Photo: Zulfugar Karimov / Pexels
Bangkok Beer Hall Fire Kills 27, Investigators Focus on Blocked Exits
A fire at a large beer hall in Bangkok's Chatuchak district has killed at least 27 people and injured 71 more, with around 45 people still unaccounted for as of Monday. The blaze tore through Rong Beer Na Ladprao, a one-storey entertainment venue on Lat Phrao Road, and investigators are now scrutinising how the building's emergency exits performed, with early findings pointing to locked doors, missing hardware, and blocked passageways that may have cost lives.
What Happened
The fire broke out at Rong Beer Na Ladprao, a rectangular single-storey beer hall on Lat Phrao Road in Chatuchak. In addition to the 27 confirmed deaths and 71 injuries (22 of whom are in serious condition), approximately 45 people had still not been accounted for by Monday. Bodies were taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Police General Hospital in Pathumwan district. Chatuchak district officials issued a 30-day closure order on the venue.
Exit Failures Under Investigation
The venue had two doors at the front facing Lat Phrao Road, plus two rear exits. Investigators found serious problems with both rear options.
The first rear exit, located near the toilets, may have been locked. A large number of bodies were discovered in that area, and police believe some patrons may have entered the toilets by mistake during the electrical blackout caused by the fire, rather than finding a way out. The national police chief, Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch, said: "Police are checking if this exit was locked. If it was, that would be considered reckless."
The second rear exit, which ran through the kitchen, had melted exit signs, no lighting, and a missing door knob. Alongside that route, a passage of roughly one metre in width was partially blocked by lockers and shelving, forcing anyone trying to escape to move in single file. Pol Gen Kittharath added: "The obstructing objects show negligence in their preparations to cope with emergencies."
The venue held valid permits for food, alcohol, and musical entertainment. The owner was injured in the fire and remains in the ICU; investigators have not yet been able to question them.
What Tourists Should Know
This fire highlights some risks that are easy to overlook at busy nightlife venues in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand.
- Valid permits do not mean adequate safety infrastructure. This venue had all its paperwork in order.
- When a fire causes an electrical failure, exit signs go dark instantly. It is worth taking a few seconds when you arrive at any crowded venue to locate the exits before you sit down.
- Rear and secondary exits at entertainment venues may be obstructed, poorly marked, or even locked.
- In a fire situation, the exit closest to the toilets may not lead outside. Confirm where exits actually go.
- Structural assessments of fire-damaged buildings are ongoing; avoid the area around Lat Phrao Road in Chatuchak for now.
Information sourced from Bangkok Post.