Nightclubs At Risk

[mommysboy]

It has been a tradegy and a sudden loss to those that lost their lives in the fire at Santika on New Years Night just after midnight when fireworks ignited the building causing a loss of over 60 people dead.

Since this incident I have witnessed the most horrific scene for 2009. I have decided to investigate and question other club owners in popular areas including Bangkok's number one back packing district, Khaosan Rd.

Just 1 day after the incident at Santika in Ekkamai. I went to Khaosan road on a busy evening during New Years day of 2009. I went to one the popular bars called "Gullivers" which is situated on the corner of the main walking street.

The security staff at the font of the door did check pockets by padding there hands against my body checking for weapons, knives, guns, and possibly drugs. Though the check is not secure, its just a quick safety measure.

The main entrance to this bar has only 2 doors which open up in either direction. Once inside the bar, there is no fire exit visible nor any green lights above th ceiling stating "Fire Exit". I walked around inside and noticed a smoking lounge that was in a secure room from the rest of the bar area. I took a closer look inside and noticed a door that they claim to be a fire exit. It was locked and needed to be opened by a key from a member of staff. The door was made of glass with a bar across the middle. However, the smoking room does not seem to be fitted witha sprinkler system nor any emergency exit.

I continued to look around the bar and went upstairs to the pool and bar area. I noticed above me was a green sign near the stairway which leads to the smoking room but the door is locked! The only exit for this club if there was an emergency would be the front main door.

The room inside the bar has sound proof cushion foam against all the walls. The floor is made of marble tiles and the furnitures are made of wood including the bar area, tables, chairs and pool tables.

I asked to speak with the manager of this bar, but he was unavailable. I did however speak with a supervisor at the front door and asked him about his emergency plan. He said "Our staff are trained to deal with the situation, the authorities check our building every month". I then asked him why is the emergency door locked? He said "It's not locked but someone has a key to unlock it". I then asked do you have a fire sprinkler system installed. He said "We have fire extinguishers that can put the fire out if there was an emergency".

Gulliver's capicity of people can reach to about 300 to 500 on busy nights. And it's smaller than Santika.

I then decided to visit another nightclub, named "The Club" just a little walk away from Gullivers. The owner of this club was a foreigner.

I walked inside the club without being checked by security. I thought immediately I could be a threat to the club, the people inside and emergency crew if they had to arrive. I took a close look at the ceiling and walls. The ceilings were covered with white cloth that seems to be made from cotton or some kind of soft material. This also looks highly flammable. I did not see any sprinkler system on the ceiling. I only saw two fire extinguishers, one blue bottle and one red bottle.

The dance floor inside the club had a bar, a DJ stand that overlooks the dance floor. Behind the bar there is an emergency exit, which at the time of looking was blocked by crates of beer, at least 2 stacks high.

The toilets have both male and female secluded areas, but both these toilets does not have an emergency exit. Worse still, the toilets to this club are at the rear of the club, so if there was a fire. Your going to be trapped inside.

I asked to speak with the manager of The Club and we spoke outside. He was very hesitant about who I was. I told him I was representing the BBC from London and wanted to ask a few questions about his club. I asked him why is the emergency door blocked by crates of beer. He said it was not blocked. I then asked do you have a sprinkler system installed. he claimed it was above the ceiling but you can't see it. He also said he had fire extinguishers in the building. I asked him if he could show the emergency exit, he said, "No".

The overall conclusion to this short investigation, that clubs in Bangkok are not safe or regulated enough for the safety others. We need to act and to protect those that wish to enjoy themselves on a night out.

Some accidents are just accidents. A serious fire in a night club is a result of negligence on the part of 1 or more people/agencies. It's barbaric. It's criminal and IMHO all nightclubs should be closed down. It must not happen again and prison sentences of 10 years and above are called for.

[britmaveric]

Are your comments on Bangok's safety codes based on fact or based on opinion? I am not trying to be argumentative here, but I have been told that Bangkok's fire safety codes are up to par with most countries in the west, but the problem is the codes are never enforced.

Look around you and I think you will see for yourself... look at electrical for starters. Thai(s) insist a ground is not necessary.

[Old Man River]

Are your comments on Bangok's safety codes based on fact or based on opinion? I am not trying to be argumentative here, but I have been told that Bangkok's fire safety codes are up to par with most countries in the west, but the problem is the codes are never enforced.

Look around you and I think you will see for yourself... look at electrical for starters. Thai(s) insist a ground is not necessary.

You have a point.

[nudnik]

Thai have no concept of responsability? ok, but who has then? Our nice home country? Sorry NO! May be your home country has security laws that are better enforced than here but that's all. I'm quite sure that every club owner in the US would take away every security system if they could and if it would make them save as little as 100 bucks, without any feeling of responsability. And the same applies to MY home country so I'm not blaming anyone here. I have travelled many countries and I have never seen a club owner with any feeling of responsability anywhere. Only feeling afraid of being closed (and thus not making money) for not complying to the standards.

Same same everywhere

That's a very nice trick moving the conversation from the tragedy here to people getting away with something in fictional la la land. And it might have worked had I been a mindless fool. Let's talk about Thailand.

Let me point out to you nick boy, that this is a board primarily about things Thai. It is not a board about the USA, or England and egads, it isn't about Australia. It's about Thailand.

There will be a demand for the owners heads of the Santika and likely some low level cops who aren't on the take will also fall as they will be blamed for protecting the nightclub owning Thais.

I will answer your simple ruse designed to obfuscate the situation, if an owner of a club knowingly makes the club unsafe and knows that he can be held responsible in civil and criminal court, then he might think twice.

In this case they ran the club sloppily in complete deference to the safety of their guests. Whatever money they have will likely be taken in a lawsuit.

Why do you think he was so quick to hand a mere pittance of 20,000 baht to living family of the deceased. He paid them off. They can't sue him now if they accepted.

the 2 million baht this guy is collecting from the owners is nothing compared to his liability down the road should someone sue his corporation.

Does anyone here properly read English and understand it?

He's covering his ass, not making amends.

Edited January 5, 2009 by nudnik

[t.s]

OP, may i commend you on your hindsight?

Edited January 5, 2009 by t.s

[Smithson]

Are your comments on Bangok's safety codes based on fact or based on opinion? I am not trying to be argumentative here, but I have been told that Bangkok's fire safety codes are up to par with most countries in the west, but the problem is the codes are never enforced.

Look around you and I think you will see for yourself... look at electrical for starters. Thai(s) insist a ground is not necessary.

That's right, you don't need to be an expert to see the dangers. Most clubs I've been to only have one exit. Lucifer's is the best example, on the third floor, up a narrow flight of stairs and through a small door. Complete death trap.