Death toll in Thai pub fire rises to 32, officials say, with dozens still in hospital

A devastating fire at a Bangkok live music pub has claimed 32 lives, with many more injured and hospitalized, as authorities probe the cause of the deadly blaze. The incident, one of Thailand's deadliest in recent years, tore through the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in the Chatuchak area close to midnight on Sunday.

Witnesses recounted harrowing scenes of an explosion followed by a horizontal burst of fire that quickly engulfed the single-story venue. The Erawan Emergency Medical Centre reported that 30 people remain in intensive care, while 44 have been discharged from hospitals. The fire is believed to have been sparked by an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioner.

Police are investigating whether negligence played a role and if emergency exits were blocked. The government has pledged to implement stricter regulations for entertainment venues, including random inspections to ensure fire safety compliance. The pub had reportedly undergone an inspection in April.

Experts suggest that combustible materials used to decorate the stage for acoustics may have instantly ignited, producing extreme heat, smoke, and toxic fumes that trapped and killed patrons. The incident highlights recurring concerns about flammable materials, crowded conditions, and unusable emergency exits in Thai establishments, issues previously flagged after a similar deadly fire at another Bangkok nightclub in 2009.