In brief
A blaze that broke out in a Bangkok bar on Sunday night claimed 28 lives and left 71 injured, many of them members of the local band Thotsakan. Firefighters contained the flames in about 30 minutes, but the rapid spread and unclear emergency exits left many trapped. Authorities suspect flammable decorations and possible blockages of exit routes. The tragedy has prompted calls for stricter fire‑safety regulations and better staff training in nightlife venues.
On Sunday night a sudden blaze erupted inside the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar on Lat Phrao road in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, killing 28 people and leaving 71 injured, according to Thai authorities. The dead included three members of the Thai indie band Thotsakan, who were performing inside the venue when the fire broke out.
Ice Athipat Wijarn, the band’s manager, described the moment when he first saw sparks behind the keyboard. He was off‑stage when he heard smoke, ran to the exit, and was later found on the street with a gutted body of a fellow band member. “All of us were scrambling, squeezing into each other,” he told a Thai talk show; he later said the sight of his girlfriend’s body “still haunts” him.
Thotsakan’s lead singer Tik Chaichana was the only band member to survive the fire, thanks to the fact that he had gone to the bathroom moments before the blaze. He posted a tearful message, saying his phone and belongings burned but he was safe.
Victims were mostly Thai locals; only one Lao national was identified among the dead. The fire was so intense that the doorway was foam‑billowed, leaving some passengers with flames on their clothes as they fled.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation, but early reports point to flammable décor on the bar’s ceiling and possible blockage of emergency exits. Governor Chatchart Sittipunt said “the decorations may have fueled the rapid spread.” He also noted that several people were found unconscious near the emergency exit, suggesting an obstruction.
Firefighters managed to bring the flames under control in roughly thirty minutes. Residents near the scene described being stunned by the scale of the blaze: “I saw firefighters fighting the flames everywhere. I didn’t know what to do, and just sat there stunned.”
The incident has escalated calls for stricter fire‑safety standards in Bangkok’s nightlife venues and for regular fire drills. A driver who works near the bar advised owners to widen exit doors and conduct frequent training drills for staff.
- At least 28 fatalities, 71 injuries reported.
- Three band members lost: Kwang, Breeze, and Bew.
- Fire spread rapidly due to flammable décor.
- Emergency exits may have been obstructed.
- Firefighters contained flames in 30 minutes.
The tragedy has highlighted gaps in fire safety enforcement in Thailand’s rapidly expanding bar scene. Authorities plan to launch a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and whether safety regulations were breached.
