BANGKOK: A second young Australian tourist died in a Thai hospital on Friday, bringing the death toll related to suspected methanol poisoning during a night out in a Laos backpacker hotspot to six.

Two Danish citizens, an American and a Briton have also died after what media described as a night out in adventure town Vang Vieng.

The group of 12 tourists became ill after going out on Nov 12, according to British and Australian media.

`All Australians will be heartbroken by the tragic passing of Holly Bowles,` Australia Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

`Just yesterday, Holly lost her best friend, Bianca Jones. I know tonight all Australians will be holding both families in our hearts,` the foreign minister added.Australian officials are now pressing Laotian authorities for a full and transparent investigation into what happened.

At the Bangkok hospital where Bowles had reportedly received treatment, staff said they could not confirm she had been a patient there.

Vang Vieng has been a fixture on the Southeast Asia backpacker trail since Laos`s communist rulers opened the country to tourism decades ago.-AFP