BANGKOK: At least 27 people were killed and more than 60 others injured after a devastating fire tore through a crowded pub in Bangkok shortly after midnight on July 13, turning a night of music into one of Thailand’s deadliest entertainment venue disasters in recent years.
The blaze erupted at the Na Ladprao (Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao) pub in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, spreading through the venue within minutes and trapping scores of patrons inside as thick black smoke engulfed the building. Authorities said 22 of the injured remain in critical condition.
💔 27 dead and 18 injured as tragedy strikes Bangkok nightlife
Late last night, a massive fire engulfed the popular entertainment venue "Rong Beer at Ladprao" near the Ladprao Intersection. Emergency services responded around midnight to a fierce blaze, with thick smoke and… pic.twitter.com/vuPsMO7eZn
— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) July 12, 2026
Videos captured by first responders and witnesses showed flames bursting out of the entrance as panicked customers scrambled to escape through the smoke-filled venue. Some were seen running from the building with their clothes on fire, while others desperately searched for exits as visibility rapidly disappeared.
Terrible News. Huge fire engulfed a pub in Bangkok early on Monday morning, killing 27 people before firefighters brought the blaze under control. Fire was reported around midnight. Footage shows huge blaze raging out of the front door of the pub. pic.twitter.com/iPQ4tZ3lcJ
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 12, 2026
According to Thai officials, firefighters received reports of the blaze shortly after midnight and rushed to the scene, bringing the fire under control after nearly 30 minutes. By then, however, the damage had already been done.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site soon after the tragedy, confirmed that at least 27 people had lost their lives. Most of the victims were found near the bathrooms at the rear of the building, suggesting they had sought refuge from the flames but were ultimately overcome by toxic smoke.
Initial findings indicate that the majority of those killed died from smoke inhalation rather than burns, highlighting the speed with which the venue filled with dense, poisonous smoke. Investigators are examining multiple possible causes behind the deadly blaze.
Prime Minister Anutin said musicians performing at the venue noticed smoke rising from a circuit breaker near the stage moments before the electricity suddenly failed. According to their account, the blackout was immediately followed by an explosion, after which flames spread rapidly across the pub.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said flammable decorative materials covering the ceiling accelerated the fire, allowing it to race through the venue within minutes. The burning decorations generated thick toxic smoke that quickly trapped people inside before many could reach safety.
Preliminary assessments by Bangkok’s disaster mitigation department have also pointed to the possibility of an electrical short circuit involving an air-conditioning unit, though officials stressed that the exact cause has not yet been confirmed.
Authorities are also investigating reports that several victims were discovered unconscious near an emergency exit, raising questions over whether escape routes were obstructed during the emergency.
Eyewitnesses recounted chaotic scenes as flames and smoke engulfed the pub. One motorcyclist, who stopped to assist those fleeing, said he helped several victims escape and used clothing to extinguish flames burning on their bodies. Another witness who alerted emergency services reportedly smashed windows to rescue trapped patrons before firefighters arrived.
Images from inside the venue after the blaze revealed extensive destruction, with charred furniture, collapsed ceiling panels, blackened walls and thick layers of ash covering the interior. The latest disaster has once again drawn attention to fire safety standards in Thailand’s entertainment venues.
In 2022, a fire at a music pub in eastern Thailand killed 14 people and injured dozens. The country also witnessed one of its worst nightclub disasters on New Year’s Day in 2009, when a blaze at Bangkok’s Santika nightclub claimed 66 lives and injured more than 200 after an indoor fireworks display ignited the building.
