Thai authorities have launched a formal investigation into potential negligence following a catastrophic fire at a Bangkok bar that has claimed the lives of at least 30 people. The blaze, which broke out late on Sunday, has also left dozens of individuals injured, with 24 of them currently in critical condition.
As of Tuesday morning, officials confirmed that 27 of the deceased victims have been successfully identified. First responders discovered many of the victims in the restrooms at the end of the bar, where experts believe they had attempted to flee but were unable to escape.
Preliminary findings suggest the fire was sparked by a short circuit in an air conditioning unit, which caused an immediate loss of power throughout the establishment. Police General Kittiratt Phanphet stated on Monday that the rapid spread of the flames was likely facilitated by the use of highly flammable decorative materials.
He characterized these conditions as a clear sign of a “lack of caution and disregard for the safety of the patrons.”
Survivors and experts have raised serious concerns regarding the venue's safety protocols. Witnesses who had visited the bar previously, such as Phatsara Khamloet, described the venue as a dark room even in its normal state, noting that she had to navigate a “winding route” to reach the bathroom and that exits were not well marked.
Busakorn Saensuk, a fire safety expert from the Engineering Institute of Thailand who inspected the scene at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, confirmed that the door near the restrooms was locked, while the two doors at the entrance were partially obstructed by furniture and other objects.
Busakorn explained that customers would have instinctively run toward the back where the restrooms were located, only to find themselves trapped.
Busakorn further noted that the stage was decorated with highly flammable materials like plastic flowers, while the ceiling was covered in combustible foam. Survivors described the stage being engulfed in flames within seconds. The Thai indie band Thotsakan, which was performing when the fire broke out, lost two members in the tragedy.
Worsak Kanok Nukulchai, a professor specializing in structural engineering, believes many victims died from inhaling toxic smoke “even before getting burned.” He explained that the burning materials reacted to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, often known as the “toxic twins” of fire smoke.
The venue was officially registered as a “restaurant with live music” rather than an “entertainment venue,” a classification that meant it was not legally required to use fire-retardant materials. In response to the tragedy, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is now reviewing regulations regarding construction and decoration standards for both restaurants and entertainment venues.
Furthermore, reports from PBS Thai indicate that the owner of Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao previously owned another pub in Thailand's Yasothon province, which was also destroyed by fire in December 2019. That earlier incident resulted in no casualties because the blaze occurred during the day.
With reporting by Nongnapat Patcham and Panisa Aemocha in Bangkok
