The death toll from a devastating fire at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao pub in Bangkok has risen to 30, making it the city's deadliest blaze in 17 years. The local district office confirmed on Tuesday that three more victims had succumbed to injuries from the fire, which broke out in the early hours of Monday.
Cause and Initial Findings
An initial assessment by disaster officials determined that an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner located in the ceiling caused the fire. Authorities have identified 27 of the 30 victims, with three still unidentified. Most are believed to be Thai nationals. Of the injured, 24 remain in critical condition, 15 have moderate injuries, and 36 sustained minor injuries and have been discharged.
National police chief Kitrat Phanphet told reporters on Monday: “At this time, police have established negligence as the primary theory guiding their investigation.”
Pub Owner Apologizes, Pledges Cooperation
In a statement released Monday evening on social media, the Rong Beer Na Ladprao pub offered its “deepest apologies for this tragic incident” and extended condolences to the families of the deceased. The pub pledged full support to the investigation and a “transparent fact-finding process,” as officials flagged inquiries into whether exits were accessible.
Blocked Exits and Locked Doors
Most victims were found trapped in windowless bathrooms near one of the rear exits, Kitrat said. That exit was not used, and people may have been blocked from reaching it by a table set up to sell candy, or because it was too dark to find the way out. Access to another exit near the kitchen might have been narrowed by shelving units and lockers. There were signs that at least some exit doors might have been locked.
In a video shared by the office of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during an inspection, the leader was told a door that was once an exit was bolted because the proprietor feared customers would slip out without paying. The door had a “staff only” sign and could open to the outside, but an official told Anutin customers would not have known. “If they had run this way, it would have been fine,” Anutin responded.
Flammable Materials Under Scrutiny
Investigators are also assessing the ceiling above a performance stage. Police will examine whether flammable materials were used in decorative elements and how electrical wiring was installed across the ceiling.
Survivor Accounts and Hospital Care
Video posted on social media showed people fleeing as flames shot out of the single-storey building and black smoke billowed into the sky. Those who escaped through the front doors ran through flames, sustaining life-altering injuries. The boyfriend of a 31-year-old woman who ran out of the building on fire told local outlet Khaosod that bystanders helped extinguish the flames. When reunited, she said: “I can’t take it any more. I’m in so much pain. Am I still beautiful?”
The injured have been taken to 17 hospitals across Bangkok to coordinate specialized care and ICU treatment for burn injuries and smoke inhalation. At Rajavithi hospital, a spokesperson said most of the 11 patients sustained burn injuries, with four men and two women in critical condition.
Migrant Worker's Loss
Many survivors escaped by luck. Kaewudon Pongpanee, 24, a pub employee, had been using an outside bathroom when the fire began. He saw people running and shouted for his brother but “the heat was unbearable, I couldn’t get back in.” His younger brother Pongpaset Pongpanee, also a worker at the pub, was inside and died. Both were migrant workers from Laos. Pongpanee came to the police hospital morgue on Monday to identify his brother's body. “I want to bring him home to my parents. My parents are waiting for their kids to come back together, but now one is gone,” he said.
Mourners Pay Respects
Outside the cordoned-off pub on Tuesday, the acrid smell of smoke had diminished, replaced by the scent of white chrysanthemums and marigold garlands, some bearing notes to the deceased. Spiritual offerings of cake, rice, and soda were placed at the site. Those who knew the victims came throughout the day, as did strangers like Ratchada Tangprasert, who said a silent prayer and left a floral garland. “I don’t know anyone but I feel so sad,” she said, hoping the tragedy would be a lesson for the Thai government and country about improving safety.
Another woman came with her mother and brothers to remember her relative Saengdao Senaphak, who died. She said they placed offerings “to call the spirits of the deceased back home.”
