Thailand pub fire kills dozens, exits blocked in Bangkok venue

Objects blocking emergency routes and a fast-moving wall of smoke turned a late-night crowd at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao into a mass-casualty fire in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, near Lat Phrao Soi 1, shortly before midnight on July 12. Firefighters brought the blaze under control in about 30 minutes, but by July 14 the death toll had climbed to 30.

Investigators found beer crates or drink boxes near one exit by the kitchen and a sweets-selling table blocking another escape route, but had not yet concluded the exits were completely inaccessible. Many victims were found near toilets and rear exits after the venue filled with smoke.

A sudden explosion, a power failure and thick smoke left patrons little time to react. Police and fire investigators were examining a possible electrical short circuit or fault near the stage or ceiling, including whether an air conditioner or circuit breaker helped ignite the blaze. Two members of the cover band Tosakan died in the fire.

A safety inspection in April 2026 found the venue could accommodate as many as 600 customers. It sat in a dense nightlife cluster near train stations and shopping malls. Early counts put the toll at 27 dead and 63 hospitalized, including 22 in critical condition.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt will form a committee to investigate the fire and increase random inspections. Bangkok Police were interviewing witnesses and weighing possible negligence and safety breaches, while the pub posted an apology on Facebook and was cooperating with investigators.