Six tourists - two Australians, two Danes, a Briton and an American - have died in the incident so far in Vang Vieng, a town in Laos popular with backpackers.

A sixth foreign tourist has died after apparently ingesting tainted alcohol while on holiday in Laos.

Australian officials are now pressing Laotian authorities for a full and transparent investigation into what happened.

The grieving couple released a statement through the 28-year-old's employers, following the tragedy in Southeast Asia earlier this week.

It is believed the tourists had all taken shots laced with methanol, which is sometimes used by disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol (alcohol).

Simone White, 28, was one of a number of people taken to hospital after the incident in Laos

Simone White's law firm said she was a "dear friend and colleague" who would be "sincerely missed".

A British woman who fell ill after drinking contaminated alcohol in Laos has died, the fifth foreign national now suspected to have died in the incident. British media reported on Thursday that 28-year-old Simone White, a lawyer from southeast London, was among the tourists who died after consuming drinks laced…

The parents of a lawyer British lawyer killed in Laos in what's thought to be a 'mass methanol poisoning' have paid tribute to their "loving daughter".

A second Australian tourist has died after drinking alcohol that was laced with methanol in Vang Vieng, Laos. That brings the total number of deaths to six, NOS reports. A Dutch woman who became ill has since left the hospital.

The death of Holly Bowles brings the confirmed toll to six.

A backpacker who stayed at the hostel at the centre of a "mass methanol poisoning" incident in Laos has claimed the venue would give out free shots in exchange for good reviews.

Melbourne teen Bianca Jones has died in a Thai hospital after a suspected methanol poisoning incident.

A British lawyer has reportedly become the fifth person to die in the mass poisoning, while a New Zealander has also been unwell, officials say.