Warnings from Laos Methanol Poisoning Survivor - Bethany Clarke
Sober Awkward
Victoria Vanstone
4.8 • 533 Ratings
🗓️ 7 September 2025
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In today's episode, Hame is joined by Bethany Clarke, who shares her personal and devastating story to raise global awareness about the dangers of methanol poisoning. In November 2024, Bethany and her best friend, Simone White, were traveling in Laos when they were unknowingly served a deadly substance in free shots at their hostel. Simone, along with six other tourists, tragically lost their lives.
This powerful conversation explores the deceitful and deadly nature of methanol poisoning, which is being regularly used as a cheap alternative to alcohol worldwide. Bethany explains how methanol can mimic a severe hangover, making it incredibly difficult to detect in time. She also discusses the journey of grief and her tireless campaign to prevent such a tragedy from happening to others.
Bethany is determined to see a change. She details the progress of her campaign, which has already garnered significant media attention and political support, and outlines what's next, including a push for new travel warnings and school curriculum changes. This is a story of profound loss, but also of incredible resilience and a commitment to creating a legacy of awareness for her best friend.
🎧 Show Notes
Find out more about Bethany's Methanol Awareness campaign here
Join the Facebook Page or follow them on Instagram
Sign the petition to put methanol safety warnings in airports and schools here
💛 Resources & Links
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The kettle's boiled, Vic. |
| 0:03.7 | Great, perfect timing. |
| 0:05.7 | Just a dash of milk for me, please, mate. |
| 0:09.5 | Here you go. |
| 0:10.9 | Should we get started then? |
| 0:17.3 | Have you ever woken up on a Sunday morning and said, |
| 0:19.9 | I'm never drinking again, |
| 0:21.4 | and then found yourself waving 50 bucks at a barman by happy hour? |
| 0:25.1 | Are you wondering why everyone else can stop at one, |
| 0:27.8 | while you head to a dodgy after-party with a weird bloke called Disco Dave? |
| 0:31.6 | If so, it might be time to take a deeper look at your relationship with your reliable social crutch, alcohol. |
| 0:38.1 | On each episode, we'll investigate our own dysfunctional dealings with booze |
| 0:42.2 | and find out if it's possible to stop this deeply ingrained habit |
| 0:45.4 | before things get too messy. |
| 0:47.5 | Yep, we're going to open up a shame shed of humiliating drinking stories |
| 0:51.1 | to help you understand why waking up from a booze coma each weekend with a kebab |
| 0:55.2 | sticking out of your top pocket might actually be negatively impacting your health. |
| 0:59.9 | Hamish and I are here to delve into what it's like being sober, an unwanted warts and all look |
| 1:05.3 | into why giving up those cheeky pints or putting down those mummy wines will make you feel happier, |
| 1:12.0 | help your anxiety and mental health, and turn you into the most sparkly authentic version of you. |
| 1:16.5 | Won't that mean I become boring though, Vic? |
| 1:18.3 | Well, Hamish, we'll just have to wait and see. |
... |
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