Bangkok Pub Fire Kills 27, Police Point to Blocked Exits

A fire tore through a pub in northern Bangkok late Sunday night, killing 27 people and injuring more than 60 others, according to Thai officials. The blaze broke out at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, a live music venue in a busy part of the city near shopping malls, transit lines, and the popular Chatuchak weekend market. Video showed thick smoke and a burst of flame erupting from the venue as panicked customers ran for safety around midnight.

Exits Reportedly Blocked

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site Monday morning, said many victims ran toward a back bathroom area that had no clear fire exit. Bangkok’s governor said beer crates and a table had blocked two of the venue’s fire exits. Authorities also found that one former exit door had been bolted shut, reportedly out of concern that customers would leave without paying.

Investigation Points to Negligence

Officials believe an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioner may have sparked the fire, which police say spread quickly due to flammable materials used in soundproofing renovations. Thailand’s national police chief said negligence is currently the leading theory in the investigation. The venue had passed a fire safety inspection in April, with exits, signage, and extinguishers reportedly in place at the time.

Part of a Troubling Pattern

Thailand has seen repeated fires at entertainment venues in recent years, including a 2022 nightclub fire in Chonburi that killed 13 people, and a 2009 New Year’s blaze in Bangkok that killed 65, an incident later linked to safety violations and corruption.