing and kayaking on the Nam Song River, it has also become the place to be for those who like to party. Until 2012, the river itself was lined with bars selling Beer Lao and Lao-Lao, and equipped with rope swings, zip lines, and large decks for socialising. Other activities in the region include trekking and rock climbing in the limestone mountains. There are also numerous caves, such as Tham Phu Kham or the Tham Non and Tham Jang. But in recent years, it has become a haven for young backpackers keen on getting high on life - and often Class A drugs - as quickly and as cheaply as possible. Veteran travellers ominously warn others to steer clear of the local alcohol, and stick to imported booze: 'Either you want to live - or you don't mind dying early.' International travellers party hard at one of Vang Vieng's more popular bars Bianca Jones, 19, from Melbourne, (left) was the fourth person to die following the horrific incident. Her schoolfriend Holly Bowles, also 19, (right) remains on life support Vang Vieng is beloved by kayakers who paddle down the Nam Song River While Bali has long been the destination of choice for young Aussies, a recent spate of highly public incidents involving wayward partying there helped Laos cement its position as a party capital. The main street of Vang Vieng is lined with guest houses, bars, restaurants, internet cafes and tour agencies. Melbourne teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both aged 19, had been enjoying the trip of their young lives there when tragedy struck them down. Ms Jones died surrounded by loved ones on Thursday. Her best friend remains in critical condition on life support. The pair had been staying at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng where they drank mixed spirits at the bar the night before. WhatsApp messages have since revealed that the pair then left the hostel and travelled 950m to the beachfront Jaidee Bar. The infamous party bar, which offers free spirits, also has a hard copy 'drug menu', offering patrons opium, ecstasy and ketamine. Situated within the 'Golden Triangle', the area is very hard for the Laotian government to police due to its remoteness, terrain, and a lack of international cooperation. Corruption in Laos and neighbouring countries also serves to make enforcement of anti-drug production and trafficking laws difficult. Though Laos hasn't executed anyone since 1989, it still retains the death penalty in its laws and has about 315 people on death row. The high supply of drugs in the region sees methamphetamine pills sold for less than 25 cents, which is cheaper than food, water, or beer. Foreign tourists float on tubes in a river in Vang Vieng Holly Bowles (left) and best mate Bianca Jones (right) were on the trip of a lifetime when they consumed something that left them critically ill. Ms Jones sadly died on Thursday UK lawyer Simone White, 28, also died in the mass poisoning. She specialised in technology and intellectual property at the London office of an American law firm Danish victims Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, (left) and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, (right) Its lawless nature provides certain appeal to young Aussies raised on endless rules and regulations. Locals described Jaidee Bar as a 'dangerous' place with links to organised crime and the Asian mafia. The hard copy menu reportedly offered there offers tourists hardcore drugs for the equivalent of about $28 a gram. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that either Ms Bowles or Ms Jones were involved in any drug taking activity of any kind. Testing revealed their ill health was caused by methanol poisoning. While Laos once appealed to travellers for its peace and quiet, much has changed over the past decade with an influx of young party goers from across the globe. But all that could be about to change with the tragic deaths of six people, including two Danish women Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, American man James Louis Hutson, 57, and British woman Simone White, 28. Nana Backpackers Hostel where two Australian girls stayed before becoming critically ill Jaidee Bar has come under scrutiny after several tourists died after partying there Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said drink spiking and methanol poisoning were far too common in many parts of the world and implored parents and young travellers to discuss the risks. 'Please inform yourselves, please let's work together to ensure this tragedy doesn't happen again,' she said. On Thursday evening, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder paid tribute to the teenagers at his show in Sydney, describing the situation as 'senseless'. 'The one young woman, Bianca Jones, she's passed. Her friend Holly Bowles is hanging in and wish her the best and we're thinking about her parents,' he said. Methanol is an odourless, colourless liquid used in products such as paint stripper, insecticide and dyes. The Australians were found unresponsive by staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel where they were staying with a group of mates. Australian Embassy officials arrived at the hostel on Monday, with management quick to deflect any of the blame from its premises. The hostel’s manager reportedly claimed police came to inspect their bar after the incident but found the alcohol it served was 'very normal'. An investigation into where those impacted by the poisoning partied that night remains in full swing. Initial reports suggested 'vodka' served up at a local establishment may have been the cause. But many claim it is usually the local jungle hooch 'moonshine' that is consumed with caution. The local rice alcohol is described as 'rocket fuel' which is notorious for getting people drunk quickly and on the cheap. Anyone who has spent time in the region says going there on a bargain basement budget is a recipe for disaster. 'Doesn't matter what the price is. You purchase imported or you don't engage at all,' one person warned on a social media page focused on backpacking in the region. 'Either you want to live - or you don't mind dying early.' Many bars in the area jostling for punters offer free drinks in an effort to get tourists inside. The free drinks often flow for hours at a time, with many suspicious about how it can afford to be done. The Jaidee Bar in Van Vieng has been a must visit location for backpackers since 2002 Drugs are freely available on the streets of Vang Vieng Some bars are known to serve up buckets of cheap booze to those game enough to chug it down. Unscrupulous bar owners are believed to sell their own concoctions disguised in Jagermeister or Absolut Vodka bottles. 'It's insane. I've been here running bars clubs and parties since 2011 and this nonsense of giving out free drinks has been an ongoing battle,' one bar owner wrote. 'Then when something like this happens, it ruins everyone's reputation but we all know the root cause of the problem.' Another bar owner committed to contacting every alcohol supplier in the region in hope of weeding out whatever, or whoever, sparked the incident. Some familiar with the region doubt local police will ever get to the bottom of the cause. 'The police work hand-in-hand with the bars in Vang Vieng that serve a wide range of dangerous drugs,' one claimed. 'Methanol is in all the drugs too. 'It’s a big problem in Laos, [but] authorities have been known to arrest people when they’re leaving because of "defamation" to these businesses.' A woman who claimed to have stayed at the hostel where the two Australians were found warned the entire region was swimming in dodgy booze. 'I can confirm it’s the entire city, not just that hostel,' she said. 'I drank the free drinks (they don’t give shots). 'T he people went to another bar after leaving the hostel which if you know anything about that place ... It’s more than drinking.' Thailand Crime Melbourne Share or comment on this article: Inside the wild YOLO nights at the drug-fuelled bars of the exotic 'new Bali' - where every traveller's worst nightmare is now unfolding as six people die after drinking 'contaminated' alcohol.. and the death toll is expected to soar e-mail Add comment
After their recent T20 World Cup success, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) have reappointed White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer for a further two years. Sawyer, a 46 year-old Australian, was first appointed in June 2022 on a two-year contract, which was later extended until the end of the side’s tour to India in October, a three-match tour which immediately followed that unexpected victory on the global stage. He will now remain in charge until December 2026, which means he will oversee the 50-over World Cup in India in September and October next year, as well as the defence of their T20 World Cup in England in 2026. New Zealand Cricket started their review of Sawyer’s position before the squad departed for Australia in the run-up to the recent T20 World Cup, a deliberate decision to minimise disruption and distraction during the tournament. NZC Head of Women’s High Performance, Liz Green, feels that under Sawyer, the recent success is just the beginning for this side. “I guess to the naked eye, performances over the last 12 months are one story, but internally we always knew what we were trying to achieve with this group and what Ben inherited as a coach two years ago was quite a young developing group, so first and foremost his priority and task and focus has been to develop this team. The performances might not have always been seen in terms of the win column, but internally we were seeing players develop and that for us was why we wanted to complete that review before the World Cup,” Green says. Green confirms that as part of the review, NZC spoke to all the players and staff, as well as other stakeholders who feed into the White Ferns programme, such as the head coaches of the major association sides around the country “For us, removing any bias of performances was pretty crucial and it was quite an extensive review. It really focused on that learning process with the fact that Ben was tasked with developing the playing group and what we were learning over the past two years and what’s been the good, the bad and the ugly,” she says. “I think the first two years of Ben’s tenure, we’re only scratching the surface. We’ve built a really strong support group around Ben. We’ve got a really strong, developing cohort of White Ferns who are starting to put their hands up and believe in themselves,” she says. Sawyer himself is delighted to be able to continue the work he and the other staff have started. “I want to thank New Zealand Cricket for their support and for their leadership. It was always about trying to develop this team, so, I’m really grateful and have to thank the selectors who made some hard calls when they let a few senior players go. My job was then to see that through,” Sawyer says. “They made some really good calls around the likes of Izzy Gaze and Georgia Plimmer and they saw something in those kids and it was my job to try and stick with that and at times that was tough, but I always had that support from New Zealand Cricket that we were developing them. Did I think it would come as fast as it did with the T20 World Cup? No I didn’t, but I thought they were tracking along and in Australia [before the T20 World Cup] I thought there were signs that things were turning and we were seeing improvements,” he says. Sawyer says he now has two major goals in his head. First the two pinnacle events, the ODI World Cup next year and the T20 World Cup the year after. But more importantly he thinks his job over the next two years is to build depth. “I’d love to have eight or nine batters fighting for six spots who are genuinely fighting for those spots. I think if we’re being honest, we can see that the bowlers at the moment are fighting for spots. I’ve had to leave Hannah [Rowe] and Jess [Kerr] out at times, and even Molly [Penfold] and they are playing for spots and I think that means we are getting the best out of them,” Sawyer says. “My job, and I feel the system’s job, and all the coaches in the major associations, is if we can build the batting stocks as well, then I think we’re in a really good spot. If we can create eight or nine really strong batting prospects, I think that’s going to get the best out of the team,” he says. NZC’s five-year strategic plan for 2024/25-2028/29 outlines a goal that the White Ferns will consistently reach the semi-finals of the events they take part in; another goal is that the depth of talent pool of international cricketers grows year on year. It’s a challenge that both Green and Sawyer are relishing. “We’ve got a really strong U19 two-year cycle related to the World Cup and in domestic cricket we’ve got the A programme and the North v South series, which are really critical for players to move through the pathway. I think now players are genuinely starting to see a pathway and strive to perform strongly at domestic cricket and work their way up,” Green says. Although there are a growing number of female leaders in New Zealand Cricket, it’s unclear how quickly a woman will be in a position to succeed Sawyer, or the head coaches that follow him. When Craig McMillan was appointed as Sawyer’s assistant coach earlier this year, no females applied for the job. “I’m a firm believer that it’s always the best coach for the job, regardless of gender,” says Green, but I’m a big advocate and supporter of trying to get more females coaches into our systems and across our programmes. “For me, I think, yes, we get criticism for not appointing more female coaches to roles, but equally the context I have is that is saddens me that no females apply for these roles and I guess that’s the question I’ve been asking internally, how do we create opportunities for females coaches where they feel they can reach out and ask the question. “We’ve got some great female leaders in the game – we’ve just appointed Sarah Tsukigawa as national women’s selector – but for me, we’ve got to start somewhere and I’m really proud of the work that’s done within our communities,” she says. “We’re becoming a lot more inclusive and open in terms of women feeling comfortable enough to be in our system and it’s how we keep growing that level of comfort for female coaches. I guess the final hurdle is making sure those female coaches are ready to take on a role, but I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing,” she says. Now that Sawyer has been reappointed, his first task with his reunited White Ferns squad is the highly anticipated Rose Bowl series against Australia, made up of a three-match ODI series at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, on December 19, 21 and 23. The first of those matches will be free for spectators to attend and the T20 World Cup trophy will be on display. The squad will be named later this week. “It’s now onto ODI cricket and how we can develop that. We’ve got the world’s toughest assignment with the world’s best ODI team coming up. Once again, it’s going to be hard and we’ll be trying to win every single game, but we also know that we’re getting ready for that World Cup, playing that way.”
UA&P – vivo Inter-Collegiate Futsal Tournament ends with RTU clinching the titleWellington bakery Myrtle will close before Christmas, with its last day of trade on December 21. Owners Sarah Bullock and Jacob Brown say they’ve made the decision with a “heavy heart” as their “cherished site” is set to be turned into apartments. Myrtle won Outstanding Bakery at the Welly Hospo Awards, held on Monday last week. Popular Wellington bakery Myrtle has announced it will be closing down before Christmas, one week after being crowned the capital’s best bakery. Operating at the foot of Mt Victoria on Kent Tce since 2021, the small-batch bakery has become popular for its handmade bread and baked goods. In a statement on social media, owners Jacob Brown and Sarah Bullock announced the venue will close just before Christmas, with its last day of trade being December 21.
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