A fire broke out at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub, commonly known as Na Ladprao, near Soi Lat Phrao 1 Road in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district at 12:02 a.m. Monday. The blaze killed at least 27 people and injured 63, nine men and 18 women among the dead.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told reporters at the scene that 22 of the hospitalized victims remain in critical condition. Flames spread rapidly through decorations on the ceiling, he said, and toxic smoke from the burning materials was the primary cause of harm to victims.
One detail came from a musician who had been performing at the pub when the fire started. According to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the musician told him sparks and smoke first appeared near a circuit breaker close to the stage, the power failed shortly after, and within moments an explosion sent smoke pouring through the venue.
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Most victims fled toward the rear of the building and into restrooms without a second exit, officials said. Chadchart added that several bodies were found near a separate fire exit, and investigators are examining whether it had been obstructed. He noted the pub was licensed for live music and had been inspected as recently as April, leaving open the question of what blocked the evacuation.
Emergency crews reached the scene roughly five minutes after the fire was reported, but the blaze had already spread through the building by the time they arrived, said Suriyachai Rawiwan, head of Bangkok’s disaster prevention department. Furniture blocking the pathways slowed the search for survivors, he said.
Authorities have not determined a cause and are investigating whether an electrical fault, blocked exits, or other safety lapses contributed to the toll.
The fire is among Thailand’s deadliest at an entertainment venue in years. A 2022 fire at the Mountain B nightclub in Chonburi province eventually killed 25 people as hospitalized victims succumbed to their injuries in the weeks that followed. The 2009 Santika nightclub fire in Bangkok, ignited by indoor pyrotechnics on New Year’s Eve, killed 67 people and injured more than 200.
