Bangkok bar fire kills 27, injures dozens in Chatuchak district

An explosive fire at a popular bar and restaurant in Bangkok has killed 27 people, Thai officials said on 13 July 2026, in one of the deadliest such incidents in the tourism hub in recent years.

"We have recovered 27 bodies, others are being sent to hospital," said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site of the blaze at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub near Soi Lat Phrao 1 Road in the Chatuchak district.

The fire broke out at 11.57pm local time on 12 July 2026, according to a report by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Firefighters from the Phahonyothin, Phaya Thai and Huai Khwang stations arrived by 00.12am, deploying three hose lines to contain the blaze.

By 00.18am, responders on scene reported large numbers of injured and trapped patrons, with rescue teams working through thick smoke to pull survivors out. The death toll was confirmed at 27 by 00.50am, according to the Facebook page Fire & Rescue Thailand.

Charnvirakul arrived at the scene around 1am, where he was photographed inspecting the wreckage alongside rows of victims' bodies laid out near the pub's entrance. He spoke with survivors and members of the band that had been performing, and expressed condolences to the families of the dead.

According to a report by the Bangkok Post, at least nine men and 18 women were among the dead. Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of the BMA's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), said 63 people were hospitalised, with 22 in critical condition.

Khaosod reported the injured were distributed across several hospitals by triage severity: eight critical cases went to Chulalongkorn Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, Praram 9 Hospital, Paolo Kaset Hospital and Phramongkutklao Hospital; seven moderate cases went to Phetwet Hospital, the Police General Hospital and Paolo Kaset Hospital; and three minor cases went to Paolo Kaset Hospital.

Based on survivor accounts, Charnvirakul said the venue filled rapidly with smoke, forcing patrons towards the rear near the toilets, where there were no clear fire exits.

Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the pub held proper permits and had fire exits, but smoke spread too quickly for patrons to escape safely.

According to a report by the Daily News, tourists were unable to locate exits amid a power outage. The venue's ceramic tile flooring was cited by responders as a factor in how quickly the fire spread through the interior.

Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom, 45, said he arrived on the first engine to find the venue ablaze and many patrons stranded inside. "The fire was not that aggressive, but the smoke had engulfed 100 per cent of the venue," he said. "Most of the survivors were choking on smoke."

Body-camera footage showed firefighters in oxygen masks searching the darkened venue with torches, with several victims found near the toilets.

A band member performing at the venue told local media that the lights briefly went out before smoke filled the room, followed by an explosion. "After the explosion, I didn't see anybody trying to run, most of them were on the floor asking for help," he said. He described fleeing roughly five metres from the stage through darkness and smoke before the venue exploded behind him, killing his girlfriend and the band's drummer, who could not escape in time.

Kan Kutirat, a tourist from Laos, told AFP he had been drinking alone at the bar when he noticed smoke rising near the stage. "I heard loud screaming from a lot of people inside – chaos happened," he said. He helped one woman escape but said he could not reach others. "I could only get one person out. I tried my best. I'm sorry," he wrote on Facebook.

At 1am, Charnvirakul was joined at the scene by Pol Gen Thatchai Pitanilabutr, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police; Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau; Pol Maj Gen Kiattikun Sonthinen, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2; and forensic and police medical officers, who examined the scene and the bodies.

By 1.40am, Sittipunt said only six of the 27 victims had been formally identified, as the remaining 21 bodies carried no identification documents. Officials asked relatives searching for missing family members to contact 081-734-1298, a line set up by the Chatuchak district office.

Charnvirakul said several victims showed signs of smoke inhalation and that forensic police were still confirming causes of death. He added that officers were using surviving mobile phones recovered from victims to help rescue workers contact and identify relatives.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Suriyachai said officers were awaiting a full forensic examination before confirming how the blaze started. By 5.15am, BMA crews had cleared debris and reopened the road to traffic.

Thailand's approach to safety regulation in bars and nightclubs has long drawn scrutiny. Twenty-five people died in the Mountain B nightclub fire in Chonburi province in 2022, while the Santika club fire in Bangkok killed 67 people on New Year's Eve in 2009.