Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered nationwide inspections of entertainment venues and public buildings within 30 days after the deadly fire at Rong Beer Na Ladprao in Bangkok.

The blaze had claimed 32 lives, prompting the government to review entertainment venue laws, zoning rules, licensing, operating hours and regulations on live performances.

Mr Anutin, who is also interior minister, said many existing regulations were outdated and did not reflect present-day conditions. He said provincial governors nationwide, including Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt, had been instructed to carry out comprehensive inspections.

Safety checks and immediate closures

The Interior Ministry will lead the inspections alongside the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), local authorities, Royal Thai Police and other agencies.

Checks will cover fire prevention systems, emergency exits, building capacity and compliance with safety rules. Venues found to be in breach of legal or safety standards will be ordered to stop operating immediately until problems have been fixed, with results to be made public.

For foreign residents and visitors, the campaign could mean temporary closures of bars, pubs, clubs and other entertainment sites while inspections are carried out. The government has not announced any immediate changes to venue opening hours or licensing rules, but customers may see stricter enforcement of existing requirements.

Mr Anutin said the proposed legal review must balance social conditions, culture and tradition with the need for people to earn a living. However, he said many problems arose not from gaps in the law, but from operators knowingly breaking rules in pursuit of higher profits.

"Those who knowingly break the law should be prepared for the consequences," he said.

Licensing and zoning under review

Rong Beer Na Ladprao is a central focus of the investigation. Preliminary findings indicated that it was licensed as a restaurant but operated in a way consistent with an entertainment venue, raising questions over whether it had avoided stricter licensing and safety requirements.

Police said investigators were preparing possible charges against the venue owner and business partner once forensic evidence and witness testimony had been completed.

Mr Anutin also questioned whether restrictions on venue locations were workable in modern Bangkok. Existing rules prohibit venues from operating near schools or temples.

"Times have changed," he said. "We are studying how the law should be adjusted.”

"Current rules prohibit venues from being located near schools or temples, but where in Bangkok is more than two kilometres away from a temple or a school? The regulations need to be reconsidered."

Governor Chadchart said Bangkok's zoning system may no longer match reality. The capital currently has only three designated entertainment zones: Patpong in Silom, the New Phetchaburi area including RCA, and Ratchadaphisek Road.

The BMA will discuss possible reforms with the Interior Ministry, including changes to the zoning framework. While City Hall can introduce stricter local rules, they would still need Interior Ministry approval.

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16 July 2026

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The check is one thing, but what if there are issues?? There should be a body that checks and control the plans of an entertainment venue and its safety. Permission for starting could only be given by the Chamber of Commerce and this independent body. Licenses should be given for 1 year and than renewed if they still comply to the rules and laws .. But this is Thailand.. money is more important and the rest is not..and the corruption is gigantic in this kind of business

Talking to a pal who relocated to Bangkok who is a fan of live music, many a venue he visits he claims is lacking in safety features. Dodgy wiring was one point he emphasized.

I have always feared the idiotic use of pyrotechnics.

Edited July 15Jul 15 by jacko45k

C

More checks .

But who checks the checkers ?

The horse has bolted.

25 minutes ago, Jim Blue said:

C

More checks .

But who checks the checkers ?

simple, some money checks the checkers ... as it was always the case ...

34 minutes ago, Jim Blue said:

C

More checks .

But who checks the checkers ?

That should read, who cheques the checkers -- and what is the appropriate amount?

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The check is one thing, but what if there are issues?? There should be a body that checks and control the plans of an entertainment venue and its safety. Permission for starting could only be given by the Chamber of Commerce and this independent body. Licenses should be given for 1 year and than renewed if they still comply to the rules and laws .. But this is Thailand.. money is more important and the rest is not..and the corruption is gigantic in this kind of business

It's not all about money only in Thailand.

SAFETY checks are always announcedAFTER fatal accidents.

Remember Crans Montana.

It's just the lack of responsibility by the owners or the control system.

I guess these bars are not insured against fire as the owners would find it difficult to insure fire traps.

Perhaps forcing bars to get fire insurance would push owners to ensure they pass insurer inspections more than police inspections.

My Hope is this educates the Venues what the Minimum safety standards are and develop an appropriate plan.

My Fear is the Venues are aware and Prepare before the check. Then sometime later return to the old ways endangering the customers to some degree.

There is always a crackdown after every single fire, and whatever results from these crackdowns seems the last about a month and then is entirely forgotten. This would be very typical of Anutin, who has shown over two decades that he doesn't know the meaning of follow-up, care of the common man, or consistency.

Quick! Anyone know how I can buy shares in a brown envelope company? There's gonna be a lot needed in the coming weeks!

14 minutes ago, Watawattana said:

Quick! Anyone know how I can buy shares in a brown envelope company? There's gonna be a lot needed in the coming weeks!

Why don't you buy shares in a fire-resistant soundproofing material company instead.

I used to live in Ekamai, Bangkok and when returning home after a new year's night out, I got stuck in a traffic jam on Ekamai caused by a large number of emergency vehicles. Looking out the taxi windows I saw a long rows of sheets placed over bodies on the sidewalk.

The Santika fire was a terrible tragedy, and the PM announced nationwide inspections of all clubs and bars.

A few years later, we had Mountain B in Chonburi, similar tragedy, same cause, same calls for a nationwide crackdown.

There's been several more tragic fires since, and are we supposed to believe the police and fire safety inspectors are unaware of these unlicensed venues with poor fire precautions? They are not hidden and I bet they get regular visits by officials to check on their 'paperwork'.

“The blaze had claimed 32 lives, prompting the government to review entertainment venue laws, zoning rules, licensing, operating hours and regulations on live performances.”

Zoning rules and licensing regulations are not what killed 32 (so far) people. Faulty wiring and sub-standard building materials, and inadequate or blocked fire exits did.

“Checks will cover fire prevention systems, emergency exits, building capacity and compliance with safety rules.”

Closer, but still no mention of building code enforcement.

50 minutes ago, JerryM said:

Why don't you buy shares in a fire-resistant soundproofing material company instead.

If I was truly confident in this tragedy leading to truly meaningful change and enforcement then I might very well do.

Everytime I read about these entertainment venues fires it makes me so sad. My friend Ada died in the Santika fire and I will never forget it although I had forgotten about the name of the place. It amazes me this still happens and all over a small amount of money. Oh the greed.

Crans Montana reminded me again. I was very surprised it happened in a European country.

16 minutes ago, Watawattana said:

If I was truly confident in this tragedy leading to truly meaningful change and enforcement then I might very well do.

Well gotta start somewhere. All these big entertainment zone disasters involve flammable materials as well as blocked egress.

5 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

It's not all about money only in Thailand.

SAFETY checks are always announcedAFTER fatal accidents.

Remember Crans Montana.

It's just the lack of responsibility by the owners or the control system.

It's not about the responsibility of the owners as they will want to always make max money with little fuss, Its about control where there is none, to ensure the owners do the right thing as per the law which is rarely enforced as the authorities demand tea money like they are the RTP, See how this disease spreads from RTP to other Departments in the GOVT.

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The check is one thing, but what if there are issues?? There should be a body that checks and control the plans of an entertainment venue and its safety. Permission for starting could only be given by the Chamber of Commerce and this independent body. Licenses should be given for 1 year and than renewed if they still comply to the rules and laws .. But this is Thailand.. money is more important and the rest is not..and the corruption is gigantic in this kind of business

And have regular checks. Ideally to be unannounced to the owner. Just turn up and make an inspection

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

There is always a crackdown after every single fire, and whatever results from these crackdowns seems the last about a month and then is entirely forgotten. This would be very typical of Anutin, who has shown over two decades that he doesn't know the meaning of follow-up, care of the common man, or consistency.

So very true and Anutin has succinctly shown that he knows little except for his very astute knowledge of Corruption. This is where he excels and his Blue Party has masterminded the art of money laundering to buy votes for Senate seats.

Very good but one would need to have honest inspectors to check every single new or old house in Thailand and have the developper or builder pay for putting things up to date. With all the corruption around, highly doubt that any serious checking will be done by the "inspectors". Not to mention that much of the electricity is done by handymen cowboys who at best, learnt part of their trade on YouTube or TikTok.

Didn't they order a nationwide check of all buses after the bus fire. Now I could easily have missed it but was there ever a report into the result of all the inspections?

It seems like there are many problems but two main issues in these tragedies, highly flammable building materials and locked or blocked fire escapes. The use of highly flammable building materials is too widespread and expensive to tackle in the short term, but locked and blocked fire escapes to prevent people entering without paying could surely be addressed much more cheaply by making alarmed fire escapes a legal requirement.

Lots of people wouldn't have perished if they could have used the fire escapes.

All fire exits should be unlocked and not blocked. They can keep a guard at the fire exits to prevent people from running out on their bills. Plus all of the staff should know where the fire extinguishers and exits are located and how to get people out if a fire breaks out.

Perhaps there would be less fires if the law prohibiting smoking indoors, passed 25 years ago, was enforced?

Edited July 16Jul 16 by Dr Jon
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12 hours ago, Artisi said:

That should read, who cheques the checkers -- and what is the appropriate amount?

Just a bigger envelope 🤷🏼

The usual predictable crap and hollow response.

We all know nothing will ever change where every area of the public sector is corrupt from top to bottom. The Transport Inspection Authority taking backhanders from bus companies re the bus explosion killing all the kids, building inspections being signed off with sub standard materials and dodgy design changes re The State Audit Office collapse, and of course all aspects of Nightlife industry operation under Police and local authority control. We've even got massive exam fraud for public office holders, which just about sums it up.

Hard to even comprehend that Anutin would think this is an appropriate time to talk about relaxing zoning regulations, as if that has got anything to do with the main issue here. The man was even photographed with a beaming smile meeting the Singaporean PM or FM only hours after visiting the scene of this latest crime, that's how genuine his grief is for ordinary Thais.

What kind of country continues to accept these regular mass tragedies killing its young people, while doing absolutely zero to address the fundamental issue - corruption over legal enforcement.

Nice headline, will anything change? Nope

17 hours ago, Purdey said:

I guess these bars are not insured against fire as the owners would find it difficult to insure fire traps.

Perhaps forcing bars to get fire insurance would push owners to ensure they pass insurer inspections more than police inspections.

I agree with you there. I believe that in civilized countries you can't get a licence if not all requirements are fulfilled, and that of course would include a fire insurance.