Holly Bowles’ father shares heartbreaking message as 19-year-old fights for life following methanol poisoning incident

The father of one of the Australian teenagers fighting for life in a Thailand hospital after consuming a drink laced with methanol has shared a heartbreaking message as he sits at her bedside.

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, were among a group of people believed to have fallen ill after consuming the drinks while staying at a hostel in the Laos town of Vang Vieng last week.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Update on Melbourne teens poisoned in Thailand.

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today

Both remain in separate hospitals in Thailand in critical condition, with their families both making a mercy dash overseas to be at their bedsides.

Holly’s dad Shaun Bowles fronted the media on Wednesday in Bangkok where he confirmed his daughter remained in the ICU in a critical condition.

He said the family were focusing on spending as much time with Holly as they could.

“She’s on life support,” Shaun said.

“We’d just like to thank everyone from back home for all the support and love that we’re receiving but we’d also like for people to appreciate right now we just need privacy so we can spend as much time as we can with Holly.”

On Tuesday, Jones’ family said they were praying for her recovery.

“Our beautiful Bianca was on a dream getaway with her best friend Holly,” they said.

“They were filled with joy and had such incredible adventures ahead of them, travelling through Asia.

“We are here by Bianca’s bedside praying for her.”

Also on Wednesday the Beaumaris Football Club, where the two friends play, issued a statement describing the women as “valued members” of the club.

It said what happened to the pair while they were travelling overseas was both “tragic and distressing”.

“The Beaumaris Football Club extends its love, best wishes and unconditional support to Holly and Bianca in their hour of need,” it said.

“By their deeds and involvement in the girls’ and women’s football programs, both Holly and Bianca have become cherished and highly respected members of the Beaumaris Sharks family.

“We acknowledge Holly and Bianca’s teammates and friends at the club are struggling to come to terms with what has occurred.”

The two best friends, from Melbourne’s southeast, had been travelling in Southeast Asia on a university break.

It’s believed the pair were holidaying as part of a group and were staying at a backpacker hostel near the Laos capital of Vientiane when they unknowingly consumed cocktails laced with methanol.

The manager of the hostel admitted the pair were given free shots of Laos vodka but that no other guests have reported issues.

It’s believed Holly and Jones had complained to hostel staff last Tuesday that they couldn’t breathe.

Members of staff found the pair and other travellers unwell in their rooms the next day and immediately called for help.

It’s also believed two Danish nationals have died from the mass methanol poisoning event.

As many as 14 other people are thought to have fallen ill, including a New Zealander believed to be in hospital in Laos.

Methanol is often deliberately added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, which is the normal alcohol used in alcoholic drinks.

According to the Methanol Institute, this usually occurs in countries where taxes on ethanol are seen as too high.

The symptoms of methanol poisoning can appear similar to drinking too much but can be “stronger”, and include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties, blindness, blurred vision and seizures.

Drinking just 25 to 90ml of methanol can be fatal, according to the institute.