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.

Police in Laos have detained the manager and seven workers of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng following the deaths of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, state media reported on Tuesday.

Eight staff members of a backpacker hostel in Laos have been detained by local authorities as they investigate the deaths of six foreign tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, according to state-affiliated media in the Southeast Asian country.

The problem with methanol poisoning is that it looks very much like alcohol poisoning. And delays in treatment can be fatal.

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

A New Zealand citizen poisoned after drinking contaminated alcohol in a popular tourist town in Laos has returned home, authorities said on Monday, as Laos pledged to prosecute those responsible for the incident which has killed six tourists.

Six travelers have died from suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, Laos. Most of these incidents occur in Asia, according to Doctors Without Borders.