On Sunday night a roaring inferno erupted at Bangkok’s Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar, one of the city’s popular nightlife venues, killing 28 people and leaving dozens more wounded.
Band manager Ice Athipat Wijarn, who was seated off stage, recounted the moment smoke spilled from behind the keyboard, prompting a frantic call to evacuate. He described crawling toward the fire‑ridden exit, only for an explosion to throw him back, and the heartbreaking sight of his girlfriend’s body being carried out.
Witnesses in the nearby Chatuchak district recalled hearing a sudden boom and seeing people running with clothes ablaze through the flaming front door. Authorities confirmed at least 71 injuries, including 25 in critical condition, and that the only foreign victim was a Laotian tourist.
Officials say flammable decorations on the bar’s ceiling may have accelerated the blaze, and that people found unconscious near the emergency exit suggest possible obstruction. The governor urged a thorough investigation and criticized the narrow, poorly marked exits that left patrons trapped.
Firefighters took about half an hour to bring the flames under control, but the tragedy has spurred calls for stricter fire safety regulations, regular drills, and wider, clearly marked escape routes in nightlife venues across Bangkok.
