Deadly Bangkok bar fire sparks nightclubs' safety inspection across Thailand
A deadly bar fire in Bangkok sparked nationwide safety inspections at nightclubs across Thailand.
Footage shows how officials launched surprise inspections on six entertainment venues in Songkhla, some 600 miles south of Bangkok, as authorities stepped up fire safety checks.
Police checked fire alarms, extinguishers, illuminated exit signs, emergency doors and evacuation routes to ensure customers could escape quickly in case of a fire.
The inspections on July 13 covered the clubs Kiss Wan Dang, The Sun, Saeng Tawan, Nectar Pub, Laa Somtum & Bar and Zystem Hatyai.
They were launched following the tragic blaze at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar in Bangkok that killed at least 30 revellers.
Deputy Songkhla Governor Prateep Uicharoen instructed bar operators to maintain all safety equipment and strictly comply with fire safety regulations.
He said: 'The inspections focused on two key areas: maintaining public order and strengthening fire safety measures.
'Business operators have been instructed to enforce drug prevention measures, ban anyone under 20 from entering, and prevent firearms from being brought into entertainment venues.
'I've also ordered district chiefs and relevant agencies to speed up joint inspections of high-traffic venues to ensure public safety and confidence.'
The inspections followed the deadly fire at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao beer hall in Bangkok on July 12.
The blaze erupted near a music stage while revellers were partying at around 11:50 pm local time on July 12.
Customers screamed as the fire rapidly tore through the venue, engulfing chairs, tables, and interior decorations.
Terrified patrons fled onto the street as a jet of flames erupted from the pub entrance.
Smoke billowed and filled the area before firefighters arrived to extinguish the inferno. The fire was reportedly brought under control after 30 minutes.
Authorities said 30 people were killed and 76 were injured.
Officers were seen carrying body bags out of the blackened venue, where the inferno engulfed chairs, tables, and interior decor.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who has visited the site, said most of the fatalities were clustered around the toilet area, where there were no fire exits.
Recalling a musician's account of the incident, he said: 'He said that there was a fire at the cut-out switch, and after that things happened very quickly. There was blasting and everybody tried to flee from the smoke and flames.
'Many of them were not able to make their way out because they went to the back of the building and tried to hide themselves from the smoke and flames in the toilet, and that's where we found most of the bodies.'
Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said most of the deaths are believed to be caused by smoke inhalation.
He added: 'We have to wait for the police to investigate.'
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the pub had proper permits and fire exits. However, the rapidly spreading fire and smoke made it difficult for the bargoers to escape, he said.
Emergency personnel were at the scene as the bodies and evidence were collected.
Officials said the cause of the fire at the 50-year-old building was being investigated.
In 2009, a devastating bar fire claimed 66 lives when indoor fireworks ignited flammable soundproofing inside the packed Santika Club in Bangkok during New Year celebrations.
The tragedy sparked a review of fire and electric standards, though safety regulations remain poorly enforced in the country.
