The death toll from a catastrophic fire at a Bangkok live music pub has climbed to 30, Thai officials confirmed Tuesday, as the city’s governor pledged stricter safety enforcement and police launched an investigation into potential negligence and safety violations.
The fire broke out just before midnight Sunday, ripping through the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in Bangkok’s northern Chatuchak district. Witnesses described an explosion followed by a horizontal burst of flames and thick smoke that quickly consumed the single-story building.
As of Tuesday, 24 people remained in critical condition. Dozens of others who received treatment had been released from hospitals, though three people who had been admitted following the fire later died, officials said.
The pub sits at a busy intersection near train stations and two shopping malls and is part of a cluster of similar bars that draw large weekend crowds. The venue offered food, drinks, live music, and televised football matches.
Investigators believe an electrical short circuit in a ceiling-mounted air conditioning unit may have started the fire. The pub had undergone a safety inspection back in April. Police are now looking into whether emergency exits were blocked and whether flammable materials were used for stage decorations and soundproofing.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt addressed reporters at a press conference Tuesday, saying, “We’ve set up a committee to investigate the truth, what should be improved and what rules should be changed.” He added, “We will do more random checks.”
Police said 34 individuals had been questioned so far, and that charges would be considered once all facts and evidence were collected. The pub’s owner is reportedly among those currently receiving treatment in an intensive care unit.
At a Bangkok morgue Tuesday, rescue workers were filmed moving a victim’s coffin as television cameras rolled and journalists crowded the scene. Grieving family members and friends arrived to claim their loved ones’ remains.
Outside the pub, relatives mourned the victims while forensic investigators worked to gather evidence from the fire scene.
The pub posted an apology on its Facebook page, stating it was fully cooperating with the investigation. “We apologise deeply over the very sad events that took place and express our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and send our support to those injured,” the post read. The message drew hundreds of comments, many expressing anger and raising questions about the venue’s safety practices. The pub did not respond to phone calls or requests for comment regarding the preliminary investigation findings.
Thailand has a troubling history of deadly fires at entertainment venues. While such establishments are required to undergo fire safety inspections, those protocols are not always strictly followed. A nightclub fire in Chonburi in 2022 killed at least 13 people, and a New Year’s Eve blaze at a crowded Bangkok club in 2009 left 65 dead and roughly 200 injured — an incident that later revealed corruption and widespread safety violations.
In Bangkok’s well-known Khaosan Road backpacker area — packed with bars and nightclubs and located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the fire site — tourists said they were saddened by the tragedy but felt no personal safety concerns.
“It doesn’t worry us. All the places that we’ve been have been very safe,” said Connor McLernon, 30, a visitor from Boston.
His travel companion, Patricia Bello McLernon, 31, said she believed the fire was an isolated incident. “It’s just an unfortunate accident that happened and I don’t think that should deviate anybody from visiting,” she said.
