Two Aussie women are left fighting for life after methanol poisoning at a Laos hostel

Two young women are fighting for life in Thailand , suspected of drinking poisoned cocktails.

The Melbourne women, both believed to be aged 19, were travelling South East Asia when it's believed their drinks were spiked with methanol in the Laotian capital, Vientiane.

The young women, best friends who graduated Beaumaris Secondary College last year, had reportedly been travelling since university broke up for the year.

They are now being treated in separate hospitals in Udon Thani and Bangkok.

Two other people are feared dead and ten more are ill from methanol poisoning in the area.

Methanol is commonly used as a petrol additive and an industrial solvent in insecticides, some types of paint strippers and glass cleaner. Drinking just 25-90ml of the substance can be fatal.

Symptoms of methanol poisoning include abdominal pain, vomiting, breathing difficulties, blindness, and seizures.

In countries with high taxes on alcohol, the chemical is often mixed with alcoholic drinks as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, according to the Methanol Institute.

This is a breaking news story. More to come