Fire On 7th Floor Of FICO Building, Asoke Area: Bangkok

[oldsailor35]

"Over ten fire engines rushed to the scene but it was difficult for firemen to reach the seventh floor with the hoses and the fire ladder was difficult to operate at the area had many power cables."

now they might realize why those pesky farangs have such strict fire codes in their high rises.

good luck all - getting out and recovering the damage.

So, with no working knowledge of how this fire started, how it is being managed, or what the final toll is...your conclusion is that "Thai Bad" - "Farang Good"

Like you , I hope no one is injured, and the damage is minor. Hopefully, the offices are vacant on Saturday.

Really, the Farang do not have fires? Really? Wish I knew that, since I lost two dear friends in one...in the USA.

OK, lets forget about USA. They are not as special as they think they are ! However i do know that fire restrictions are extremely strict in Queensland with fire escapes and sprinkler systems on all floors.

[metisdead]

Off topic conspiracies, comments on moderation and disguised flame posts have been removed.

[scotsdude]

Isn't it amazing that so many comments already criticise Thai standards.

If you don't like it, here's an idea: go home.

Have some sense and compassion.

What a very childish comment...

[thaitwp]

Isn't it amazing that so many comments already criticise Thai standards.

If you don't like it, here's an idea: go home.

Have some sense and compassion.

A shallow and ignorant response here.

The point is Thailand has obviously inadequate safety standards, not only as depicted here, but in MANY areas.

Don't attack people who state fact.

The fire appliances could not get water to the areas needed due to their inadequate controls of electrical cables!!

Have you never walked outside and looked up at the cables???

Best you reserve your comments until you have lived here a while!

[philw]

Isn't it amazing that so many comments already criticise Thai standards.

If you don't like it, here's an idea: go home.

Have some sense and compassion.

Thank you for that !!!

]

[mikeinbangkok]

Just to clarify a few points. Fico owners are Thai Indians and not Farangs or foreigners per se. The building was designed and built by Thais under Thai laws. These facts have no relevance to the unfortunate incident where many of the working class might be jobless. As for the owners, it would be an inconvenience but a move to other offices, negotiations with insurance and probably a brand new building which will yield better rents should be in the cards. So bottom line like in many other cases: the staff will suffer; owners and the senior executives would benefit in the long run.

[vahack]

"Over ten fire engines rushed to the scene but it was difficult for firemen to reach the seventh floor with the hoses and the fire ladder was difficult to operate at the area had many power cables."

now they might realize why those pesky farangs have such strict fire codes in their high rises.

good luck all - getting out and recovering the damage.

So, with no working knowledge of how this fire started, how it is being managed, or what the final toll is...your conclusion is that "Thai Bad" - "Farang Good"

Like you , I hope no one is injured, and the damage is minor. Hopefully, the offices are vacant on Saturday.

Really, the Farang do not have fires? Really? Wish I knew that, since I lost two dear friends in one...in the USA.

read my reply and what i replied to. it was about fire safety. western buildings have water access on all floors.

but hey Richard, i am glad you are here to be the TV police and put us all in our place.

[Jerrytheyoung]

Maybe everybody should refrain to jump to conclusions and wait for the result of investigations. Too many childish comments on this forum

[soihok]

Can't believe that afire in an office block has enabled the usual suspects to come out and bash Thailand. Pretty sure we still have fires back in the UK. My impression of firefighters in Bangkok is that they do a very good job. I'll agree that some of the wiring and power cables aren't exactly great here - but there are a lot of things back home that aren't great. Anyone read about the bloke that drowned in 3 foot of water, as the police and fire brigade looked on, because Health abd Safety rules wouldn't allow then to walk in to the pond to get the person out as they had not done a submersible certificate.

Too right MT.

H&S gone mad, kind of shooting itself in the foot.

Now, I,m off to get an Indian takeaway, but I must try and do the risk assessment on " off to get an Indian takeaway" before I go and follow it or other wise I will be at risk of getting into all sorts of bother, then end up taking myself to court.

Edited March 3, 2012 by soihok

[oldsailor35]

RT @RichardBarrow: 2:53pm Picture of the fire at the FICO building in Bangkok - RT @Buapuan: ไฟไหม้อาคาร FICO http://bit.ly/xWC0aP

RT @RichardBarrow: 3pm Pic of the fire in the FICO building on Asok. Looks to be on the 7th floor - RT @soolloos: http://bit.ly/AhqLkH

Glad to see the firefighters have the equipment for highrises.

lately with a discusion for a expensive high rise condo in Pattaya the owner defended itwith "the higher te more higher the price"

that time ireply already , "what about the Pattaya firebrigade"???? equippement a New York needed..........!!

<deleted> ?

[thaitwp]

It is too bad that so many know so little and think they know so much...Having been in the fire service in CA USA for 30 years, I can say that any major city in the world can suffer major highrise fires at any time, and the firefighters hate them. I also think the Thai haters should go back to wherever they came from. I can recall many highrise fires like MGM Las Vegas and a major hotel in Sao Paulo Brazil that challenge fire departments around the world. Thanks for the hard work firefighters!!!

Dude

You then of all people should NOT be comparing high rise infrastructure fires in Vegas to BKK.

Not even close

It's not Thai Hating, it's the inadequate controls of electrical infrastructure here that hinders fire fighting!!!!

You of all people should get that before commenting if you really have the experience you say you do!

[burnsie]

Unbelievable how many armchair firemen, who've watched a bit of reality t.v. want to have a pop at the Thai Fire Service . Having served with the London Fire Brigade for 15 years before being medically retired, no one can really comment on what goes on on the fireground until you've had to deal with access,lack of water and all the other problems that get thrown at you at the same time, on top of that the thais have to do this with not the greatest equipment out there. Good luck to them they deserve a round of applause!!

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[harrry]

I do not think anyone is disparaging the firemen. I would not like to have their impossible job. Equipment problems including thongs for safety boots are not caused by them but by government actions and inactions.

[oldsailor35]

It is too bad that so many know so little and think they know so much...Having been in the fire service in CA USA for 30 years, I can say that any major city in the world can suffer major highrise fires at any time, and the firefighters hate them. I also think the Thai haters should go back to wherever they came from. I can recall many highrise fires like MGM Las Vegas and a major hotel in Sao Paulo Brazil that challenge fire departments around the world. Thanks for the hard work firefighters!!!

No shit Sherlock ?

[kennkate]

Unbelievable how many armchair firemen, who've watched a bit of reality t.v. want to have a pop at the Thai Fire Service . Having served with the London Fire Brigade for 15 years before being medically retired, no one can really comment on what goes on on the fireground until you've had to deal with access,lack of water and all the other problems that get thrown at you at the same time, on top of that the thais have to do this with not the greatest equipment out there. Good luck to them they deserve a round of applause!!

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Agree 100% Deserve more than a round of applause. It's a difficult job in the with right conditions and the very best equipment.

[TackyToo]

Isn't it amazing that so many comments already criticise Thai standards.

If you don't like it, here's an idea: go home.

Have some sense and compassion.

Quite!

However, commenting on safety regulations or the lack of same might eventually mean that same would be revised.

Telling someone to stop commenting and advising to go home is not really the way.

Have some sense and compassion?

Indeed for the victims compassion, but definitely not for those who think that having safety regulations is just hindering the making of money.

And about sense, ah........

Well, in my absolutely non-racist opinion, it’s a fact these are low standards. It’s got nothing to do with Thai bashing as missing regulations might affect the life and safety of many innocent people of whom 99 percent are Thai:

During the last fire on Soi 24 the firefighters had the same problem- almost no access to the building for the fire trucks. You will find this all over town! Nobody cares!

Charging people 600 baht for not wearing a helmet on motorbikes while at the same time “professional” firefighters go on duty in shorts, flip-flops and t-shirt is not appropriate (regardless race, nationality, or religion) it is simply stupid!

High voltage transformers with no panels around, accessible to everyone are another issue. (free enlightenment for all ages)

Hundreds of legal and illegal spaghetti-cables hanging like natural mediterranian obstacles in every Soi, are contributing to the mess!

Closed or inaccessible emergency exits (indispensable items for a hot disco night as we remember) are definately easily avoidable poor standards, even though you will find them everywhere.

Illegal constructions on life saving access and escape routes (you’ve probably never seen this in LOS) come close to support of a criminal offense! They are visible maybe even in your neighborhood!

You may say these are no reasons Thais should be blamed for, or even prefere to go for the most convenient “may pen rai.” Please give it a second thought, unless you really want to support this mess stemming from laziness, greed and low respect for the value of life.

Here is an advice for you to contribute something positive without playing the blame game:

train and practice writing grieving condolence letters (preferably in Thai)!

Edited March 3, 2012 by TackyToo

[Jawnie]

My Thai language school is on the 12th floor, Thai Solutions. Will see if classes are still held on Monday.

[djuro123]

Red Shirts started again??

[dude007]

Isn't it amazing that so many comments already criticise Thai standards.

If you don't like it, here's an idea: go home.

Have some sense and compassion.

Not very smart post! If you see this as the solution then YOU are the problem!

[animatic]

My Thai language school is on the 12th floor, Thai Solutions. Will see if classes are still held on Monday.

Seems unlikely.

[samsiam]

Burnsie and no more flames.....

[SteeleJoe]

Really, the Farang do not have fires? Really? Wish I knew that, since I lost two dear friends in one...in the USA.

Who said that? Who even implied it in anyway? Don't get hysterical...

Oh, and the guy who says we should be funding the firefighting services or else not complain? That's hilarious. (By the way, our taxes?)

I've said essentially the same thing so many times over the years but I'll say it again:

I'm continually amazed by and somewhat contemptuous of the folks (here and other places over the last couple decades) who always rush to make any possible criticism of Thailand and will interpret everything in the worst possible way or even distort the facts to perpetuate their prejudices.

But I am as amazed by and contemptuous of -- or perhaps more so -- those people who refuse to accept any possible criticism of Thailand no matter how valid.

The fact that other places have the same faults or others is completely irrelevant unless the person making the criticism of Thailand claims that only Thailand has faults.

The fact that the person who is making the criticism is not Thai but lives here is completely irrelevant unless that person claims there is nothing good about Thailand.

Get a grip people. I don;t have any current facts at hand but -- or even old ones -- so I can't claim to prove it and people can dismiss it if they like but I remember a Thai study done some time back about how the fire department was way underequipped and undertrained and in particular in regards to high rises. Pointing out such things and bemoaning them is perfectly reasonable and just.

Thailand is my home. There are many reasons why I live here and many things about it I'd not like to change. The country of my birth is not pwerfect (or even close) and neither is Thailand.

[animatic]

My wife says, "You Americans think you know it all."

I told her, in no uncertain terms, :"We Americans build our office buildings so high, that airplanes fly into them."

So there...

So tall that planes have been flying into them for 80 years so far.

Hopefully the damage will be contained,

and most hopefully no one is injured or worse.

Edited March 3, 2012 by animatic

[poach]

There will be an investigation and the guilty will confess.

[RichardinBKK]

Really, the Farang do not have fires? Really? Wish I knew that, since I lost two dear friends in one...in the USA.

Who said that? Who even implied it in anyway? Don't get hysterical...

Oh, and the guy who says we should be funding the firefighting services or else not complain? That's hilarious. (By the way, our taxes?)

I've said essentially the same thing so many times over the years but I'll say it again:

I'm continually amazed by and somewhat contemptuous of the folks (here and other places over the last couple decades) who always rush to make any possible criticism of Thailand and will interpret everything in the worst possible way or even distort the facts to perpetuate their prejudices.

But I am as amazed by and contemptuous of -- or perhaps more so -- those people who refuse to accept any possible criticism of Thailand no matter how valid.

The fact that other places have the same faults or others is completely irrelevant unless the person making the criticism of Thailand claims that only Thailand has faults.

The fact that the person who is making the criticism is not Thai but lives here is completely irrelevant unless that person claims there is nothing good about Thailand.

Get a grip people. I don;t have any current facts at hand but -- or even old ones -- so I can't claim to prove it and people can dismiss it if they like but I remember a Thai study done some time back about how the fire department was way underequipped and undertrained and in particular in regards to high rises. Pointing out such things and bemoaning them is perfectly reasonable and just.

Thailand is my home. There are many reasons why I live here and many things about it I'd not like to change. The country of my birth is not pwerfect (or even close) and neither is Thailand.

Here is the whole thread and my response. Just a reaction the entire holier than thou attitude...To aswer your question, "Who said that..."

vahack, on Today, 16:32 , said:

"Over ten fire engines rushed to the scene but it was difficult for firemen to reach the seventh floor with the hoses and the fire ladder was difficult to operate at the area had many power cables."

now they might realize why those pesky farangs have such strict fire codes in their high rises.

good luck all - getting out and recovering the damage.

So, with no working knowledge of how this fire started, how it is being managed, or what the final toll is...your conclusion is that "Thai Bad" - "Farang Good"

Like you , I hope no one is injured, and the damage is minor. Hopefully, the offices are vacant on Saturday.

Really, the Farang do not have fires? Really? Wish I knew that, since I lost two dear friends in one...in the USA.

[Yeppe]

Isn't it amazing that so many comments already criticise Thai standards. If you don't like it, here's an idea: go home. THIS is pretty normal Thais´s fix to everything "Go Home". Soon we will have more this kind of happenings - they never really fix the problem, because the quickist way to fix it is to say "Go Home If You Don´t Like It" - UNBELIEVABLE fix! Just waiting when those 40-story buildings are in fire - maybe 2 to 3 at the same time...and there are definitely no good plans to extinguish them. You are right - better stay at home, but still mising Thai food and those fruits - they are HIGH CLASS IN TASTE .

[poach]

There will be many Thais on holiday next week do to this fire. Hopefully nobody died.

[SteeleJoe]

Really, the Farang do not have fires? Really? Wish I knew that, since I lost two dear friends in one...in the USA.

Who said that? Who even implied it in anyway? Don't get hysterical...

Oh, and the guy who says we should be funding the firefighting services or else not complain? That's hilarious. (By the way, our taxes?)

I've said essentially the same thing so many times over the years but I'll say it again:

I'm continually amazed by and somewhat contemptuous of the folks (here and other places over the last couple decades) who always rush to make any possible criticism of Thailand and will interpret everything in the worst possible way or even distort the facts to perpetuate their prejudices.

But I am as amazed by and contemptuous of -- or perhaps more so -- those people who refuse to accept any possible criticism of Thailand no matter how valid.

The fact that other places have the same faults or others is completely irrelevant unless the person making the criticism of Thailand claims that only Thailand has faults.

The fact that the person who is making the criticism is not Thai but lives here is completely irrelevant unless that person claims there is nothing good about Thailand.

Get a grip people. I don;t have any current facts at hand but -- or even old ones -- so I can't claim to prove it and people can dismiss it if they like but I remember a Thai study done some time back about how the fire department was way underequipped and undertrained and in particular in regards to high rises. Pointing out such things and bemoaning them is perfectly reasonable and just.

Thailand is my home. There are many reasons why I live here and many things about it I'd not like to change. The country of my birth is not pwerfect (or even close) and neither is Thailand.

Here is the whole thread and my response. Just a reaction the entire holier than thou attitude...To aswer your question, "Who said that..."

vahack, on Today, 16:32 , said:

"Over ten fire engines rushed to the scene but it was difficult for firemen to reach the seventh floor with the hoses and the fire ladder was difficult to operate at the area had many power cables."

now they might realize why those pesky farangs have such strict fire codes in their high rises.

good luck all - getting out and recovering the damage.

So, with no working knowledge of how this fire started, how it is being managed, or what the final toll is...your conclusion is that "Thai Bad" - "Farang Good"

Like you , I hope no one is injured, and the damage is minor. Hopefully, the offices are vacant on Saturday.

Really, the Farang do not have fires? Really? Wish I knew that, since I lost two dear friends in one...in the USA.

It is surely one of the weakest, most puerile means by which to rejoinder without actually offering a valid argument or rebuttal: the strawman.

I stand by my comment and everything in my post. If you can refute any of it, feel free.

[Petesear]

I love the way all the experts come out to play when there is something to criticise..

If you are not happy in Thailand with the way things are done then the right answer could be to go somewhere you would be or do something positive to help. But negative comments posted on an anonymous internet forum is not helping anyone or anything.

So all you budding town-planners and fire fighters why not make constructive criticism in the right channels to the right people. Or go home.

[Card]

Isn't it amazing that so many comments already criticise Thai standards.

If you don't like it, here's an idea: go home.

Have some sense and compassion.

The people with sense and compassion are those who look to help solve deadly problems and criticise those who are responsible for suffering. The ones without sense and compassion are those who criticise the said people, whether Thais or foreigners, and shouldn't be here.

Edited March 3, 2012 by Card