Tiger Disco Charged Over Inferno Deaths

[webfact]

Breaking News: Tiger Disco charged over inferno deaths

Phuket Gazette

Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan at scene of the Tiger Discotheque fire. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- The operators of Tiger Discotheque have been charged with negligence causing death and physical and mental injury to others, as well as with trading after hours, Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan has confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.

The blaze that broke out at the nightclub, just before 4am on August 17, while hundreds of patrons were still inside the venue, killed four people, including two tourists.

“Tiger Group CEO Piya Isaramalai has been personally charged with both offenses, so has Tiger Group’s parent company, Sara Entertainment Co Ltd,” Col Chiraphat told the Gazette this morning.

“We have informed the suspects of the charges against them and we are now compiling our evidence to hand over to the Public Prosecutor,” he added.

Among the evidence to be submitted will be a report by expert building inspectors citing numerous breaches in fire safety regulations at the nightclub.

The disco had improper placement of fire extinguishers and faulty emergency-exit ladders, and used a highly-flammable foam for wall and ceiling decorations, said the report.

Also to be included will be a formal report compiled by forensics investigators from the Royal Thai Police indicating that the fire started inside the building.

Mr Piya and Sara Entertainment Co Ltd will be charged under Section 291 of the Thai Criminal Code, which states, “Whoever, doing the act by negligence and that act causing the other person to death, shall be imprisoned not out of ten years or fined not out of twenty thousand Baht.”

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...aths-18060.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-10-02

[alstaxi]

A huge amount of cash will need to be exchanged for all this to go away. Then it will be business as usual...

[steelepulse]

>>or fined not out of twenty thousand Baht.”

This will be the official fine and perhaps some probation, but the monetary damages will surely be much more. It's good to see that at least some charges are brought up and someone is made responsible.

[Pimay1]

A huge amount of cash will need to be exchanged for all this to go away. Then it will be business as usual...

Exactly. There will be a few new Benz on the road when this is over.

[stevenl]

A huge amount of cash will need to be exchanged for all this to go away. Then it will be business as usual...

No, they will be fined the maximum 20,000 Baht. End of story. They have already paid the victims money, to Thai standards more than reasonable amounts of money, so no more damage payments will be required.

Edited October 2, 2012 by stevenl

[drdoom6996]

Will this be another suspended sentence with a 5000 baht fine?

[eddie61]

A huge amount of cash will need to be exchanged for all this to go away. Then it will be business as usual...

Actually, the picture shows the superintendant talking to his stockbroker......

[lensta]

A huge amount of cash will need to be exchanged for all this to go away. Then it will be business as usual...

No, they will be fined the maximum 20,000 Baht. End of story. They have already paid the victims money, to Thai standards more than reasonable amounts of money, so no more damage payments will be required.

I agree, maybe 20,000 per person at most. This really does show the value of life here.

[cornishcarlos]

Why don't they spend a bit more of their time checking out all the other night clubs.

Maybe for once they could do some thing preventative rather than reactive ??

Just a thought

[asiawatcher]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

[stevenl]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

No, not really IMO. Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims, with for Thai perspective very high payments.

[Soupdragon]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

Google is your friend

On Sept 20, 2011, Thailand's Criminal Court found two persons -- Mr Wisuk Setsawat, the pub owner, and Mr Boonchu Laorinath, the light and sound company's owner -- guilty of negligence. Mr Wisuth and Mr Boonchoo were given three-year jail terms. Boonchoo was also ordered to pay Bt8.5 million in compensation to five plaintiffs, relatives of the victims.

[Lannatyne]

As well as investors / managers of Tiger, the Isaramalai family are lawyers. Somehow, I think they'll be able to argue their own case case quite succinctly and relatively successfully.

[masuk]

Flammable foam insulation has been banned in the UK and many other western countries for years. How come the building inspector let this one get away?

Building Inspector??

[sportsman69]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

No, not really IMO. Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims, with for Thai perspective very high payments.

{quote} " Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims," Yes they have paid the Thai victims some money but not much for the loss of life and grief for the families Were they given the ultimatum of, take this amount, or wait forever whilst we drag this thru the courts, we pay our lawyers more than you can pay yours, syndrome.

I don't believe the foreigners or the families of those whose who died or were injured have been compensated to the full extent. Interested in any links that might prove otherwise.

I have a gut feeling this will go the same way of the Santika investigation. Why should this be any different than what has gone before when the result sheet for successful outcomes hasn't changed one iota. Because it happened in Patong where there is hardly any corruption,? unlike that in Bangkok? Don't think so.

[stevenl]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

No, not really IMO. Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims, with for Thai perspective very high payments.

{quote} " Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims," Yes they have paid the Thai victims some money but not much for the loss of life and grief for the families Were they given the ultimatum of, take this amount, or wait forever whilst we drag this thru the courts, we pay our lawyers more than you can pay yours, syndrome.

I don't believe the foreigners or the families of those whose who died or were injured have been compensated to the full extent. Interested in any links that might prove otherwise.

I have a gut feeling this will go the same way of the Santika investigation. Why should this be any different than what has gone before when the result sheet for successful outcomes hasn't changed one iota. Because it happened in Patong where there is hardly any corruption,? unlike that in Bangkok? Don't think so.

So you also think the perpetrators will be sentenced to jail time, just like in the Santika case?

[Baloo22]

It would be interesting for the news media to track down the fire/safety inspections of this club. If such things actually exist in Phuket or Thailand. Who was the inspector that signed off on the fire/safety inspections?

[VETO72]

was there compensation paided to the foriegn families involved ??

[julemanden]

A huge amount of cash will need to be exchanged for all this to go away. Then it will be business as usual...

Just for once, give them a chance to prove them selves, OK!

[ableguy]

Flammable foam insulation has been banned in the UK and many other western countries for years. How come the building inspector let this one get away?

Building Inspector??

Do you think one set foot in the building prior to this tragedy ?

[fish fingers]

woah, the fire exits were deliberately locked... is this not the most serious charge???

[stevenl]

woah, the fire exits were deliberately locked... is this not the most serious charge???

Where did you read that?

[sportsman69]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

No, not really IMO. Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims, with for Thai perspective very high payments.

{quote} " Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims," Yes they have paid the Thai victims some money but not much for the loss of life and grief for the families Were they given the ultimatum of, take this amount, or wait forever whilst we drag this thru the courts, we pay our lawyers more than you can pay yours, syndrome.

I don't believe the foreigners or the families of those whose who died or were injured have been compensated to the full extent. Interested in any links that might prove otherwise.

I have a gut feeling this will go the same way of the Santika investigation. Why should this be any different than what has gone before when the result sheet for successful outcomes hasn't changed one iota. Because it happened in Patong where there is hardly any corruption,? unlike that in Bangkok? Don't think so.

So you also think the perpetrators will be sentenced to jail time, just like in the Santika case?

Certainly otherwise it would appear a whitewash.

Perpetrator. There has, according to the story, only one person been charged. the other charge is against his company possibly in regard to not obeying the building code. You can't put a company behind bars only demand it pay cash or other compensation. The company could possibly front some names to shift the blame as to who might have been responsible but what we read at the moment, this is not the case.

Quite possibly a sentence for time in the big house will be passed down but I doubt he will do time inside. He and his cohorts are regarded as Hi Sos and not considered to be criminals as such by those that rule or pass judgement. They all probably play golf together.

Prediction. A few million baht over the table ( eventually ) for the foreign victims and their families. They surely won't want a long drawn out case with little result. This will be considered by the court as an admission of guilt with remorse, this will get the company charge off the hook.

This will lead to a jail sentence for the Ceo but will be reduced to a good behaviour bond on account of the above as it is his Company.

I will not speculate how much will pass under the table to achieve this said prediction and there won't be many that would know.

Finally it will all be forgotten like most disasters, Costa Concordia, One to Go, are a few examples. There is no ongoing reports and no one is in the big house. Their news value is no longer headlines.

[luckyman]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

No, not really IMO. Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims, with for Thai perspective very high payments.

Are you shure? They (Tiger Inc.) did get away with ther 'only six people died' spin, while all Thai and Burmese staff working on the 3rd floor had perished in the fire as well.....you can't make dead bodies go away unless you get some serious help from local authorities, so.....

Edited October 2, 2012 by luckyman

[Ben9]

Its strange that Tiger disco is still open and still packed full of people each night

[fareastguy]

Basically it comes down to you are in Thailand.. not Europe or the rest of the world

Compliance to building or fire regulations are not of the same standard & those that do exist are not met or enforced.

If you want to be locked in a fire trap at 4am then you take your own chances in life.. don't bitch about what should be after the event.

I have utmost sympathy for those who died or were injured but it's a free world & they chose to be in there.

When on holiday keep your eyes open & brain in gear..

If customers vote with their feet these death trap establishments will soon be refurbished or disappear, but that will never happen while these idiots think more about where to get an all night beer rather than will I be safe in here, if you don't frequent them you won't end up in a body bag !!

[crazykopite]

Life is very cheap in Thailand indeed it is worthless R.I.P to those poor souls who perished As for the owners just another hurdle to get over with a couple of backhanders !!!!!!

[sportsman69]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

No, not really IMO. Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims, with for Thai perspective very high payments.

was there compensation paid to the foreign families involved ??

stevenl in the above post seems to say that they have paid well to everyone concerned, I assume that to be Thai and foreigner alike.

Like your self, I would like to see the figures for the foreigners claims and settlement if any . Maybe stevenl can enlighten us.

I believe that at the opening of their new joint, ( according to some reports an equal death trap and another " accident " waiting to happen) much 'hoo ha' was given to presenting sums of money to the Thai family victims, well the dead ones anyway.

Like everything here, read whatever you want to put into the story, true facts are unimportant.

[madmitch]

Another Santika. The press will report the first findings, everyone in an uproar and then nothing further once the tea money is paid. It will all just cease to exist.

No, not really IMO. Tiger has been very good in taking care of the victims, with for Thai perspective very high payments.

was there compensation paid to the foreign families involved ??

stevenl in the above post seems to say that they have paid well to everyone concerned, I assume that to be Thai and foreigner alike.

Like your self, I would like to see the figures for the foreigners claims and settlement if any . Maybe stevenl can enlighten us.

I believe that at the opening of their new joint, ( according to some reports an equal death trap and another " accident " waiting to happen) much 'hoo ha' was given to presenting sums of money to the Thai family victims, well the dead ones anyway.

Like everything here, read whatever you want to put into the story, true facts are unimportant.

There are now charges of negligence against the owners of Tiger Disco.

As far as I know the families of the dead foreigners and probably the injured foreigners have not accepted any sort of settlement, unless it hasn't been reported. Yes, Tiger paid medical bills but that is separate unless people accidentally signed away their rights by signing a document in Thai that didn't understand

Their lawyers will be following this case far more closely that the members of this forum and will almost certainly wait for the outcome of the negligence case prior to committing to any settlement, which should increase if negligence is proven in court. I wouldn't expect a civil action to get as far as the court but you never know.

I have no idea what sort of limits any liability insurance may have but they will certainly be well below those of a similar operation in, say, Europe or North America.

I don't want to see the stupid compensation payouts that are fairly common in the US and increasingly so in other countries, just a fair award to the victims and their families.

I know little of Thai law and everything I have written could be total rubbish. But I hope not.

[Pormax]

Do these places when built have Buiding inspectors?

Do these establishments get regularly checked for safety/fire regulations?

If so then these parties should also be charged for negligence.

but they never will.

If not will rules be changed to ensure the safety of the public.

Never.