I thought we'd grow old together, says band leader whose girlfriend died in Thai bar inferno
A band leader recounts the tragic loss of his girlfriend and bandmates in a deadly fire at a Bangkok bar. The story highlights the personal grief and the sudden nature of the tragedy that claimed the lives of four musicians.
Why it matters
It provides a human perspective on a major public safety tragedy, emphasizing the emotional toll on survivors and the local music community.
Figure caption, Nahathai Satjalert, who sung for Thai indie band Thotsakan, was among four band members killed in the fire
One moment, Athipat Wichan was tinkering with song ideas off stage while watching his band perform to a packed crowd at a bar in Bangkok. The next, a ferocious fire had engulfed the stage and cut off power, prompting him to run for his life.
"I fumbled around until I found the entrance to the door, but flames shot towards me as soon as I reached it," Athipat told BBC Thai a day after the deadly blaze at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, which left 33 people dead and 15 others critically injured.
The tragedy hit Athipat's band, Thotsakan, especially hard.
Four of its 11 members – female vocalist Nahathai Satjalert, male vocalist Thitiwat Kaewkanha, keyboardist Pruttipong Phutmon and drummer Nathaphat Thammanitha – are among the dead.
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