Foreign Office no-show at fake alcohol inquest

A coroner said he was "perplexed" by the absence of representatives from the Foreign Office at a hearing for a British backpacker who died after allegedly being served drinks laced with methanol in Laos.

Simone White, 28, from Orpington, south-east London, was one of a number of people taken to hospital when she had been staying in the popular backpacking town of Vang Vieng.

She died in hospital in Thailand on 21 November 2024.

Assistant coroner for South London, Sebastian Naughton, said he had invited a representative from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to attend the pre-inquest review hearing for White on Thursday.

Five other people died after consuming free drinks served at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, including two Australian teenagers, an American and two Danish tourists.

White's stepfather Neil White attended the hearing by video link and said he had received an update from the FCDO regarding criminal proceedings in Laos.

He told the hearing: "The 10 that were under investigation [for destroying evidence] appeared in court and got fines of something like $120, I think it was, in relation to I believe a US gentleman that passed away.

"The distillery owner's investigation for contamination is still ongoing."

Naughton, sitting at Croydon Town Hall, said: "I'm slightly perplexed by the absence of the Foreign Office representative.

"In fairness to the Foreign Office representative, it may be that there is nothing more she can do and the inquest may be hamstrung as criminal proceedings continue in Laos."

A further pre-inquest review would be listed for April or May, the coroner said.

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