|
|
|
|
|
17 July 2026
|
At least 27 killed in fire at Bangkok pub, 22 critically injured
|
|
|
A devastating fire broke out at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub (also known as the Na Ladprao beer hall) in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. The tragic incident killed at least 27 people and left 63 others hospitalised, including 22 in critical condition. The fire ignited on Sunday night, 12 July 2026, shortly before midnight at approximately 11:57 PM local time. Smoke was first observed coming from a ceiling air conditioning unit or electrical circuit breaker near the stage area. A sudden power outage followed by an explosion triggered massive panic inside the crowded venue.
Firefighters arrived just after midnight and brought the flames under control within 30 to 35 minutes in one of the deadliest such incidents in the tourism hub in recent years.
Officials said they were investigating whether emergency exits may have been obstructed, hindering people from escaping the burning Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub.
The prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site in the early hours of Monday, told reporters that based on survivor accounts, the pub rapidly filled with smoke after a fire broke out, forcing many to run to the back of the venue near the bathrooms.
At least 63 people were injured, said Suriyachai Rawiwan, the director of Bangkok’s disaster administration. The initial assessment was that an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner located in the ceiling had caused the fire, the disaster administration said.
‘The smoke was everywhere’
Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom, 45, said he arrived on the first fire truck to see the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub alight and many patrons stranded inside, several of them trying to escape from the back of the venue. The few people coming through the front of the venue were burnt. “The fire was not that aggressive, but the smoke had engulfed 100% of the venue. The smoke was everywhere,” he said. “Most of the survivors were choking on smoke.”
Body-camera footage from an emergency worker seen by Reuters showed firefighters in oxygen masks moving through the darkened remains of the pub with torches as they searched for survivors. Several victims can be seen lying prone on the floor near the pub’s toilets while rescue workers carry in stretchers. The video also shows what appears to be the fire-damaged main room of the venue, with bar tables and stools still visible.
Chadchart said the pub had procured proper permits and had fire exits, but the fire spread rapidly and smoke filled the room, potentially making it hard for patrons to escape.
In the early hours of the morning, emergency personnel remained at the scene as bodies were prepared for transport and forensic teams collected evidence to help identify the victims. Numbered bodies lay in two rows awaiting removal, surrounded by a large number of rescue workers. Firefighters stood near the pub’s entrance, its facade scorched and blackened by the blaze.
A band member at the venue told local media that smoke suddenly filled the room after the lights briefly went out, followed by a massive explosion and fire. “After the explosion I didn’t see anybody trying to run, most of them were on the floor asking for help,” he told reporters, his head still bandaged, without giving his name. “I ran towards the door from the stage, about five metres. It was dark and there was smoke, no oxygen.”
Bangkok’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, said investigators would examine whether any emergency exits may have been obstructed, potentially making it more difficult for people to evacuate. “We need to wait for forensic investigators to examine the scene more closely,” he said.
The governor said the owner of the pub was inside the building when the fire broke out and was receiving medical treatment in hospital, according to local media.
On Monday, distraught families of the victims streamed into the police headquarters’ morgue to identify bodies. Some were led in slowly by support people; others were survivors of the blaze themselves who came to identify loved ones, including the inconsolable girlfriend of a 27-year-old victim who had been at the pub with him.
Staff at the morgue told the Guardian it was believed that most of the victims were Thai nationals between 25 and 50.
Sources: The Guardian, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, The Pattaya News
Firefighters arrived just after midnight and brought the flames under control within 30 to 35 minutes in one of the deadliest such incidents in the tourism hub in recent years.
Officials said they were investigating whether emergency exits may have been obstructed, hindering people from escaping the burning Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub.
The prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site in the early hours of Monday, told reporters that based on survivor accounts, the pub rapidly filled with smoke after a fire broke out, forcing many to run to the back of the venue near the bathrooms.
At least 63 people were injured, said Suriyachai Rawiwan, the director of Bangkok’s disaster administration. The initial assessment was that an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner located in the ceiling had caused the fire, the disaster administration said.
‘The smoke was everywhere’
Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom, 45, said he arrived on the first fire truck to see the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub alight and many patrons stranded inside, several of them trying to escape from the back of the venue. The few people coming through the front of the venue were burnt. “The fire was not that aggressive, but the smoke had engulfed 100% of the venue. The smoke was everywhere,” he said. “Most of the survivors were choking on smoke.”
Body-camera footage from an emergency worker seen by Reuters showed firefighters in oxygen masks moving through the darkened remains of the pub with torches as they searched for survivors. Several victims can be seen lying prone on the floor near the pub’s toilets while rescue workers carry in stretchers. The video also shows what appears to be the fire-damaged main room of the venue, with bar tables and stools still visible.
Chadchart said the pub had procured proper permits and had fire exits, but the fire spread rapidly and smoke filled the room, potentially making it hard for patrons to escape.
In the early hours of the morning, emergency personnel remained at the scene as bodies were prepared for transport and forensic teams collected evidence to help identify the victims. Numbered bodies lay in two rows awaiting removal, surrounded by a large number of rescue workers. Firefighters stood near the pub’s entrance, its facade scorched and blackened by the blaze.
A band member at the venue told local media that smoke suddenly filled the room after the lights briefly went out, followed by a massive explosion and fire. “After the explosion I didn’t see anybody trying to run, most of them were on the floor asking for help,” he told reporters, his head still bandaged, without giving his name. “I ran towards the door from the stage, about five metres. It was dark and there was smoke, no oxygen.”
Bangkok’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, said investigators would examine whether any emergency exits may have been obstructed, potentially making it more difficult for people to evacuate. “We need to wait for forensic investigators to examine the scene more closely,” he said.
The governor said the owner of the pub was inside the building when the fire broke out and was receiving medical treatment in hospital, according to local media.
On Monday, distraught families of the victims streamed into the police headquarters’ morgue to identify bodies. Some were led in slowly by support people; others were survivors of the blaze themselves who came to identify loved ones, including the inconsolable girlfriend of a 27-year-old victim who had been at the pub with him.
Staff at the morgue told the Guardian it was believed that most of the victims were Thai nationals between 25 and 50.
Sources: The Guardian, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, The Pattaya News
