Fire At Santika Night Club

[MrHammer]

This is horrible news, I know many people who go to Santika, I can only pray they are ok!

Had I been in Thailand, I could very well have been there too.

Sadly, Thais and fireworks dont mix well, as any who have witnessed the Vegetarian festival can testify

My condolenses to everyone who has been affected by this tragedy.

[onethailand]

I just went through that list and didn't see anything that looked like a match for either of the guys - but there are 4 nameless persons at Ramkhamhaeng Hospital, and 10 at Samitivej Sukhumvit (Soi 49).

Taking into account that Dissolution's been to the morgue - and hoping it's not one of those too hard to identify - I'd say your best bet would be those two hospitals. Take the photo with you.

You might also consider posting some information on Santika's board, as well as some of the other popular boards like Pantip. And if you haven't tried the phone call - You can check all names at tel. +(66) 2 381 2285, +(66) 2 381 3930 ext 7015-6

Edited January 1, 2009 by onethailand

[Andy76]

From the BBC News website...

The witness, Andrew Jones, said survivors leaving the club told him the fire broke out on the stage after fireworks were lit just after midnight.

He said the club was popular with foreigners and locals alike.

The club had only one main exit, at the front, and many people had been trapped inside, he said. "

link to page here

Hi, I am Andrew Jones giving a full witness account of what exactly happened and what I saw the night the fire broke out at the Santika Bar in Ekkamai, Bangkok..

I was at Central World celebrating the New Year of 2009. Shortly after midnight I walked along Sukumvit to Ploen Chit Station where I got the BTS to Ekkamai. I did not know at the time about any fire or emergency. I was on the phone to my mum as I got off the BTS and I could hear sirens all over the place. My mum heard it too over the phone. I decided to walk down the stairs of the BTS Station and saw lots of fire engines, ambulances, police and other rescue services rushing up Ekkamai road. I also saw emergency vehicles going back to the BTS with people laying in the back. One after another. It was like something really serious had happened. Luckily I am armed with my camera, video camera, extra lens, batteries and tape. I started rolling the film with the video camera of emergency vehicles rushing past. I continued to walk up the road of Ekkamai to near Soi 18 just opposite Santika.

As I got to Santika, there were bodies being carried out on stretchers and put into ambulances. I continued filming and decided to film the drama as it was happening. I went into the car park area where it was filled with fire engines, people rushing in and out, and more rescue workers carring out more bodies on stretchers. I got to two fire engines where medical and fire crew were carrying someone on a stretcher when all of a sudden the body fell off the stretcher between the two fire engines. They had difficulty trying to get the body back on the stretcher. Obviously they never had time to strap the person in, they just wanted to get the bodies out and sent to hospital. I continued to walk up closer to the building which was billowing with smoke from the roof and windows. I notices flames glowing in the back drop of the smoke. Fire crew with water being sprayed on to the building. People were trapped inside, and couldn't get out.

I eventually went inside and saw 2 or 3 dead bodies that were burnt with 100% burns. It appeared that after looking at the building that above the main door the wall had collapsed and possibly landed on them. Which stopped them from escaping in time. After I got out of the front main entrance filming, it was about 5 minutes the ceiling caved in from the weight of the water and landed on a fireman. He was injured on his back shoulder blade and was sent to a medical team. I then interviewed a British Citizen from Bristol who was at the night club during the time it caught fire. He said that there was fireworks from the stage that ignited the upper ceiling which is filled with sound proof foam. Then within 5 minutes the whole building was afire. He tried to run out but the lights went out. He had to trample over other people to save himself. He escaped with minor injuries through the main entrance. He claimed there was no emergency exit or fire sprinkler in the building.

I spoke with the BBC in London live and with Sky News explaining to them what had happened during the New Year at Santika in Ekkamai. I also witnessed over 50 bodies being carried out onto white sheets that were not recognizable due the severe burns to the face. Each body was carried out by 4 members of a medical or fire crew team. Most of the bodies were Thai but I did not see any foreigners that were carried out because the burns were to severe to establish there nationality. I met up with a British Journalist, Andy Chant who also spoke to the BBC and Sky News that evening. He appointed me to go with him to the local hospital to cover a story and to visit Associated Press near Silom to send the video I recorded to Sky News. It took under an hour to send. I was called at 9.10am from CNN in Hong Kong on Thursday morning to have an interview with their news report on air. I had not been asleep all night but this night was the worst night I have seen and witnessed.

[The Above Information of My Witness Account is STRICTLY not to be used by any agency, radio, television, newspaper or any other media without my prior permission. If the information is required to be used, please contact me via IM and I will give full details.]

[onethailand]

Well done, Andy. I'm sure many appreciate your account of events.

Just for the record, I am one of the other people BBC interviewed by phone, though I was watching everything unfold from my bedroom window 300 meters away (not the one mentioned who saw young girls being trampled).

Edited January 1, 2009 by onethailand

[TAWP]

Andy76/Andrew Jones>> I for one appruciated your video-posting of the events on YouTube. Just ignore the armchair-doctors on this forum or YouTube with their tideous flaming and 'public outcry' about someone daring to document the events.

[Andy76]

Andy76/Andrew Jones>> I for one appruciated your video-posting of the events on YouTube. Just ignore the armchair-doctors on this forum or YouTube with their tideous flaming and 'public outcry' about someone daring to document the events.

Just as a note, I did not post any videos on YouTube yet. I have been submitting the videos to news agencies in request of what i have which is more interesting. I will post my video soon on You Tube next week if I can find someone to encode it for me from the DV camera!

Andrew Jones

[TAWP]

Just as a note, I did not post any videos on YouTube yet. I have been submitting the videos to news agencies in request of what i have which is more interesting. I will post my video soon on You Tube next week if I can find someone to encode it for me from the DV camera!

Andrew Jones

Ah, from the description of events it sounded much like the clippings we have seen on YouTube, that then was filmed and posted by another [un-named] fellow. Sorry for the confusement.

As a side-topic: What format does your DV-cam store the material in? YouTube supports a large range of formats in their on-the-fly re-encoding they perform on any clips not already using the flv-container. I have uploaded .mp4-clips straight up from the cellphone for example in the past.

[mangoman007]

Fire at Soi Cowboy. No word on casualties yet, didn't quite get the name of the bar.

Will update as I hear more.

Second Floor Rawhide. Heard that no one hurt. I walked down there. No crowd control. Chaos

[Andy76]

Just as a note, I did not post any videos on YouTube yet. I have been submitting the videos to news agencies in request of what i have which is more interesting. I will post my video soon on You Tube next week if I can find someone to encode it for me from the DV camera!

Andrew Jones

Ah, from the description of events it sounded much like the clippings we have seen on YouTube, that then was filmed and posted by another [un-named] fellow. Sorry for the confusement.

As a side-topic: What format does your DV-cam store the material in? YouTube supports a large range of formats in their on-the-fly re-encoding they perform on any clips not already using the flv-container. I have uploaded .mp4-clips straight up from the cellphone for example in the past.

I need someone with a firewire cable and firewire connection (Knows as an IE1394). I need to use some encoding software such as Adobe Premiere and save it as MPEG 2, DIVX and WMV formats.

Andrew Jones

[steffi]

Just find somebody with Mac and iMovie.

BTW: Why do you have a DV camera and no way to get video of it?

Just as a note, I did not post any videos on YouTube yet. I have been submitting the videos to news agencies in request of what i have which is more interesting. I will post my video soon on You Tube next week if I can find someone to encode it for me from the DV camera!

Andrew Jones

Ah, from the description of events it sounded much like the clippings we have seen on YouTube, that then was filmed and posted by another [un-named] fellow. Sorry for the confusement.

As a side-topic: What format does your DV-cam store the material in? YouTube supports a large range of formats in their on-the-fly re-encoding they perform on any clips not already using the flv-container. I have uploaded .mp4-clips straight up from the cellphone for example in the past.

I need someone with a firewire cable and firewire connection (Knows as an IE1394). I need to use some encoding software such as Adobe Premiere and save it as MPEG 2, DIVX and WMV formats.

Andrew Jones

[TAWP]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f67_1230832702

Amateur cellphone footage from some minutes before the fire.

[snuggzzz]

Thanks TAWP, it does bring it home to people just how easy these things happen...........

[oevna]

I'm nearly out of ideas.

This is an open plea to anyone who might have seen these persons:

The missing people include the guy second from the left, the guy in blue in the center, and the girl on the far right. Would greatly appreciate if anyone has any information whatsoever on any of these people.

Please.

This is a long shot, but at 3:30 (3 minutes 30 seconds) into this video clip, there is a woman visible (although only from the back view), who is wearing a dress that looks like the dress that the girl is wearing in the picture that you posted. I noticed that the timestamp on the picture is on the same day (plus or minus a few hours, depending on the time zone that the camera's clock is set to), so she would probably still be wearing the same dress.

Here is the video clip:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=fd9_1230796099

The woman in the picture that you posted appears to have longer hair than the woman in the video clip, and obviously since you can't see the woman's face in the video, it is difficult to be sure. But I thought that you might recognize something else in the video that might give you some clues.

Best of luck to all of you. Condolences to those who have lost friends and family. Stay safe out there.

[k1w1]

That vid explains alot. Maybe some drunken reveler dropped a sparkler which caught in the alcohol?

But how did the ceiling catch so fast?

Did someone throw a sparkler?

Was it really arson?

[steffi]

Here's another long shot. But those two look also quite similar to the couple at the beginning of the newer recently released mobile footage that shows the crowd waving sparklers inside during the countdown.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f67_1230832702

I'm nearly out of ideas.

This is an open plea to anyone who might have seen these persons:

The missing people include the guy second from the left, the guy in blue in the center, and the girl on the far right. Would greatly appreciate if anyone has any information whatsoever on any of these people.

Please.

This is a long shot, but at 3:30 (3 minutes 30 seconds) into this video clip, there is a woman visible (although only from the back view), who is wearing a dress that looks like the dress that the girl is wearing in the picture that you posted. I noticed that the timestamp on the picture is on the same day (plus or minus a few hours, depending on the time zone that the camera's clock is set to), so she would probably still be wearing the same dress.

Here is the video clip:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=fd9_1230796099

The woman in the picture that you posted appears to have longer hair than the woman in the video clip, and obviously since you can't see the woman's face in the video, it is difficult to be sure. But I thought that you might recognize something else in the video that might give you some clues.

Best of luck to all of you. Condolences to those who have lost friends and family. Stay safe out there.

Edited January 2, 2009 by steffi

[TukTukDriver]

That many sparklers inside a building????? Crazy. I would have been heading to the exit right away if I saw that. How stupid, they are for outside, and even then I always have thought they were a fire hazard.

[markg]

What a terrible way to start off the new year.

It deeply saddens me.

My thoughts and condolences go out to the families of those who perished.

I was in Krabbi for new years. There was a 'fire-show' performer on at midnight. He had a long stick, about 6 feet long, and both ends were on fire. You know the kinda thing. ANyway, he walked through the club with it on fire to get to the beach. It was inches from the roof of a wooden beach-bar structure. Literally inches. The second i saw it, i backed away towards the exit.

You would think that basic common sense from the performer would have made him stop and think about his actions...........................

No. Unfortunately not. Sometimes we really do need health and safety rules from a nanny state.

Edited January 2, 2009 by markg

[brahmburgers]

The Titanic had much merriment, and devil-may-care attitudes, and had many hi-so clients aboard - ended in disaster by ice.

The Santika 'thaitanic' started out with much merriment, and had hi-so clients aboard - ended in disaster by fire.

The Titanic had lifeboats which enabled mostly hi-so customers escape.

The Thaitanic had a couple unmarked exits in the shadows that few knew about - but the survivors were not refined to just hi-so.

- - - - - - -

It's interesting to note (and expected) that individuals reading this thread are 95% concerned about the well-being of people they're familiar with (family, friends) ......what about a general compassion for all who were injured? It can't be learned, it has to come from within. It really shows what a small-thinking, immediate-group identity species we still are. Not having evolved much beyond attitudes of 700,000 years ago, when our ancestors huddled in caves - and were only concerned about those in the immediate group. Army ants have more compassion for their kind than people.

[futureexpat]

It's interesting to note (and expected) that individuals reading this thread are 95% concerned about the well-being of people they're familiar with (family, friends) ......what about a general compassion for all who were injured? It can't be learned, it has to come from within. It really shows what a small-thinking, immediate-group identity species we still are. Not having evolved much beyond attitudes of 700,000 years ago, when our ancestors huddled in caves - and were only concerned about those in the immediate group. Army ants have more compassion for their kind than people.

95%? I must have been reading a different thread. I think you might be seeing what you want to see in people and these posts.

[Jimjim]

The Titanic had much merriment, and devil-may-care attitudes, and had many hi-so clients aboard - ended in disaster by ice.

The Santika 'thaitanic' started out with much merriment, and had hi-so clients aboard - ended in disaster by fire.

The Titanic had lifeboats which enabled mostly hi-so customers escape.

The Thaitanic had a couple unmarked exits in the shadows that few knew about - but the survivors were not refined to just hi-so.

- - - - - - -

It's interesting to note (and expected) that individuals reading this thread are 95% concerned about the well-being of people they're familiar with (family, friends) ......what about a general compassion for all who were injured? It can't be learned, it has to come from within. It really shows what a small-thinking, immediate-group identity species we still are. Not having evolved much beyond attitudes of 700,000 years ago, when our ancestors huddled in caves - and were only concerned about those in the immediate group. Army ants have more compassion for their kind than people.

Not impressed by your kitsch prose.

Also, it's mere human nature and should be quite obvious that people have more of an emotional attachment to people they know compared to those they don't know. People still have compassion for those they don't know, but more so for those they don't. Get it? You'll find hundreds of posts here expressing this if you open your eyes. People do have more compassion than cave dwellers.

Anyway, has anyone caught if the fire started in the big front room or the basement back room?

[cloudbusting]

The Titanic had much merriment, and devil-may-care attitudes, and had many hi-so clients aboard - ended in disaster by ice.

The Santika 'thaitanic' started out with much merriment, and had hi-so clients aboard - ended in disaster by fire.

The Titanic had lifeboats which enabled mostly hi-so customers escape.

The Thaitanic had a couple unmarked exits in the shadows that few knew about - but the survivors were not refined to just hi-so.

- - - - - - -

It's interesting to note (and expected) that individuals reading this thread are 95% concerned about the well-being of people they're familiar with (family, friends) ......what about a general compassion for all who were injured? It can't be learned, it has to come from within. It really shows what a small-thinking, immediate-group identity species we still are. Not having evolved much beyond attitudes of 700,000 years ago, when our ancestors huddled in caves - and were only concerned about those in the immediate group. Army ants have more compassion for their kind than people.

The two halves of your post seem at odds with each other.

[quaffer]

Awful.

Just returned to Australia for Christmas and NYE from BKK. Yet another NYE tragedy in Bangkok.

I hope that no Thai Visa member has lost a loved one or friend.

Edited January 2, 2009 by quaffer

[bravingbangkok]

Some people on this forum amaze me, as someone has already said it is as if they are just sitting in their rooms in the dark waiting for someone to make a comment with some sort of reference to something that infuriates them and then they strike with these huge posts.

lololol quite pathetic and sad to attempt to judge someone from one post would you not say ?

It is natural to feel emotion for people closer to you. I cried when my stafbul terrier died the other day but I did not cry due to this horrible tragedy, does that make me a bad human ? lol

[HorseDoctor]

.......[The Above Information of My Witness Account is STRICTLY not to be used by any agency, radio, television, newspaper or any other media without my prior permission. If the information is required to be used, please contact me via IM and I will give full details.]

However altruistic your motives may be ( ? ) , you posted this info on a public forum , you cannot retain rights.

[Xangsamhua]

ASTV reports that there was a fire at the Rawhide nightclub this morning, but no injuries.

[kat]

Just as an aside. In the US, since sprinklers were mandated ( ...and checked regularly) in hotels, there has not been one fatality.

Some cultures revere life, others don't.

It's just the posturing of Tland as a safe place that gets me..Tourists are really clueless to the realities.

There have been club fires with high fatalities in the U.S. But, there were also transparent investigations, new regulatory code, and convictions as well.

Comparing Thailand to the US in any way, shape, or form in regards to similarities on this latest incident is absolutely absurd. You must either be a hater of Westerners (the US) or have no idea of one of the two countries.

I have a residence in both places and spend most of my time in Bangkok. Although I love Thailand, I can assure you that there is no comparison when it comes to safety, pollution, corruption, and a few other things. It sickens me when something like this happens that members of this board claim it happens everywhere and that Thailand is no different.

The whole incident here is just awful on many levels. There are issues that need to be addressed, but they won't happen overnight (especially here in this country). The above response that basically says "Hey, bad fires happen in the US...so what's the big deal? Both countries have issues." does absolutely nothing but posture Bangkok as mainstream and normal...which is certainly won't do anything to clean things up.

Continued views that this is okay and happens in Western societies as well will do nothing for the advancement in safety, pollution, corruption, etc...in Thailand.

The point is not to criticize Thailand for the sake of criticism, but to point out inadequacies to rectify some of the shortcomings...SO THINGS LIKE THIS ARE MINIMIZED IN THE FUTURE. Many (and several on this board) take a true offense to constructive comments about Thailand and feel it is necessary to defend with comments saying that other countries (using the US is a favorite) have a problem as well. Turning a blind eye will not help this situation or others.

There is a very clear difference between the US, Euros, Aussies, etc...when it comes to safety, pollution, and corruption. Let's use some of them as benchmarks and improve Thailand rather than pointing out the problems in those countries. Those countries certainly have issues in these areas, but their safety records and environs are like padded rooms in comparison...

I think you have a problem with reading comprehension because you completely misread my post, and attributed comments that weren't even there. As others have said, this shouldn't be a thread for common bickering, so I will not comment further on your post; you probably wouldn't understand it anyway.

Where were the other trained staff with flashlights to direct the crowd?

What about the bouncers? Were they able to assist at all?

Most of your questions are not answerable yet (and may never be), but it has been reported that it was the staff that knew about the exits in back and used them.

I read somewhere that the band were able to get out via a rear exit. I imagine most customers were not aware of this exit and tried to escape through the way they came in.

It's very sad.

Yeah, but I think it is beyond sad. I think it was total neglect.

Friends, relatives and embassy people have been scouring the hospitals... still no luck.

Think I haven't slept in like 30 hours. Dude second from the left is Lu Wei Ye, Singaporean. In the center is Mark Laopiganonta, Thai/Canadian. Unfortunately this was the first time I've met the girl on the right, but her name (or nickname) sounded like Lyca; think she might be Thai.

I've got the list of hospitals from ThongLo police station this afternoon; called and visited pretty much all of them, including the morgue... no sign.

Bummer of the day: Realized I didn't actually stop to see a doctor for smoke inhalation. I dragged some girl out, then went back in again, but to no avail. Figured I'd drop by a 24 hour clinic on the way back... it's closed for New Year holidays. I guess I should've tried at one of the hospitals I visited today...

Fortunately, don't think I've got anything serious, just had a few bouts of nausea, but no black saliva or anything of the sort.

I'm so sorry for your ordeal, and hope you find everyone in recovery. Everytime I look at these video streams again, I feel so overwhelmingly sad. I feel so bad that this has occurred. My condolences to all who are suffering because of this horrofic nightmare that started out so innocently. It could have been any one of us, or any one of the people we know. My heart goes out to all of you.

[Tyree D.]

I see a lot of posters criticizing Thailand, its authorities and the establishment owners themselves. Although it is obvious that many things can and should be changed with regard to safety aspects in Thailand, just where does personal accountability come into play here?

Stop asking for and/or counting on government officials and business owners to babysit you, ultimately each person has the most influence upon their own safety and making the prudent decisions about such are your responsibility. If you don't like the arrangement of a certain establishment's exits.....leave. If you walk into a situation that is overcrowded.....leave. Take responsibility for your own safety and stop counting on or demanding from other people that they assure safety for you.

I have left many overcrowded establishments, changed taxis and even avoided certain places at certain times because it was prudent to do so in the name of safety. None of those people deserved what happened to them and it is a tragedy in anyone's book. Instead of looking for who to blame and criticize, take a minute and realize it is up to yourself to avoid these situations and assure (as much as possible) your own safety.

Let us hope that all societies learn from the tragedy but seeing that this has happened before in many other countries, it is doubtful that we, as the human race, will be wise enough to learn from history.

Regards to all!

Martian

I disagree 100%. Good for whoever already saw this was a hazard and left but not for those who came with a large crowd and was forced to stay. Plus for you first point, how many of us farangs questioned something about Thailand and tried to do something about it and FAILED? There were many times I got into arguments when Thails filled their car with gas with the engine still on and lost every time. There were times I put on a seatbelt and they ejected it saying "mai pen rai". My individual concerns for safety failed.

And when you live somewhere, you have nothing to do with a neighbor causing a fire or gas leak but your property and life is still in danger.

You can't escape certain hazards.

edit: I am glad I won the arguments where some drunk person tried to give me a ride home when I was gonna walk. Took over 20 minutes of bickering but I did that.

Edited January 2, 2009 by Tyree D.

[bravingbangkok]

I see a lot of posters criticizing Thailand, its authorities and the establishment owners themselves. Although it is obvious that many things can and should be changed with regard to safety aspects in Thailand, just where does personal accountability come into play here?

Stop asking for and/or counting on government officials and business owners to babysit you, ultimately each person has the most influence upon their own safety and making the prudent decisions about such are your responsibility. If you don't like the arrangement of a certain establishment's exits.....leave. If you walk into a situation that is overcrowded.....leave. Take responsibility for your own safety and stop counting on or demanding from other people that they assure safety for you.

I have left many overcrowded establishments, changed taxis and even avoided certain places at certain times because it was prudent to do so in the name of safety. None of those people deserved what happened to them and it is a tragedy in anyone's book. Instead of looking for who to blame and criticize, take a minute and realize it is up to yourself to avoid these situations and assure (as much as possible) your own safety.

Let us hope that all societies learn from the tragedy but seeing that this has happened before in many other countries, it is doubtful that we, as the human race, will be wise enough to learn from history.

Regards to all!

Martian

I disagree 100%. Good for whoever already saw this was a hazard and left but not for those who came with a large crowd and was forced to stay. Plus for you first point, how many of us farangs questioned something about Thailand and tried to do something about it and FAILED? There were many times I got into arguments when Thails filled their car with gas with the engine still on and lost every time. There were times I put on a seatbelt and they ejected it saying "mai pen rai". My individual concerns for safety failed.

And when you live somewhere, you have nothing to do with a neighbor causing a fire or gas leak but your property and life is still in danger.

You can't escape certain hazards.

edit: I am glad I won the arguments where some drunk person tried to give me a ride home when I was gonna walk. Took over 20 minutes of bickering but I did that.

To add to the above taste of reality I would just say that everything good has a bad side. Thailand is a heavy heavy heavy place to live but unfortunately it has its bad sides and safety is heavily overlooked.

For Johnathen Head and co to start a witch hunt and bring the truth to the surface is just silly and pathetic and quite frankly a waste of time, this also just adds to my theory that Johnathen Head hates Thailand and thus should not be reporting here. All he seems to do is bring it's faults to light and nothing else,**flame removed** no doubt as before end up in trouble with the authorities. Report how horrible it was and that the fire exits were sub standard but do not get political about it explaining to the British public that police and army officals take back handers ! how unprofessional to use a time of saddness and tragedy as a political and social ploy....are you at war with Thai society or something ?

I hope the new PM does something about this situation because I am constantly in the clubs of Bangkok for work not play and constantly fear for my safety. I was in a club in London once which set alight and can tell you from experience that with flamable material a fire can spread through a large room very very very quickly and I mean a matter of seconds especially with low ceilings.

[taxexile]

QUOTE (HorseDoctor @ 2009-01-01 22:02:41)

Some cultures revere life, others don't.

It's just the posturing of Tland as a safe place that gets me..Tourists are really clueless to the realities.

that sums it up in a nutshell.

anybody ever seen a dedicated fire exit in mbk shopping centre ?

Edited January 2, 2009 by taxexile

[aromsia]

Well done Andrew Jones and thanks for that comprehensive debrief.

I can't help but wonder if the info sharing here is probably better than the police/fire dept report being gathered. Have any ot the authorities apoken to you? If I was leading th investigation I would be requesting a copy of the video at least.

At the bottom is BBC's latest report - which I think sums up the mood in the aftermath (certainly my own mood - arom). And to those who say that justice will be done, and if something was illegal owners will pay with jail time, I say 'no they won't.' Because this is Thailand and that's not how it works here.

Many will remember the collapse of the water slide here. Remember the owner was going to close it down? Remember the photos of the obvious neglect? Well? Any updates? The way it works here is a quiet discussion with the victim's family - a monetary payoff - the police often mediate (for a cut) and that's the end of it. That's the cold hard truth of it I'm afraid..But in this case, as I said before, these aren't bar girls from Issaan that the owner can't just brush off the deaths with 40 or 50,000 baht to the grieving families (welcome to the realities of class-riddled thailand). This one will prove to be more difficult - but I still don't expect to see anyone of any stature held criminally accountable (except maybe a DJ or club manager, etc), nor should anyone else.

Here's the link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7807202.stm

Edited January 2, 2009 by aromsia