2026 Bangkok pub fire
 | A request that this article title be changed to Lat Phrao Beer Hall fire is under discussion. Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed. |
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| Date | 12–13 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time | 23:57 (ICT; UTC+7) |
| Location |
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| Type | Building fire |
| Cause | Under investigation |
| Deaths | 33 |
| Injuries | 70+ |
On 12 July 2026, a fire occurred shortly before midnight ICT (UTC+7) at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao (Thai: โรงเบียร์ ณ ลาดพร้าว, lit. "Beer Hall of Lat Phrao"), a beer hall and live-music venue in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok, Thailand. The fire killed 33 people and injured more than 70, of whom 24 were reported to be in critical condition.[1]
The fire was the deadliest in Thailand since the 2009 Santika Club fire in Bangkok during New Year celebrations, which killed 67 people.[2]
The cause remains under investigation and city officials said an electrical short circuit in a ceiling-mounted air-conditioning unit was their initial assessment.[3]
Background
[edit]Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao was a restaurant, beer hall, and live-music venue opened in 2023. It is located on the Lat Phrao Road, near Union Mall and the Phahon Yothin MRT station.[4] The building has two main entrances and two fire exit doors.[5]
The owners of Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, Suwicha and Bangorn Sailabath, founded the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao Ltd. company on 14 November 2024, with Suwicha holding 95% of the company's stake while the remaining 5% belong to Bangorn. The company originally registered its business purposes as to "selling food, alcoholic beverages, as well as hosting various musical and entertainment show", this was later changed to simply "conduct the restaurant businesses."[6]
Previous incidents
[edit]Thailand has experienced previous fatal entertainment-venue fires. The Santika Club fire in Bangkok killed 66 people and injured more than 200 on 1 January 2009, while a fire at the Mountain B music pub in Chonburi province in 2022 also caused 26 deaths and 22 injured.[7][8][9]
Fire
[edit]Bangkok's city government said the fire began shortly before midnight on 12 July.[7] Emergency services received a report at 23:57, and firefighters brought the blaze under control in about half an hour.[10]
Officials said the fire began near the front stage area and spread rapidly. The power failed when the fire started, leaving the interior dark.[7] Many patrons moved towards the kitchen and bathrooms at the rear of the building, where firefighters later found many of the victims.[10] The interior, furniture and ceiling were extensively damaged.[7][11]
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said a musician performing at the venue reported seeing smoke from a circuit breaker near the stage before the power failed. The musician then heard an explosion and said that thick smoke quickly filled the building.[7] Footage verified by news agencies showed smoke and flames emerging from the front entrance as customers fled, some with their clothing on fire.[10][9]
Casualties
[edit]Officials said that at least 28 people were confirmed killed and more than 70 were hospitalized, including 24 in critical condition.[10][9] The deceased were identified as 18 women and 9 men. Initial findings indicated that most died from smoke inhalation.[9] Authorities established a registration point for relatives and began identifying the dead and injured.[7] On 14 July, the death toll rose to 30.[12] On 15 July, the death toll rose to 32, after two people died from their injuries.[13] Later that same day, another victim died, bringing the death toll to 33.[1]
Among the injured was Suwicha Sailabath, one of the co-owners of the venue who was inside during the fire.[4][14] One Laotian worker was among the deceased while two others were injured.[15] Three members of Thotsakan, a Thai indie rock band that performed during the night before the fire occurred, ended up succumbing to their injuries, according to band member Patchara Songphatkaew in a Facebook post; they were the keyboardist, Kwang; the female singer, Breeze; and the drummer, Bew.[16]
Investigation
[edit]The site was cordoned off on 13 July while forensic officers examined the remains of the building.[7] Although the cause had not been established, Bangkok's disaster administration said its initial assessment was that an electrical short circuit in an air conditioning unit in the ceiling started the fire,[10] which was further exacerbated by the flammable soundproofing ceiling directly beneath.[8] Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said that investigators would examine the ceiling materials and whether emergency exits had been obstructed.[7] He said beer crates obstructed one exit near the kitchen and a table obstructed another.[10] He also said that flammable ceiling decorations may have contributed to the fire's rapid spread.[9]
The pub was not legally required to use fire-retardant materials since it was officially registered as a "restaurant with live music" instead of an "entertainment venue."[17]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "Singer's death brings Bangkok pub fire toll to 33". Bangkok Post. 16 July 2026. Archived from the original on 17 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ Staff, Al Jazeera (13 July 2026). "Bangkok pub fire kills 27, wounds dozens: What we know". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ Sriring, Orathai (14 July 2026). "How flammable decor and lax rules turned Bangkok pub into a death trap". Reuters. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- 1 2 May, Natasha (13 July 2026). "At least 27 killed in fire at Bangkok pub with another 22 critically injured". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ "เปิดผังร้าน โรงเบียร์ ลาดพร้าว มีทางออกกี่ทาง? คนเคยไปเที่ยว รีวิวใช้ได้จริงกี่ทาง" [The floor plan of Lat Phrao Beer Hall; visitors reveal how many exit is actually available?]. Sanook.com (in Thai). 13 July 2026. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ nuttapol_wan (13 July 2026). "เปิดผู้ถือหุ้น "โรงเบียร์ ณ ลาดพร้าว" ชื่อตรงกับเจ้าของร้านไฟไหม้ยโสธรปี 62" [Shareholders of 'Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao' also owned a restaurant in Yasothon, which caught fire in 2019]. Thansettakij (in Thai). Archived from the original on 15 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Delgado, Anton L.; Saksornchai, Jintamas (12 July 2026). "Fire at a pub in Bangkok kills at least 27 people". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- 1 2 ย้อนรอย "ไฟไหม้สถานบันเทิง" ครั้งใหญ่ ไทยต้องถอดบทเรียนอีกกี่รอบ? [Recap of the previous major "pub fires": How many times Thailand has to learnt its lesson?]. Thairath (in Thai). 13 July 2026. Archived from the original on 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Head, Jonathan; Sales, Dan (13 July 2026). "At least 28 killed, 25 critically injured after fire engulfs Bangkok bar". BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bangkok bar fire kills 27, officials say emergency exits were obstructed". CNA. 13 July 2026. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ เปิดสาเหตุไฟไหม้โรงเบียร์ ณ ลาดพร้าว เสียชีวิต 27 ราย นายกฯ เผยควันออกจากคัตเอาต์เวทีก่อนไฟดับทั้งร้าน [Cause examined in Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao fire that killed 27; PM reveals the stage circuit breaker began to smoke before the blackout]. Nation TV (in Thai). 13 July 2026. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ Ji, Tian Macleod; Saksornchai, Jintamas (13 July 2026). "Death toll from a Bangkok music bar fire rises to 30, dozens remain in hospital". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ "Death toll in Thai pub fire rises to 32, officials say, with dozens still in hospital". Reuters. 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "ยืนยันตัวตน ผู้เสียชีวิตเหตุโรงเบียร์ 13 รายแล้ว ขณะที่ยอดบาดเจ็บ-สูญหายเพิ่ม" [13 victims of the beer hall fire identified, with more injured and missing were reported]. Matichon. Archived from the original on 15 July 2026. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "แรงงานชาวลาวกังวลอนาคต หลังร้าน "โรงเบียร์ ณ ลาดพร้าว" ไฟไหม้" [Fire at "Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao" left the future of Laotian workers uncertain]. Thai Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on 16 July 2026. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ Aemocha, Panisa; Ninbut, Paweena; Ng, Kelly (13 July 2026). "'There was no way out': Witnesses describe how deadly inferno swept through Bangkok bar". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ Sricham, Jiraporn; Ng, Kelly (13 July 2026). "Bangkok fire investigation finds locked doors and flammable decor as deaths climb to 30". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.