Bangkok bar fire death toll rises to 30 as investigators probe negligence

Bangkok bar fire death toll rises to 30 as investigators probe negligence

The death toll from a fire that engulfed the Rong Beer Na Ladprao music bar in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok has risen to 30, with officials confirming Tuesday that the incident is the city's deadliest blaze in 17 years. The fire, which broke out shortly before midnight on Sunday, July 12, 2026, took firefighters about 30 minutes to bring under control.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reported that more than 70 people were injured in the disaster. As of Tuesday, 24 individuals remained in critical condition. Royal Thai Police Chief Kitrat Phanphet stated on Monday that police have established "negligence as the primary theory guiding their investigation." In a statement released Monday evening on social media, the pub offered its “deepest apologies for this tragic incident” and pledged full cooperation with the investigation and “transparent fact-finding process.”

Investigators are currently focusing on whether the building’s safety features were compromised. Although the bar had four exits, police are examining whether they were accessible during the evacuation. Most of the victims were found trapped in windowless bathrooms near a rear exit. Kitrat reported that this exit was not used and that people may have been unable to reach it because it was too dark or because it was blocked by a table set up to sell candy. Access to another exit near the kitchen might have been narrowed by shelving units and lockers, and officials noted evidence that at least some exit doors may have been kept bolted by staff concerned about customers leaving without paying their bills.

Thailand’s Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, inspected the scene and questioned first responders about locked exits. During the visit, a musician who had been performing at the bar told him he saw smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out, followed by an explosion and thick smoke. Amorn Pimanmas, president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, noted that the venue was licensed as a restaurant with live music rather than an entertainment venue because it was located outside designated zoning for such businesses. Consequently, it was excluded from stricter fire safety requirements applied to entertainment venues. Experts observed that the building featured low ceilings and likely used flammable decorative materials without flame-retardant treatment, which may have allowed smoke to accumulate rapidly.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced on Tuesday that he has ordered the city’s administration to conduct a sweeping survey of similar establishments to assess fire risks and vowed to step up enforcement of existing laws to improve safety standards. Families of the victims gathered on Tuesday at the Institute of Forensic Medicine to identify their loved ones and retrieve their bodies. Initial reports indicated that 18 of the dead were women and nine were men, with all but one bar employee from Laos identified as Thai nationals.

By Tuesday, the site of the fire remained cordoned off. The sidewalk outside the bar was littered with debris, including charred musical instruments, television sets, and melted furniture. Mourners and members of the public visited the area throughout the day, leaving white chrysanthemums, garlands of marigolds, and spiritual offerings in memory of those who died.