VANG VIENG, Laos — Two Australian tourists were treated in Thailand for suspected severe alcohol poisoning after consuming tainted drinks in neighboring Laos, Australian media reported Tuesday.

Two 19-year-old women were going on a backpacking vacation. Laos When they fell ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng, the women’s hometown reported The Age newspaper Melbourne reported.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was providing consular assistance to two Australians and their families in Thailand but was unable to provide further information for confidentiality reasons.

“Our thoughts are with them at this extremely sad time,” the office said.

Nana Backpacker Hostel, where the duo was staying, did not answer his phone.

But a worker there confirmed to The Age that the pair checked in on November 9 and went out with a group of teenagers on the evening of November 11. The unidentified worker said that the women returned early in the morning.

An alarm was raised when the women did not exit as planned on November 13. When found by staff, the duo said they were sick and the hostel sought medical attention for them.

These people were later transferred to Thailand and treated in hospitals in Bangkok and Udon Thani, the newspaper reported. Their parents flew to be with them.

It’s unclear what the pair were drinking, but methanol is sometimes used as a cheap alternative to ethanol because alcohol is used in mixed drinks at disreputable bars and can cause serious poisoning or death.

It was not immediately possible to confirm reports that other tourists were poisoned in the same incident.