A deadly fire at a Bangkok music bar was fueled by locked exits and flammable decor, killing 30 people.

The incident has reignited concerns about fire safety standards in entertainment venues across the city.

By Al Jazeera Staff, AP and Reuters

Published On 14 Jul 202614 Jul 2026

The death toll from a fire that swept through a music bar in Thailand’s capital has climbed to 30, as Bangkok’s governor promised tougher inspections and police investigate potential negligence and safety violations.

Thai officials said on Tuesday that 24 people remained in critical condition in hospital, and dozens of others who were treated had been discharged.

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Firefighters needed 30 minutes to control the blaze at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar in the Chatuchak district late on Sunday.

Police investigating the cause of the fire are probing whether the bar management followed safety regulations.

“We’ve set up a committee to investigate the truth, what should be improved and what rules should be changed,” Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told a news conference on Tuesday.

“We will do more random checks.”

Authorities say an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioner could have triggered the fire in the ‌pub, which underwent a safety inspection in April.

Royal Thai Police chief Kittharath Punpetch said the single-story bar had four exits, but police were examining whether the two rear exits were blocked or unusable.

One exit near the restrooms, where most of the victims were found, had a table blocking the way, while another near the kitchen had a damaged exit sign and a sliding door missing its handle, Kittharath said.

Police are also investigating whether gas canisters were stored in the kitchen and whether they contributed to the blaze, Kittharath added.

Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said a musician performing at the bar told him he saw smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out. An explosion was then heard, and thick smoke quickly filled the bar.

Lee Young Ju, a fire safety professor at South Korea’s Kyungil University, said the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, possibly involving audio or lighting equipment or faulty wiring, sparking a blaze that quickly spread across the ceiling.

Former patrons and mourners visited the site on Tuesday to leave flowers and condolence messages on the guardrails cordoning off the bar.

Investigators are focusing on whether the bar management complied with safety regulations. Authorities suspect an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioner may have started the fire. The bar had passed a safety inspection in April, raising questions about the effectiveness of such checks.