A massive fire engulfed the Na Ladprao beer hall in Bangkok’s northern Chatuchak district in the early hours of Monday, killing at least 27 people and injuring 63 others, officials confirmed. The blaze, which broke out shortly before midnight on Sunday at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao venue, ranks among the deadliest nightclub fires in Thailand in recent years.
Footage shared by first responders showed a huge blaze raging with plumes of smoke billowing from the front entrance as terrified patrons fled into the streets. Rescuers received reports of the fire around midnight and quickly deployed multiple fire brigades to the scene. Firefighters brought the massive blaze under control in approximately half an hour after arriving.
Of the 63 people hospitalized with injuries, 22 were reported to be in critical condition, according to Bangkok officials. The injured were taken to 16 hospitals across the city. Among the deceased, rescue personnel identified 18 women and 9 men, though authorities were still working to identify all victims.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene and told reporters that 27 people had died. He said a musician who was performing at the pub told him that he saw smoke coming out of a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out, followed by an explosion and thick smoke that quickly filled the venue. Many of the victims were found in the restrooms at the back of the pub.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the fire spread very rapidly through the building and smoke was likely the main cause of death. He noted that while the pub had obtained proper permits and had fire exits, the blaze spread so quickly and the smoke filled the room so densely that it made it difficult for patrons to escape. According to officials, many victims fled toward the back of the venue near the bathrooms instead of toward the rear fire exits, where they became trapped.
Authorities launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, with officials saying they would examine the ceiling materials and whether emergency exits may have been obstructed. Some reports indicated that tables, seating, and other objects had been placed near emergency exits, potentially making escape more difficult. Officials also noted that the venue used highly flammable foam soundproofing materials.
By Monday morning, the site had been cordoned off as dozens of Thai forensic officers combed through the burned remains for clues about what caused the fire. The building’s street-facing windows had been blown out and debris littered the sidewalk, including charred television sets, speakers, and an electric guitar. Through the shattered windows, the scale of the devastation was visible, with burned-out tables, some still holding empty beer bottles.
Some Buddhist monks visited the site Monday morning to pray for the victims, while nurses handed out face masks to people nearby to help protect them from smoke and lingering fumes from the building. Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom, who arrived on one of the first trucks, described the harrowing conditions. “The fire was not that aggressive, but the smoke had engulfed 100% of the venue,” he said, adding that “most of the survivors were choking on smoke.”
Body camera footage from emergency workers showed firefighters wearing oxygen masks moving through the darkened remains with flashlights as they searched for survivors, with several victims visible lying on the floor near the pub’s toilets while rescue workers carried stretchers.
Thailand has experienced similar tragic fires in recent years. In 2022, 14 people were killed by a fire at a music pub in the eastern part of the country. In 2009, the country witnessed a far more devastating blaze when 66 people were killed and more than 200 injured in a fire during a New Year’s Eve celebration at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok. That disaster was apparently sparked by an indoor fireworks display.
The incident at the Na Ladprao pub has already prompted calls for stricter safety checks across Bangkok’s entertainment venues as authorities continue their investigation into exactly what caused the deadly fire.