Melbourne teenager Bianca Jones has died after suspected Laos methanol poisoning. Photo: Facebook
The father of a teenager who died from methanol poisoning while on holiday in Laos has pushed for the local government to act and prevent further tragedies.
Mark Jones spoke to media outside Bangkok Hospital in Thailand, where his daughter Bianca Jones was transferred after falling ill from ingesting methanol.
He thanked the Australian public for the "overwhelming" support and love shown to his family over the past week.
Bianca, 19, was holidaying with friend Holly Bowles, also 19, at popular tourist town Vang Vieng in Laos when she fell ill after consuming alcoholic drinks.
Jones said the trip to Laos was supposed to be the start of wonderful adulthood for his daughter.
"Our daughter was on the trip of a lifetime with one of her best mates, this was meant to be a trip full of lifelong memories and was to be the first of many," he said.
"Bianca wanted to explore the world, meet new friends, lead and create change for good."
He shared his gratitude to the Australian government for their support, and his thanks for the wave of tributes the family had received from the prime minister and opposition leader and from Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder.
He also shared his condolences with the family of Bowles, and the other tourists who had been poisoned.
A further four foreign tourists from Denmark, the UK and the US have also died in the past week.
Jones urged the Laos government to investigate to the fullest extent "to make sure this incident doesn't happen again".
"We can't have the passing of our daughter's life not lead to change to protect others," Jones said.
"We'll forever miss our beautiful girl and hope her loss of life has not been in vain."
Government pledges to deliver justice over methanol deaths
In its first statement since the reported wave of illnesses, the government of Laos expressed its "deepest condolences" to the victims, while vowing to "bring the perpetrators to justice".
The government's statement on Saturday said it was investigating the cause of the incident.
"The government of the Lao PDR is profoundly saddened over the loss of lives of foreign tourists in Vangvieng District, Vientiane Province and expresses its sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased," the statement reads.
"The government of the Lao PDR has been conducting investigations to find causes of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law."
Laos state media has confirmed the operators of the Nana backpacker hostel, where Bowles and Bianca were staying, have been detained for questioning.
- ABC
