"The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, announced the appointment on Thursday after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade apologised earlier this week for not providing more information to the victims' families. Kang is the head of the south-east Asia regional and mainland division of Dfat and will leave for Laos as soon as possible. He has previously served as Australia's representative in Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu."
"Seasoned diplomat Pablo Kang has been asked to explore all avenues to progress the case of the 2024 deaths of Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones in Laos. The 19-year-olds from Melbourne's Bayside were backpacking through the south-east Asian nation in late 2024 when they were fatally poisoned with methanol while drinking at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng. At least six foreigners died during the mass poisoning event, including British woman Simone White, a US tourist and two young Danish women."
Australia has appointed seasoned diplomat Pablo Kang as a special envoy to Laos to progress the investigation into the 2024 methanol poisonings that killed Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones. The 19-year-old Australians were fatally poisoned while backpacking in Vang Vieng after drinking at Nana Backpackers Hostel. At least six foreign nationals died in the mass poisoning, including British, American and Danish tourists. Families protested after it emerged ten people linked to the incident were fined only $185 for destroying evidence and that no charges have been laid over the deaths. The government has demanded transparency, accountability and prosecutions reflecting the tragedy’s seriousness.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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