The death toll from a fire that engulfed a popular music bar in Bangkok has climbed to 32, with two more individuals dying from their injuries, officials reported Wednesday.
More than 70 people were injured in the blaze, which broke out Sunday night at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar. According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, 24 of those injured remain in critical condition.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Police stated that most of the deceased were found trapped in windowless bathrooms, where they may have sought refuge from the flames. Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, chief of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, said that smoke inhalation was the primary cause of death for most victims, with a few succumbing to burn injuries.
Survivors and victims' families visited a nearby police station on Wednesday to provide statements, seek compensation, and gather personal belongings left behind in the chaos. Photos of items like smartphones were displayed on walls at the Phahonyothin Police Station.
Natthaphong Lakhorn, 26, was at the bar with friends when the fire started. He described seeing smoke from the stage, initially mistaking it for a special effect before realizing it was a fire. "When the fire broke, I just ran, and then all power went out," he recounted, adding that a relative was among those killed. Lakhorn, who sustained injuries to his ears and forehead, plans to seek compensation. He stated he escaped through a back door near the bathrooms, where a security guard was helping people exit, a detail that appears to contradict initial police reports.
Kanticha Singkhon, 25, was at the police station to collect her mother's handbag and other belongings. Her mother died in the fire, leaving Kanticha responsible for her younger brother. "I want them (the owners of the bar) to be the one reaching out to the families. Rather than having us come to the police station ourselves because they (family members of victims) would be going back to their hometowns by now," she said, noting that many victims were from out of town.
A lawyer representing the bar owners informed local media that survivors and families would receive an initial compensation of 10,000 Thai baht, approximately $300. Kanticha found this insufficient, stating, "It’s not enough money for a funeral — I had to take a loan to arrange my mom’s funeral. I have not had any financial arrangements, and no one has contacted me."