Fire Safety At Dj Station Bangkok?

[TIPSYBOB]

Scorecard, I totally agree with your comments. I first would like to add my own.

I sadly admit. My disco years are behind me. But I did go to DJ or Soi 2 for the last time some 7 or 8 years ago. I never went back because I realised it was a fire trap. The BF avoids it for the same reason.

Back home many years ago I was in a Disco/bar when fire broke out. Every man for himself. Being in my mid-twenties then I was able to wrestle my way out. Many did not. I lost many friends. This was a one story building. Do not underestimate the effect of fumes. It kills more than fire itself.

The only thing on wheels that can go in Soi 2 is a bycicle or a motorcycle. No way a fire truck, even a pick-up can go in.

That in itself should be one of the many criterias the Authorities should look into.

I am not too familiar with the Silom geography around Soi 2 except that it is a a very narrow lane. Are there any fire hydrant nearby???

Mr./Khun Than, If the fire department, located in Bangrak on Suriwong, is called there, by the time they reach Soi 2 with the, Silom traffic, buses, vendors and their pick-up trucks by the curb, parked taxis etc it would take them 15-20 minutes to reach DJ with any kind of water. By that time DJ customers would have to deal with toxic fumes, stampede and total chaos.

These metal stairs from floor to floor are not the easiest one to negociate. Many customers are not in their prime years.....

Coming back to that security guy with the key to the exit door. wHAT A JOKE.

Why DJ does not have a metal door at that exit with a waist high push out bar to open the door in case of emergency. Or any given exits for that matter. A writen note, Thai and English, on the door saying that a siren will sound if opened can be added to deter any cheap walking guest, not wanting to pay the entrance fee but helped by an already in friend. The security guys should be stationed there. No need for a key. He, the security guy would be the first one to exit in a case of a fire and hopefully help the others. Don't hold your breath on that one. In such a situation it's every man for himself.

I refrain to comment on the pictures we all seen of the so called exits from DJ.

A further post???

[endure]

Scorecard, I totally agree with your comments. I first would like to add my own.

I sadly admit. My disco years are behind me. But I did go to DJ or Soi 2 for the last time some 7 or 8 years ago. I never went back because I realised it was a fire trap. The BF avoids it for the same reason.

Back home many years ago I was in a Disco/bar when fire broke out. Every man for himself. Being in my mid-twenties then I was able to wrestle my way out. Many did not. I lost many friends. This was a one story building. Do not underestimate the effect of fumes. It kills more than fire itself.

If you're caught in a fire you should crouch down to avoid fumes. You'll know when you're low enough because you'll feel the heat abate on the top of your ears. You then get out as quickly as possible.

[Frenchtouch]

Just a few days ago, last friday night, there was a power cut at 1 A.M. in soi 2.

DJ and all the bars, except one, had no electricity.

By then, I was at Expresso, waiting for the show to start.

Blackout.

There were some emergency lights, no problem, we were not in the dark. But I was literally stuck in Expresso as the flow of people leaving DJ was so important we couldn't get out or even move an inch towards the exit.

For the next 20 minutes, the flow didn't stop.

We had to wait inside so that all the customers at DJ could leave the club.

I realized how disproportionate was the exit of the soi compared with the number of people inside the different bars.

There was no panic as it was just a power cut but I can easily imagine the same thing if a fire occurred. Only the patrons near the narrow front doors downstairs would managed to escape unharmed.

I heard on the 2nd floor of DJ, it was the same as the "passage" between the two buildings is so narrow.

There was no fire, no smoke, no fear, no panic and it took me for ages to get out of the bar.

What would it look like if things were different? I just don't want to think about it.

I must say that since the terribleaccident on New Year's Eve, I never stay too far from an emergency exit at DJ. I have already checked how I would leave the building in case of a fire. It's a pity, it's a friendly place but it seems business owners here do not care much about their patrons'safety.

[exexpat]

People have been saying this about DJ for years, DJ is not a new bar, been around DECADES, but nobody has ever bothered to think about the risks until Santika. And long after people forgot Santika...they will not bother to think about it. Santika is not the only place that has burned down, a gay sauna in Chinatown burned to the ground this January as well, with some boys running into the street nothing but towels...

BTW, don't forget that Thailand doesn't have grounded electricity supplies like back home. The third plug in most buildings is connected to nothing, so even a three pronged plug is basically "non-grounded". There have been numerous instances of fire resulting from sparking electronics as a mall burning to the ground from sparking electrical sockets in Chiang Mai, they were simply too cheap to install proper wiring and lost their $100 million building. (many electronics here are cheap, unsafe, horrible knockoffs of Japanese brands, like Hanabishi and Panabishi to name a few, and thai people certainly are not careful about water and electricity, and leave wires exposed. The farang who got electrocuted and died in Pattaya crossing in the street after a rainstorm last year wasn't the first...

Besides many accidents in the prone and careless nation, all it takes is a member of the PAD, Pattani movement, or any other of the numerous political fragments in Thailand or an external influence that sees gays as an easy target to make a huge scene erupting in fire at DJ Station soi, stop gay tourism in its tracks, and take out a whole bunch of clubbers, make flee long stay gay men and the cash they bring, and basically destroy gay tourist industry here. This goes for the other Thai urban gay venues as well. What would they have against gays or Thailand you say? Don't be naive, PAD stopped a gay march, and practically any other political faction could pressure the government by shutting down gay tourism, obviously a big and irreplaceable money stream as girls are for sale everywhere, but boys are not. Despite what you may think, there are still many who hate or have a grudge against gay people.

Edited March 22, 2009 by exexpat

[Tyke]

People have been saying this about DJ for years, DJ is not a new bar, been around DECADES, but nobody has ever bothered to think about the risks until Santika. And long after people forgot Santika...they will not bother to think about it. Santika is not the only place that has burned down, a gay sauna in Chinatown burned to the ground this January as well, with some boys running into the street nothing but towels...

BTW, don't forget that Thailand doesn't have grounded electricity supplies like back home. The third plug in most buildings is connected to nothing, so even a three pronged plug is basically "non-grounded". There have been numerous instances of fire resulting from sparking electronics as a mall burning to the ground from sparking electrical sockets in Chiang Mai, they were simply too cheap to install proper wiring and lost their $100 million building. (many electronics here are cheap, unsafe, horrible knockoffs of Japanese brands, like Hanabishi and Panabishi to name a few, and thai people certainly are not careful about water and electricity, and leave wires exposed. The farang who got electrocuted and died in Pattaya crossing in the street after a rainstorm last year wasn't the first...

Besides many accidents in the prone and careless nation, all it takes is a member of the PAD, Pattani movement, or any other of the numerous political fragments in Thailand or an external influence that sees gays as an easy target to make a huge scene erupting in fire at DJ Station soi, stop gay tourism in its tracks, and take out a whole bunch of clubbers, make flee long stay gay men and the cash they bring, and basically destroy gay tourist industry here. This goes for the other Thai urban gay venues as well. What would they have against gays or Thailand you say? Don't be naive, PAD stopped a gay march, and practically any other political faction could pressure the government by shutting down gay tourism, obviously a big and irreplaceable money stream as girls are for sale everywhere, but boys are not. Despite what you may think, there are still many who hate or have a grudge against gay people.

Well, bit of a rant, although some of it is justified. First DJ Station has been around since the very early 90s - not earlier, and it transformed the farang focused gay scene in BKK because you could meet ordinary Thai gays without any money being involved - before that there were only the go-go bars if you discount Rome Club which wasn't that big or popular or Telephone bar which is still the same as it ever was, unfortunately. DJ has not changed much and its safety certainly hasn't. I doubt that many things would stop gays holidaying here - even if there was a grand fire at DJs. The attraction for gays is too strong to let a fire put them off. They would still come but maybe avoid large gatherings like discos.

As for the statement that ".....girls are for sale everywhere, but boys are not", well .......mmmmmm

[PeaceBlondie]

We know for sure that a violent red shirt mob stopped the Gay Pride march in Chiang Mai recently. When did PAD stop a gay march?

[Tyke]

We know for sure that a violent red shirt mob stopped the Gay Pride march in Chiang Mai recently. When did PAD stop a gay march?

Hugh? How many gay marches were planned when PAD were active in their regions? If I remember correctly, the 'internal secretary' or something in Thaksin's first government targetted gay places when he introduced the 2 am closing and upped the minimum age to 20 years for clubs. Both factions are populist right wingers capable of anything to get their own way - and if that means targetting minorities, including gays, then they will do it - plz don't ever forget that.

[Ijustwannateach]

I think we are off-topic here... there's room for a political thread in the gay subforum, but I don't think fire safety is the place to do it...

[BarryM]

So seven months after santika has any competent authority in Bangkok inspected dj station? Or is it still a death trap ?

[simcity]

So seven months after santika has any competent authority in Bangkok inspected dj station? Or is it still a death trap ?

i am sure they go there for the tea money !

[elkangorito]

I've stopped going to DJ Station in Soi 2 silom as it freaked me out with so many people crammed in shoulder to shoulder and apparently one one exit into a narrow, crowded soi. Not to mention the very random looking exposed electrical cables around the bar. Does anyone inspect these places?

I first went there 3 years ago. I haven't been since then & I will not go there again, because of the fire risk involved. I also didn't like the fact that it takes 20 minutes to get to the toilet.

Edited August 16, 2009 by elkangorito

[Rionoir]

it would take them 15-20 minutes to reach DJ with any kind of water

Have you ever seen the Thai fire brigade show up at a fire? I used to live right by the Cybertower twin towers on Ratchada, and lived there a couple years ago when they still doing construction and had coated the buildings with some completely flammable insullation. So, there we were, two 50 story buildings completely engulfed in flames, and this was the "water" the fire department showed up with... I never laughed so hard in my life. If you can't tell, this is a ancient little pump truck... trying to pull some water out of the digusting little sewage drain or whatever it was running past there... (this is my picture, my apartment window actually opened up to face directly to these buildings)

[elkangorito]

Building Fire Safety is less than a joke in Thailand.

Has anyone ever experienced the wonderful Thai "emergency lighting"? If you're not in a 5 star hotel, you will suffer an entire blackout.

I can tell you a lot more about "real" emergency lighting.

[Falcoglobalsolutions]

Anyone been to 'Warmup' dance club in CM on a Friday or Saturday night? Scary or what? Never mind about a fire starting - trying to get out from the dance floor area to simply have a pee or leave the place is a nightmare. There is one narrow entrance/exit point with everyone pushing and shoving to get in or out and after about 10pm it is absolutely frightening. You feel completely crushed to death and the breath squeezed out of you as you try and push or are pushed in either direction. God knows what would happen in an emergency: absolutely no chance of survival. There is no one controlling the entrance or exit to this area so it is everyman/woman for themselves.

I was really frightened when I tried to simply exit for a pee, having entered before 10pm, when it was relatively easy to get in or out.

wow. Despite some really explicit photos

Look at the exit and ladder pic. Imagine dozens of people pushing to get out and not knowing there is a ladder? You'd have dozens of broken limbs and concussions as people fell on top of each other.

Hi

Err.... i fail to see any single one picture in this entire topic? either i'm blind or stupid or my computer refuses to show them, however it does show pictures in other threads (if there are any) just fine.

Then - the exit (at least that fire exit i was referring to) is on the ground floor - what would you need a ladder for?? Maybe we are talking about different buildings?

I agree that a fire exit is not supposed to be locked - however this is unfortunately common practise here, but at least a guard with a key is THERE unlike many other places which i saw with locked (and chained!) fire exits with nobody at all anywhere close that could have a key for that lock (the place that tops it was in Chiang Mai, one particular shopping center - Central Kad Sun Kaew, ALL fire exits locked, chained with multiple (!!) padlocks and doors that open inwards - you can't even kick them in in case of an emergency.

Regarding that guard at DJ, i been standing at that particular spot a number of times (not because of that exit but because that corner is least crowded and one can actually breathe there) and that guard has never moved away from that spot, he sits there untouched by anyone or anything just sipping his water and looking around. The only people he talks to seem to be the waiters.

As to "combustible materials", i know well that electric lines and conduits can burn - however in DJ all visible conduits are made from metal, even the aircon outlets are metal. I stand firm in my belief that the only thing that could possibly light up into a fire large enough NOT to be extinguished by a bottle of drinking water would be the stage respectively the curtain, for the latter it would have to happen prior to the show though because later the curtain is rolled up and the stage full of people.

The largest plastic items i have seen in DJ are the loudspeakers - hardly a fire source..... sure they can accelerate a fire but one has to be there first, a fire does not START in a loudspeaker and with only concrete and steel surrounding the speaker... Oops, one of my diplomas is in the electric field, i know about cable fires and how they are caused respectively how they can and do develop - long before a wire or it's insulation starts to burn the surrounding material will go up in flame, and if there is nothing... well..... as long as they have breakers in their systems it's unlikely to happen there.

Oh, the DJ booth/desks. Visibly from the the second floor are two large fire extinguishers there, as pretty much all electrical equipment and panels are located there.

Again, i do NOT believe in DJ being a firetrap.

Oh, and i wouldn't invest in real estate unless it's in Chiang Mai (and out of the city, too!) and certainly not in petroleum futures - for petroleum has no future

Best regards.....

Thanh

PS are you guys also going for leisurely strolls in those clothes-stall-areas of department stores? Like the ground floor of MBK or Chatuchak market (worst!) or similar places? You will not find me THERE - because THERE you got it all: Plenty of combustibles, usually crowded, no fire extinguishing equipment whatsoever and shoddy electrical installations everywhere with sparks visibly flying. Ticking time bombs, such areas.

I was at DJ not to long ago and know some of the bartenders and the ladies there. I asked about the fire exits and about some of the rumors already posted online about them and talked about at some of the places on Silom soi 4. The bartender just told me to go over to the door on the 2nd floor and look outside. He told me, the owner of the DJ, in fact owns all the clubs in that soi and does not really care. He just pays of the police and goes about his business.

All the so called "Fire Exits / Emergency exits" are death traps. Just go up to the 2nd floor and look out the semi dark window and look down. NO LADDER or Stairs. On the 3rd floor is another door near the restrooms, and it opens to an empty room, that is all. There was a website posted online not to long ago, which had photos of this place, but have not seen it for quite some time.

The only so called Fire exits would have to be considered the main enterences, but "if" there is a fire!!!! Then, I would hate to be the one seeing 300 drunk and dazed tourists trying to get out them doors and out the soi. There was a website posted online which had the pho

But, who is to say, that all the other dance / pubs have the same problem. Safety is not a big issue to thai's.

[elkangorito]

Even though it may mean a greatly reduced "night life", I recommend boycotting these inner city places. If the number of customers drop significantly & provided that the proprietors know why, they will hopefully make their establishments safer for all.