Shortly before 12:00 a.m., thick smoke first appeared at the front door of a crowded pub in northern Bangkok. Within seconds witnesses and video recorded a sudden, intense horizontal plume of flame erupting from the doorway and extending toward the street. Screams followed as patrons scrambled for safety.
Usa Tadsree, 41, who was outside smoking when the incident began, said she first saw the lights flicker and then noticed smoke. "I wanted to go back in to get my friends but there was intense heat coming out, so I had to run out," she said.
Officials say at least 30 people have died and 75 were injured, 24 of them critically. The deaths and injuries have focused attention on the fire safety rules that apply to Thailand's hospitality sector and how strictly those rules are enforced.
Authorities reported the fire began at 11:57 p.m. (1657 GMT) on Sunday and was likely caused by an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioner. Firefighters reached the venue within minutes, but a combination of hazards inside the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub made escape difficult and forced many occupants to inhale toxic smoke before they could evacuate.
Highly combustible materials and rapid fire spread
Fire protection experts who inspected the site said decorations and acoustic materials used on and above the stage ignited almost immediately, contributing to what one said was "a massive fuel load." Busakorn Saensookh, chair of the Fire Protection Engineering Committee at the Engineering Institute of Thailand, who examined the scene after the blaze, pointed to synthetic acoustic panels and decorative items that had been installed to create a green canopy across the ceiling near the stage and bar.
Video footage of the interior that has been verified by authorities shows a grass-like green material covering the ceiling above the stage and what appears to be black acoustic foam panels in areas packed with seating. "The fire involved plastic materials, and these were relatively dense plastics. Once ignited, they produced a jet of fire as enormous amounts of heat accumulated," Busakorn said. "That heat was transferred downward, causing materials below to burn. Upholstered chairs were completely consumed by the fire."
Amorn Pimanmas, president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, who also visited the site, said the venue's decorative items were made from non-fire-retardant foam. He said the materials produced black smoke containing carbon monoxide and cyanide that choked people trapped inside. "People died from inhaling toxic smoke before being burned by the fire," he said. "Several bodies showed no signs of burning."
Rescue efforts and evidence of obstructed escape routes
Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom arrived at the scene about five minutes after the blaze began and found the pub filled with smoke. He tried to extinguish flames issuing from the front entrance and later described survivors as "choking on the smoke." A search and rescue team that entered the building found many victims near the toilets at the rear of the venue.
Authorities said multiple emergency exits were obstructed by tables and beer crates. Video shared by the office of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during his inspection showed officials being told a door that had once served as an exit was bolted. Body-camera footage from an emergency worker seen by investigators also showed several victims lying on the floor close to the pub's toilets.
Regulatory classification and incomplete fire protection
Officials and engineers noted the venue had been registered as a restaurant despite operating like an entertainment establishment that offers live music and screens sports, a classification that carries different fire safety requirements. "When venues are not registered as entertainment establishments, their fire protection systems are incomplete, such as lacking smoke ventilation systems," Amorn said. "This leads to smoke and heat accumulation, creating dangerous risks."
Thai police said they were investigating whether blocked exits prevented people from escaping. The pub underwent a safety inspection in April, officials added.
Broader concerns and calls for regulatory review
The incident has prompted Bangkok city authorities to say they will review several regulations, including rules covering decorative materials and how entertainment venues are defined. Busakorn noted that laws governing fire safety have not kept pace with current conditions. "The risks are much greater today," she said. "But we are still using the same laws written 30 to 40 years ago that no longer reflect current realities."
The use of foam materials in ceilings and on stages has been identified as a hazard in other deadly fires, a parallel highlighted by experts examining the Bangkok blaze. The fatal combination of flammable decorative materials, obstructed emergency routes and crowded conditions has been flagged following previous tragedies in Thailand, including a 2022 nightclub fire in Chonburi that killed 13 people and a 2009 nightclub blaze in Bangkok that killed at least 65.
Location and context
The Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub sits at a busy intersection adjacent to train stations and two shopping malls. It is one of several bars in a cluster that attract weekend crowds with food, drinks, live music and televised sports.
The pub did not respond to requests for comment, and its owner is among those receiving treatment in hospital. Investigators continue to examine the site and gather evidence to determine the full sequence of events that led to the rapid and deadly spread of the blaze.
What investigators are looking at
- Whether an electrical short in a ceiling air conditioner ignited the decorative and acoustic materials.
- Whether emergency exits were blocked or otherwise unusable, preventing timely evacuation.
- Whether the venue's registration and fire protection systems were appropriate for the activities that took place there.
Officials say their inquiries will inform decisions about enforcement and any changes to regulations that govern the use of decorative materials, venue classifications and required safety equipment.