The death toll from the fire at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao pub has risen to 35 after another victim died in hospital, while Bangkok officials have ordered the temporary closure of 56 nightspots as part of a citywide safety crackdown launched in the wake of the July 12 tragedy.
The Erawan Emergency Medical Centre reported on Wednesday morning that a 23-year-old woman, identified as Thitichaya Krutwichit, died at Siriraj Hospital at 2.20am. It said 21 injured victims remain in hospital, including 12 in intensive care units and nine in general wards.
The announcement came as Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt outlined intensified inspections of entertainment venues across the capital, saying authorities had already suspended operations at dozens of establishments with safety deficiencies.
217 venues pass checks, 56 shut
Mr Chadchart said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), in cooperation with the Royal Thai Police and other agencies, had reviewed safety regulations following the fatal blaze and introduced a new 17-point safety checklist for entertainment venues.
The city is also using powers under the Public Health Act alongside other relevant laws to strengthen safety standards.
Bangkok has 1,091 establishments under its supervision that are classified as, or operate similarly to, entertainment venues. Over the past three days, officials have inspected 824.
Of those inspected, 217 met safety standards, 551 were ordered to make improvements, and 56 were instructed to temporarily suspend operations due to safety shortcomings.
Mr Chadchart said operators would be allowed to correct minor safety deficiencies before reopening. However, venues found to pose serious safety risks would be ordered to close immediately.
The inspections will continue over the next two months, with authorities conducting follow-up checks to ensure compliance.
Venue operators will also be required to provide certification from engineers or qualified specialists for issues that cannot be verified through visual inspection, such as internal electrical systems and insulation or soundproofing materials, to confirm that they meet safety standards.
Inspections expand to assembly buildings
Mr Chadchart said residents had submitted 27 complaints about safety issues at entertainment venues through the Traffy Fondue reporting platform and officials were working to investigate the reports as quickly as possible.
The BMA will also invite all venue operators to attend briefing sessions this weekend on the new safety checklist to ensure a common understanding of the requirements and to reinforce responsibility for customer safety.
Authorities are expanding inspections beyond entertainment venues to include buildings classified under the law as public assembly structures or performance venues, a category that covers about 14,000 sites across Bangkok, including boxing stadiums.
According to the Bangkok governor, the inspections will focus on compliance with building safety regulations, including mandatory annual inspections and comprehensive structural reviews every five years by independent building inspectors.
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