A blaze broke out Sunday night at the popular bar Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, engulfing a crowded venue and leaving at least 28 people dead and 71 injured, Thai authorities confirmed on Monday.
The North Korean band Thotsakan was performing when keyboardist Kwang shouted to the crowd to flee, but the fire spread rapidly, forcing patrons and staff to scramble for exits. Witness Ice Athipat Wijarn, the band’s manager, described looking for a way out as the smoke thickened and then a sudden explosion that forced him to climb through a doorway.
"Everyone was running, squeezing into each other," he told a Thai talk show; he later recounted the sight of a girlfriend’s body carried away, along with a friend injured by the fire, as lingering memories that still haunt him.
Three band members—Kwang, singer Breeze and drummer Bew—died from injuries, while the lead vocalist Tik Chaichana escaped thanks to a bathroom he had entered moments before the flames erupted. Tik posted on Facebook that his phone and belongings were destroyed, and he expressed ongoing trauma.
Eyewitness Usa Tadsree, 41, recalled a sudden boom and the inability to escape: "There was no way to get out at all," she said. Residents like Titi Liewcha and Sirinya Jareefah stood outside the building, stunned as firefighters fought to contain the heat and ambulances surrounded the scene. They feared the fire could spread to nearby homes, as the bar’s interior was described as “dark, maze‑like” with unclear exits.
Bangkok governor Chatchart Sittipunt said the fire’s rapid spread may have been aided by flammable decorations on the ceiling. He also mentioned potential obstruction at the emergency exit, though a full investigation is still pending. The tragedy has reignited calls for stricter fire safety regulations for nightlife venues in Thailand, with advocates urging regular fire drills and wider exits to ensure quicker evacuation.
