A night of music turned into a desperate fight for survival as flames engulfed a popular Bangkok pub, leaving a musician scrambling to escape while his girlfriend remained trapped inside.
Kawin Wongmanich, the lead member of the Totsakan Band, was playing at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar when the fire broke out on Sunday.
He recalled the terrifying moment when the venue was engulfed in smoke and explosions, saying he was unable to reach his girlfriend amid the panic.
In a social media post, he wrote: “Breez (our vocalist and my girlfriend) has passed away.”
“We still don’t know where Din, our other male vocalist, is, and we haven’t been able to contact Kwang, our keyboardist. As for Bew, our drummer, he’s in critical condition, and we’re waiting for updates on his condition. We’re still hoping for a miracle.”
A fire tore through the live music venue in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, killing at least 27 people and injuring 63 others.
The venue, located near Phahon Yothin MRT station, Union Mall, and Central Ladprao shopping mall, could accommodate more than 300 people and featured live performances, two bars and a kitchen.
He said his band, which had performed at the venue for years, lost members in the tragedy, with two musicians killed, two hospitalised and several others in stable condition.
“Before the fire broke out, smoke appeared near the circuit breaker above the keyboardist’s head, accompanied by a burning smell,” he was quoted as saying by Thairath.
The musician said the disaster unfolded within seconds as he tried to escape after an explosion ripped through the venue.
“The keyboardist urged everyone to evacuate immediately. Then the power went out and thick smoke filled the venue.
“At the time of the incident, my girlfriend, also a singer, was probably around the middle of the venue, while I was near the stage. I barely escaped because during the explosion I was thrown back and suffered burns to the back of my neck and arm.”
The musician said he was only about five metres from the door when the second blast occurred.
He continued: “Our drummer friend was burned as he could not get out in time. After the explosion, people were lying down crying for help. It was very hot. Our friend who was burned was lying near the door, crying.
“Everything happened so fast. Running from the stage to the door was about five metres. It was dark and I was feeling my way to the door when another explosion occurred right then. We’ve been performing here for years. Our band has 11 members. Currently, about 5-6 are in normal condition, 2 are hospitalised, and 2 have died.
“The venue often has power outages. The management forbids lighting anything, including candles and lighters, especially on birthdays. At first, I thought the power outage was normal, but then when I smelled burning, everyone started to flee. I tried to find my girlfriend but it was so dark I couldn’t see anything, and the smoke burned my eyes and nose.”
Footage shared online by first responders shows a huge blaze raging and plumes coming out of the front door of the pub.
Officials said an initial investigation suggests the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit in an air-conditioning unit installed in the ceiling.
Officials said many victims were found near toilets at the back of the venue, where people appeared to have fled as smoke spread.
A firefighter who was among the first responders said the biggest danger was not the flames but the thick smoke. Chakrit Khongkom, 45, said crews arrived to find people trapped inside and others attempting to escape through the rear of the pub.
“The fire was not that aggressive, but the smoke had engulfed 100 per cent of the venue. The smoke was everywhere.”
He added: “Most of the survivors were choking on smoke.”
A young woman who survived the Bangkok pub fire said she became separated from her sister during the chaos after flames broke out inside the venue.
She told Thailand’s Amarin TV: “My sister was in the bathroom when I heard a scream ‘there’s fire’ so I ran out. All I could see was so much smoke everywhere, I couldn’t even breathe. I don’t know where my sister is. I have reported a missing person. I’m praying that she’s OK.”
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said investigators were examining whether blocked emergency exits contributed to the high death toll. He said the venue had fire exits but they may not have been accessible during the blaze.
“There are two fire exits, one is near the kitchen. There were beer crates in the way,” Mr Chadchart told reporters.
He added: “There was a table in the way of the other fire exit, hindering evacuation.”
Thailand prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul described the incident as a “national tragedy” and said that the cause remains under investigation, but early accounts suggested the fire may have started near the stage area before spreading rapidly.
“We have recovered 27 bodies, others are being sent to hospital,” Mr Anutin said after visiting the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub, where the fire broke out at 11.57pm local time on Sunday.
“Smoke filled the air, and people ran. Most of the victims ran into the restrooms at the back of the building, which didn’t have clear fire escape doors,” he said and said that this was based on an initial assessment.
Bangkok, which attracts more than 30 million international visitors annually, remains one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations but has faced repeated concerns over safety standards.
A series of deadly nightclub fires has raised questions about weak enforcement of building codes and fire regulations.
In 2009, nearly 70 people, including foreign visitors, died in a fire at the Santika nightclub on New Year’s Eve, and investigators found inadequate emergency exits and insufficient firefighting equipment.
In 2022, another nightclub fire in Chonburi province killed about 20 people; authorities later found the venue was covered with flammable soundproofing materials and lacked proper licensing.
