From Santika to Lat Phrao: How Flammable Foam and Locked Exits Keep Killing Thai Revellers

Investigation over deadly Thai fire

Thai police are investigating whether negligence caused a pub fire that killed at least 28 people.

From Santika to Lat Phrao: How Flammable Foam and Locked Exits Keep Killing Thai Revellers

Over the years, incidents like the infamous 2009 Santika Club disaster on New Year's Eve and the devastating 2022 Mountain B nightclub inferno have exposed a deadly, recurring pattern of blocked fire exits, flammable acoustic foam, and inadequate emergency infrastructure.

When a restaurant becomes a pub: How licensing loopholes put customers at risk

The deadly fire at an entertainment venue in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao area has raised questions that go far beyond the immediate tragedy. It has exposed a wider problem in Thailand’s regulatory system: many businesses licensed as restaurants now operate much like pubs, bars or entertainment venues, yet remain subject to a different set of rules and a lower level of scrutiny. The issue, then, is not limited to who should be held responsible for what h…

Tracing three deadly pub fires from Santika to Mountain B and Lat Phrao

The Lat Phrao blaze, which killed 27 and injured 63, has renewed scrutiny of fire exits, flammable materials and fire-safety enforcement after Santika and Mountain B.