Thai bandmates recount chaos of deadly Bangkok bar fire, as death toll rises to at least 32

A devastating fire tore through the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar and restaurant in Bangkok on the night of July 12, claiming the lives of at least 32 people. The inferno erupted while the cover band Tosakan was performing, tragically killing their keyboardist, Kwang, and singer, Breeze. Several other band members sustained injuries, adding to the approximately 70 people who suffered burns and smoke inhalation.

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The sight of my girlfriend’s body being carried out, the sight of my friend who was burned in the fire and everything that happened are still etched in my mind.

Band members described the terrifying moments the fire began. Singer and band leader Athipat “Ice” Wijarn recalled seeing smoke first, followed by a sudden power outage that plunged the venue into darkness. He recounted the panic as thick smoke filled the air, making it impossible to find his girlfriend, Breeze, despite calling her name. Just as he managed to escape, an explosion rocked the building.

Athipat expressed deep regret for not immediately alerting patrons to evacuate, explaining that the venue had experienced power outages before due to electrical problems, leading him to initially mistake the situation for another glitch. "I still feel I reacted too slowly. I should have shouted to warn everyone, but everything happened so fast and there was so much chaos that I didn’t have time," he said.

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Our keyboard player spotted the smoke first and shouted at me to run.

Bassist Anan “Tor” Prasert, who escaped with minor burns, initially thought the smoke was stage effects. "Then smoke started coming out from the ceiling," he said, urging a guitarist next to him to flee. "At that point, I wasn’t thinking about anything else. I just ripped out my jack cable and ran."

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I still feel I reacted too slowly. I should have shouted to warn everyone, but everything happened so fast and there was so much chaos that I didn’t have time.

Images from the scene showed a burnt guitar and effects pedals on the pavement, with flowers placed on a partially melted keyboard. The investigation into the cause of the blaze is ongoing, with previous electrical issues at the venue being a point of focus. The band Tosakan, an 11-member group known for playing Thai and international cover songs, is grappling with the immense loss and trauma from the horrific event.

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At first I thought it was just the stage smoke, you know? Then smoke started coming out from the ceiling.