BANGKOK — At least 27 people have been killed and eight critically injured after a fire tore through a bar in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district late on Sunday, authorities said. Most of the victims were found in a bathroom where they had sought shelter from the flames and died of smoke inhalation. Firefighters arrived just after midnight and extinguished the blaze in about half an hour. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner, though no official cause has been confirmed. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene early on Monday.

The fire is the latest in a series of deadly nightlife blazes in Thailand. A fire at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok killed 66 people in 2009. Another at the Mountain B bar in Chonburi province killed 22 people in 2022. Officials have repeatedly promised to improve fire and electrical safety standards, but enforcement remains weak.

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What Happened

The fire started near the stage of Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, a popular bar and restaurant, and spread rapidly through the venue. Footage posted online shows panicked customers screaming as they fled—some with their clothes on fire—through the flame-enveloped front door. A passing driver alerted the fire department.

Firefighters found most of the victims in a bathroom at the back of the building, where they had apparently sought shelter. According to Bangkok’s disaster mitigation department, the majority died from smoke inhalation. Nine men and 18 women were killed. More than 60 people are being treated in hospital, including eight who are critically injured.

Prime Minister Anutin visited the scene on Monday morning. He told reporters that a musician who was performing when the fire broke out described “blasting” and said, “everybody tried to flee from the smoke and flames.” The musician said many people “went to the back of the building and tried to hide themselves… in the toilet.”

According to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration statements from Governor Chatchart Sittipunt and disaster mitigation director Suriyachai Raviwan, flammable ceiling decorations may have accelerated the fire’s spread. There are also reports of people found unconscious near the emergency exit, suggesting a possible obstruction. The governor said these initial findings must be confirmed by forensic investigators.

As our coverage of fire safety standards and regulatory enforcement in Thailand’s nightlife industry has documented, the country has a history of deadly venue fires followed by promises of reform that have not consistently translated into improved safety.

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Eyewitness Accounts

One motorcyclist, Surin Jaiharn, told the AFP news agency that he helped about five people flee the burning bar, using clothing to extinguish flames on their bodies. “I feel depressed. I saw many deaths, and I do not know the fate of the people I helped,” he said.

The driver who alerted the fire department told the Daily News that he broke windows to help two people escape.

By Monday morning, the venue had been cordoned off. Shattered windows and furniture were piled outside the entrance. Photographs from inside the bar show furniture, walls, and the ceiling completely blackened by the flames, with parts of the ceiling peeled off. The BBC reported an acrid smell of burning still lingering at the scene.

According to AFP eyewitness accounts and Daily News reporting on the driver who alerted the fire department, the heroism of bystanders was critical in the first minutes of the fire, before emergency services arrived.

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A History of Deadly Fires

The Chatuchak fire is the latest in a long pattern of deadly nightlife blazes in Thailand. On 1 January 2009, a fire at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok killed 66 people and injured more than 200. The fire started on a stage during a New Year’s countdown, fed by flammable ceiling materials. Emergency exits were inadequate.

In 2022, a fire at the Mountain B bar in Chonburi province, south of Bangkok, killed 22 people. The fire started on the stage and spread rapidly through the ceiling.

In 2024, an electrical short circuit caused a fire at Bangkok’s famous Chatuchak weekend market—the same district as Sunday’s fire—killing about 1,000 animals in pet stalls.

Despite official promises to improve fire and electrical safety standards following each of these incidents, enforcement remains poorly implemented. The frequency of deadly fires has increased, with the interval between major incidents shrinking from 13 years to four.

As our analysis of Thailand’s regulatory enforcement and the political economy of nightlife safety has examined, the gap between official promises and on-the-ground enforcement has been a persistent feature of the country’s response to such disasters.

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FAQ

What caused the Bangkok bar fire?

Preliminary investigations by Bangkok’s disaster mitigation department suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner, though no official cause has been confirmed. Flammable ceiling decorations are believed to have accelerated the spread.

How many people died?

At least 27 people—nine men and 18 women. Eight people are critically injured, and more than 60 are being treated in hospital. Most victims died of smoke inhalation.

Where were the victims found?

Most of the victims were found in a bathroom at the back of the building, where they had sought shelter from the fire. There are also reports of people found unconscious near the emergency exit.

Has this happened before in Thailand?

Yes. Sixty-six people died in the Santika nightclub fire in Bangkok in 2009. Twenty-two died in the Mountain B bar fire in Chonburi in 2022. About 1,000 animals were killed in a fire at the Chatuchak market in 2024.

What has the government said?

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene and promised a thorough investigation. Bangkok’s governor said that flammable decorations and potential obstructions to emergency exits would be examined by forensic officers.