On Monday, the president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, Amorn Pimanmas, told reporters outside the bar that, while he had not inspected the venue, he observed some risk factors that could worsen fire hazards.
He said the building is enclosed, has low ceilings and may have used foam as decorative materials, without adequate flame-retardant treatment.
Combined with limited air ventilation, smoke would accumulate quickly, he said, creating toxic air that could be the main cause of death for many victims.
He also noted that officials said the bar was licensed as a restaurant with a live music venue rather than an entertainment venue because it was located outside the designated zoning for such businesses.
Amorn said that would exclude it from the stricter fire safety requirements for entertainment venues.
“There must be some kind of revolution regarding fire safety procedures, and I think law enforcement is also very important,” he said.
“It’s not that we don’t have the law, but it’s the problem of how the law could be strictly enforced from now on. I think the government should answer this question.”
Thailand has experienced several big fires at entertainment venues, which are subject to fire safety inspections, though protocols are not always strictly adhered to.
A nightclub fire in Chonburi killed at least 13 people in 2022 and 65 people died and about 200 were injured in a New Year’s Eve blaze at a packed Bangkok club in 2009, where an investigation uncovered corruption and safety violations.
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