The death toll from a devastating fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has risen to 30, prompting Thai authorities to launch an investigation into possible negligence and fire safety violations while pledging stricter inspections of entertainment venues.
The blaze tore through the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in the capital's Chatuchak district shortly before midnight on Sunday. Witnesses described hearing an explosion before flames and thick smoke rapidly engulfed the single-storey venue.
Officials said three more people succumbed to their injuries on Tuesday, raising the death toll to 30. Another 24 people remain in critical condition, while dozens of others have been treated and discharged from hospital.
Preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit in a ceiling-mounted air conditioning unit. However, police are also investigating whether emergency exits were blocked and whether highly flammable materials used for stage decorations and soundproofing contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said a committee had been established to investigate the incident and recommend improvements to existing fire safety regulations.
"We've set up a committee to investigate the truth, what should be improved and what rules should be changed," Chadchart told reporters.
"We will do more random checks."
Police said they had interviewed 34 witnesses and would consider criminal charges after reviewing all available evidence. The pub's owner is among those receiving treatment in an intensive care unit.
Outside the venue, relatives and friends gathered to mourn the victims as forensic teams continued examining the scene. At a Bangkok morgue, grieving families collected the bodies of their loved ones.
The pub issued an apology on its Facebook page, expressing condolences to the victims' families and pledging full cooperation with the investigation. The statement, however, drew criticism online, with many users questioning whether adequate fire safety measures had been in place.
Thailand has witnessed several deadly fires at entertainment venues over the past two decades despite mandatory safety inspections. A nightclub fire in Chonburi province killed at least 13 people in 2022, while a New Year's Eve nightclub blaze in Bangkok in 2009 claimed 65 lives and exposed widespread safety violations.
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