It is shocking that 17 years after the tragedy at Santika Pub in Bangkok's Sukhumvit area in 2009, and three years after the Mountain B fire in Chon Buri's Sattahip district in 2022, a similar fatal fire has struck a local brewery in Bangkok.
The fire that broke out on Monday in the early hours at Rong Beer Na Ladprao in Chatuchak district has already claimed 32 lives and injured 73 people. This newspaper joins the nation in offering condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this needless tragedy. We pray for the recovery of those injured so they can return home safe and sound.
The fire should not be viewed as an isolated accident. It was the tragic culmination of repeated failures by authorities to enforce building safety codes, conduct proper inspections, and ensure compliance with fire safety regulations.
Immediately after the horrific incident, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) confirmed that officials from Lat Phrao district had inspected Rong Beer Na Ladprao in April and signed off on the safety audit report.
Yet a preliminary police inspection found that its fire-safety measures were inadequate. The backup electrical system, which should have provided lighting to help people navigate to the fire exits, failed. The fire escape routes, which should have been unobstructed and easy to navigate, were blocked by shelves and tables. The poorly designed exits led scores of people towards the toilets, where they became trapped and perished.
Because the brewery is registered as a restaurant, it was not required to install an automatic sprinkler system. Rong Beer Na Ladprao also lined its walls and interior with acoustic foam to absorb noise from regular live music performances. The widespread use of combustible acoustic foam has been identified as a key factor in several deadly nightclub fires, including at Santika and Mountain B, as it allows flames to spread rapidly and produces toxic fumes.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt owes the public an explanation. Society needs to understand the criteria the BMA uses when conducting safety audits at bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues. What exactly do officials inspect? Do they conduct follow-up visits or random checks to ensure operators continue to comply with safety regulations?
More importantly, people need to know what the authorities will do to prevent similar tragedies. At present -- as is often the case -- attention is focused on medical treatment, compensation and police investigations into the causes of the fire and those responsible.
These procedures are important, but they will not make bars, restaurants and buildings safer.
The central and local governments must strengthen fire-safety audits and ensure strict compliance with regulations. There should be certification guaranteeing that these venues have been properly audited regularly and are safe for public use. Needless to say, the BMA must launch a comprehensive inspection of bars and restaurants that host live music and other high-risk activities.
A horrific fire can happen anywhere -- even in countries with high safety standards. But when the same tragedy occurs for a second or third time, as has happened in Thailand, it is no longer simply an accident. It becomes a man-made tragedy waiting to happen.
Governments at all levels must act to fix the broken and unreliable safety audit system. Sadly and worryingly, they appear more focused on paying compensation than preventing future disasters.
