The death toll from a catastrophic fire at a Bangkok live music pub has climbed to 32 following two additional fatalities, according to the Police Hospital’s Wednesday update. Authorities are examining potential negligence as a contributing factor to the blaze, which ranks among Thailand’s deadliest in recent memory.
The inferno engulfed the single-story Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in the northern Chatuchak district just before midnight on Sunday. Witnesses reported an explosion and rapid horizontal spread of flames and smoke that trapped patrons inside the venue.
The Erawan Emergency Medical Centre confirmed 30 individuals remain hospitalized, including 15 in intensive care units. A total of 44 victims have since been discharged from medical facilities.
Officials suspect the fire originated from an electrical short circuit in a ceiling-mounted air conditioning unit. Police are probing whether emergency exits were blocked and if negligence played a role in the tragedy, as the government pledges stricter oversight of entertainment venues, including mandatory inspections to ensure unobstructed fire exits and safety compliance. The pub had previously undergone a safety inspection in April.
Nestled at a bustling intersection near train stations and two shopping malls, the pub was part of a cluster of popular bars frequented on weekends for food, drinks, live music, and sports broadcasts.
Fire safety experts suggest that flammable acoustic materials on the stage likely ignited rapidly, generating intense heat, dense smoke, and toxic fumes that overwhelmed trapped patrons. The incident highlights recurring issues with flammable decorations, overcrowding, and blocked emergency exits in Thai entertainment establishments, a problem previously underscored by a 2009 Bangkok nightclub fire that claimed at least 65 lives.