Bangkok authorities have promised tougher safety enforcement at entertainment venues after the death toll from a devastating pub fire rose to 30, making it one of Thailand’s deadliest nightlife disasters in recent years.
The fire swept through Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, a live-music venue in Bangkok’s northern Chatuchak district, shortly before midnight on Sunday. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion before flames and thick smoke rapidly engulfed the single-storey building.
Officials said three more victims who had been receiving hospital treatment died from their injuries, raising the confirmed death toll to 30 by Tuesday, July 14. Another 24 people remained in critical condition, while dozens of other injured patrons had been treated and discharged.
The venue is located at a busy intersection near railway stations and two shopping centres. It is part of a cluster of bars in the area that commonly attract large weekend crowds with food, alcohol, live performances and televised football matches.
Investigators believe an electrical short circuit involving a ceiling-mounted air-conditioning unit may have started the fire. The pub had reportedly undergone a safety inspection in April, but police are examining whether emergency exits were blocked and whether highly flammable materials were used for stage decoration or soundproofing.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said a special committee had been established to determine exactly what happened, identify weaknesses in existing safety procedures and recommend regulatory changes.
He said city authorities would increase unannounced inspections of pubs, nightclubs and similar venues as part of a broader effort to prevent another tragedy.
Police have interviewed at least 34 people as part of the investigation. Authorities said potential criminal charges would be considered after investigators had collected and reviewed sufficient evidence.
The pub’s owner was among those seriously injured and remained in an intensive care unit, according to officials. This could complicate efforts to establish who was responsible for safety management at the venue.
At a Bangkok morgue, grieving relatives and friends arrived to collect the bodies of victims as rescue workers moved coffins under heavy media attention. Outside the burned-out pub, family members mourned while forensic teams continued gathering evidence.
The venue issued a public apology through its Facebook page, offering condolences to the families of those killed and expressing support for the injured. It also said it was cooperating fully with the investigation.
The apology attracted hundreds of comments, including messages of anger from members of the public questioning whether the venue had complied with fire-safety rules and maintained accessible emergency exits.
The pub did not immediately provide a response to requests for comment on preliminary investigative findings.
Thailand requires entertainment venues to undergo fire-safety inspections, but enforcement has often been criticised as inconsistent. The latest disaster has renewed concerns about overcrowding, unsafe construction materials, obstructed exits and weak compliance monitoring across the nightlife industry.
The country has experienced several deadly fires at entertainment venues. In 2022, at least 13 people were killed in a nightclub blaze in Chonburi province. In 2009, a New Year’s Eve fire at Bangkok’s crowded Santika nightclub killed 65 people and injured about 200 others. Investigations into that disaster uncovered serious safety breaches and corruption.
Despite the latest tragedy, some international visitors in Bangkok said they did not feel unsafe in the city’s nightlife districts. Tourists interviewed in the popular Khaosan Road area described the fire as a deeply unfortunate incident but said they had generally found local venues to be safe.
Authorities are now under growing pressure to determine how a recently inspected pub could become the scene of such a deadly fire and whether stricter enforcement could have prevented the loss of life.
