THE death toll from the devastating fire at a Bangkok live music pub has risen to 32 after two critically injured victims died in hospital, as Thai authorities intensify investigations into whether negligence contributed to one of the country's worst entertainment venue disasters in recent years.
The blaze ripped through the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in Bangkok's northern Chatuchak district shortly before midnight on Sunday, trapping scores of patrons inside the single-storey premises. Witnesses described hearing an explosion before a horizontal wall of flames and thick smoke rapidly engulfed the venue.
The Police Hospital confirmed on Wednesday that two additional victims had died from their injuries, while the Erawan Emergency Medical Centre said 30 people remain hospitalised across Bangkok. Of those, 15 are being treated in intensive care units, while 44 others have since been discharged.
Reuters reported that preliminary findings indicate the fire was most likely triggered by an electrical short circuit involving a ceiling-mounted air conditioning unit, although investigators are continuing to examine all possible causes.
Police are also investigating whether negligence played a role in the tragedy, including allegations that emergency exits may have been blocked or otherwise inaccessible during the evacuation.
The investigation comes despite the venue having undergone an official safety inspection in April.
In response to the disaster, the Thai government has pledged to strengthen safety oversight of entertainment premises nationwide. Planned measures include more frequent unannounced inspections to ensure emergency exits remain unobstructed and venues comply fully with fire safety regulations.
The pub is situated at a busy junction adjacent to rail stations and two major shopping centres and forms part of a popular cluster of bars that regularly attract large weekend crowds for live music, food, drinks and televised sporting events.
Fire safety specialists believe combustible acoustic materials used to decorate the performance stage ignited almost instantly, generating intense heat, toxic fumes and dense smoke that quickly overwhelmed patrons attempting to escape.
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over longstanding fire safety shortcomings in Thailand's entertainment industry, where experts have repeatedly warned about the widespread use of highly flammable decorative materials, overcrowding and inadequate emergency escape routes.
Those concerns were previously highlighted following a fatal Bangkok nightclub fire in 2009 that claimed at least 65 lives, prompting calls for stricter enforcement of building and fire safety regulations. - July 15, 2026
