Bangkok bar that caught fire lacked basic safety measures: expert
An expert has stated that a Bangkok bar that caught fire, killing 30 people, lacked essential safety measures like emergency exits and fire alarms. The venue was registered as a restaurant but operated as an entertainment venue, highlighting ongoing regulatory concerns in Thailand.
Why it matters
This underscores the critical need for strict enforcement of fire safety regulations in entertainment venues to prevent recurring tragedies.
The Bangkok bar that erupted into flames, killing 30 people , lacked some basic safety systems that might have saved lives, an independent expert told AFP on Tuesday (July 14, 2026).
Wasawat Kitsiriteeraphak, a former president of Thailand's Building Inspector Association, visited the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao restaurant and bar with forensic police in the wake of Sunday's (July 12, 2026) deadly blaze.
Afterwards, he said he believed the venue lacked the safety systems required for the large crowds and live music it hosted.
Fire escape routes, alarm systems and emergency preparedness can "help minimise the severity of potential loss of life and property", he told AFP .
But during his preliminary inspection, he said he saw "no emergency exit signage, emergency lighting systems or fire alarm devices".
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