![\"Zak](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/0ef8\/live\/5b27dee0-c623-11f0-b3fb-23454d68bf8f.jpg.webp\")
Zak White<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nAt Zak White’s family home you don’t have to look far to spot a photo of his older sister, Simone.<\/p>\n There are shots of graduations, holidays – typical reminders of special moments and milestones.<\/p>\n Simone’s passion, though, was seeing the world. <\/p>\n Late last year, she headed out on what was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, backpacking with mates in Laos, south-east Asia.<\/p>\n “She was really excited because she was going out there to meet up with her friend Bethany [Clarke], who she hadn’t seen for seven months,” Zak tells BBC Newsbeat.<\/p>\n He says his 28-year-old sister, a trainee lawyer, was a “very experienced traveller”, so seeing her off was nothing out of the ordinary.<\/p>\n The siblings’ farewell was “more just wishing her to go and have a nice time”, says Zak. <\/p>\n “‘See you when you’re back’, kind of thing.”<\/p>\n It was the last time he would see her.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Simone was one of six tourists who died after drinking free shots at a hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos’ famous party town.<\/p>\n It is thought those drinks were tainted with methanol, a toxic substance normally found in paint thinner but that is sometimes mixed with alcohol illegally to cut costs.<\/p>\n Simone and Bethany started to feel unwell after their night at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, when about 100 guests were given free shots.<\/p>\n After the friends were admitted to hospital and diagnosed with methanol poisoning, Simone’s family was contacted.<\/p>\n “I remember my mum got told it was serious and she should go and fly out there. I remember it not kind of really feeling real,” says Zak.<\/p>\n Simone was eventually put on life support – but it was too late. <\/p>\n “Not really knowing what was going on, that was quite difficult,” says Zak.<\/p>\n “I didn’t think she was ever going to die.” <\/p>\n He says losing Simone still weighs heavy on him.<\/p>\n “I don’t drink, but when I go out to bars and things with my friends I still get a bit nervous and anxious when I’m at a bar and they drink shots and things,” he says. <\/p>\n “It kind of brings it all back, really.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While the future of the Nana hostel remains unclear, Zak says Simone’s family are no closer to getting answers about who’s responsible for her death.<\/p>\n Emails from the UK and Australian governments, seen by Newsbeat, claim charges have been proposed against 13 people in Laos.<\/p>\n They’re accused of offences linked to food safety breaches, which would not find anyone legally responsible for Simone’s death. <\/p>\n Reports have suggested the hostel is preparing to reopen with a new name<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I can’t believe it’s trying to reopen,” says Zak. <\/p>\n “It’s taken six people’s lives.<\/p>\n “I just feel sorry and worried for any young traveller that’s going there, because they’re almost playing Russian roulette with their lives if this hostel reopens.”<\/p>\n Backpackers have told Newsbeat Vang Vieng is a “ghost town” heading into high season, and tourism may have been affected by the deaths and investigation that followed.<\/p>\n Newsbeat has attempted to contact the Nana Backpacker Hostel’s owner and authorities in Laos for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Simone’s family say they’ve found themselves having to chase the UK government for new information on the investigation, with the last substantial update in May.<\/p>\n Zak says the Foreign Office, the government department that deals with deaths abroad, could have done more.<\/p>\n It says it’s been “working hard” to raise awareness of the risk of methanol poisoning since last November. <\/p>\n This has included highlighting 27 countries<\/a> deemed high-risk, and working with content creators<\/a> to spread messages on social media.<\/p>\n But Zak doesn’t think these steps are enough.<\/p>\n‘We’ll never get justice’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Who is responsible? <\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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![\"White](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/b1a6\/live\/77a2ac30-c623-11f0-a9cb-61929e5b3b30.jpg.webp\")
White Family<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Let down’ by Foreign Office<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"White](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/ade5\/live\/797a0aa0-c62b-11f0-af1a-a7912df904d1.jpg.webp\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/1b8f\/live\/ca842230-6868-11f0-8dbd-f3d32ebd3327.png.webp\")
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