Santika Fire Remembered

[prefabs]

Now almost 2 years since the tragic event. For the life of me, I can't remember ever seeing the people responsible being in court yet. I remember the singer was charged with fireworks infringements and the car park attendant suddenly found out he was Managing Director or something, but anypone have a better memory?

[Fookhaht]

Here, if you have money and connections, you don't go to court.

[CanInBKK]

It certainly seems that way!

[Forethat]

There's a discussion on telly right now about all the ghosts in the burnt out place.

A finer example of something true Thai we may never experience.

[ThaiPauly]

I'm sure the Ghots of Santika are not happy about this, especally as the PM made such a song and dance about ensuring that those responsible were brought to justice, then the place is demolished before any trials, and turns out that a senior police chief owned shares in the club and that the place was not even licensed to sell alcohol, and the fire escapes were blocked and saftey inspections were a thing of teh past once the big boy in brown became involved A tragic waste of young lives

[jfchandler]

This appears to have been the most recent report that surfaces here on ThaiVisa....

[bonobo]

Every time I drive past the place, I shudder and think that, for the grace of God, I could have been there. I don't go out much, but my friend's friend invited us to go, but we got a late start and were tired, so we cancelled. Although their table was right in the front, the all got out OK, but still, I thank my lucky stars that we were tired and didn't go.

[saintofsilence]

Update Dec 31 2010 http://en.isnhotnews.com/?p=3935

Few inspections, poor safety enforcement

Little has been done to ensure the safety of patrons at most entertainment venues against disasters like the Santika club blaze two years ago, a building safety expert says.

A fire broke out at Santika club in Bangkok’s Ekamai area during the 2009 New Year celebrations, killing 66 revellers and injuring hundreds more.

Police have established fireworks as the cause of the tragedy, but it was the lax safety and fire prevention standards that have been raised as the greatest concerns. Authorities have been urged to ensure safety law compliance at entertainment places.

However, Chollachai Thammaviwatnukoon, president of the Building Safety Inspectors and Officers Association, said this type of business consistently fails to improve safety.

“The situation remains the same,” Mr Chollachai said. “Most entertainment places haven’t been properly inspected and regulated [to ensure compliance with required safety standards].” The lessons from the tragedy had yet to be learned.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) also has not effectively enforced the regulations. This could be due to a lack of resources or overlapping authority with the police.

The BMA should have forced all places to follow these measures.

Mr Chollachai said venues should also be forced to limit the number of patrons they are allowed to admit to avoid crushes.

Even though the Santika incident took place in Bangkok, safety measures should also be enforced at venues in the provinces.

The BMA recently ran a campaign asking nightspots to provide safety measures during the festive season.

Bandit Winitchaikul, a director of Watthana district administration, said he had asked for the cooperation of business operators.

Some told him they could not afford equipment such as sprinkler systems so would opt for water buckets, he said.

Meanwhile, more laws and regulations are in the pipeline in the wake of the Santika blaze.

Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning director-general Udom Puasakul said a new regulation stipulating additional safety measures for entertainment places would take effect early next year.

It specified what types of materials were prohibited from use in such venues, such as flammable substances.

It also included specific requirements on fire exits and evacuation systems for all venues.

The Council of State is considering a bill on additional safety measures for entertainment places.

Charoenrat Chutikarn, the Bangkok city clerk, admitted a disciplinary investigation into the alleged involvement of BMA officials in the Santika blaze had not been concluded after two years.

“It is [still] in the process of inquiry and fact-finding,” he said.

http://en.isnhotnews.com/?p=3935

[JWJ]

Certainly the laws already exist to prevent a tragedy.

Unfortunately the police use the laws to extort the lawbreakers for personal profits....and the crimes are allowed to continue.

Let's be honest.

Thai police and gov officials are responsible for the deaths. Agreed?

[saintofsilence]

The BMA recently ran a campaign asking nightspots to provide safety measures during the festive season.

Bandit Winitchaikul, a director of Watthana district administration, said he had asked for the cooperation of business operators.

Some told him they could not afford equipment such as sprinkler systems so would opt for water buckets, he said.

[neverdie]

Corruption is a cancer that just eats at the very core of the community.

Its easy to see what the results of this are, just look at whats going on here today around the place.

[jfchandler]

You could figure a couple different things here...

Either 1, perhaps the BMA folks are too busy running around chasing and fining farang cigarette butt droppers on Sukhumvit Road, and similar high priority tasks, to worry about enforcing regulations that would keep people from getting killed.

And/or 2, the BMA might have been or tried to be reasonably diligent in regards to Santika, but any attempted enforcement basically hit a stone wall because of who the owner/partner or whatever was wearing the color of brown.

I always am amused when people get killed, whether at Santika or the recent expressway deaths or the like, and the government's response is to ASK the involved businesses or providers to get their act together...

They don't ASK me if I'd like to do 90 day reports or not. They don't ASK me if I want to get my visa or extension on time...

How about doing something more than ASKING.

[jfchandler]

In many ways, Thailand is a great place to live, and I obviously think so, since I've chosen to live here..

But its episodes like this that make it clear: the rule of law, as most westerners know it, really doesn't exist here.

That's one of the not so great things about living here. You are taking your life in your hands, to a certain extent.

Charoenrat Chutikarn, the Bangkok city clerk, admitted a disciplinary investigation into the alleged involvement of BMA officials in the Santika blaze had not been concluded after two years.

“It is [still] in the process of inquiry and fact-finding,” he said.

http://en.isnhotnews.com/?p=3935

[DLock]

I was thinking about this just this morning in relation to that girl that killed 9 people on the Motorway.

If her Family can use their connections and the Thai legal system (oxymoron) to delay and delay her case....

...in 2 years from now you will be asking the same thing about her.

[JWJ]

"Chollachai Thammaviwatnukoon, president of the Building Safety Inspectors and Officers Association, said this type of business consistently fails to improve safety.

“The situation remains the same,” Mr Chollachai said. “Most entertainment places haven’t been properly inspected...."

How about this idea.... Fire this jerk and get someone in there to inspect these places and enforce current laws.

[geronimo]

Once you've been here a while you see through all the smiling faces and the so called good intentions. We have to just accept the fact that money and power are all that count here. The land of smiles is actually better named the land of hypocrisy and double standards!!

[Newguy70]

Op: I do not recall any closure on the following matter.

Off topic a little:

This is regarding the comments regarding Rule of Law or Law

You are welcome visit this counrty, we have a law for everything. I left a cournty where the tax dollars are spent for feeding, entertaining and housing the so called justice you are seeking. True justice would be to have them swing from a tree for this type of crime plain and simple. Putting the individuals in jail does nothing but strain a system/nations finances. You can't have your cake, and eat it too... Once you put the ball in motion, it wil not stop.

Would you prefer this sytem?

Runaway groom: Jilted bride sues ex-fiance for $100K

He dumped 32-year-old lawyer just four days before the ceremony.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40821215/ns/today-today_people/

:jap:

[jfchandler]

Yesterday on Channel 9 TV, there was a horribly disfigured and burned woman on a news interview show who was one of the victims of the Santika fire.... Of course, the entire quite long interview was in Thai, so I couldn't follow it all.

But my wife said the woman, who has already undergone multiple surgeries and still faces more in the future, has received only 100,000 baht compensation from the club or its representatives...now more than two years later.

I must say, the disfigurement of this woman was among the worst I've ever seen for someone who actually survived.... Terrible to see.... Obviously much worse to be the victim of... And no justice, at least thus far, in this case either.