Massive Fire at Route 999 in Pattaya

[johng]

Is Thailand really still the corrupt wild west

Yes

[Dragonmode]

RI Club fire case

Over 3 years have passed and this tragedy is still infamous nationwide here in the States.

[kurgen]

RI Club fire case

Over 3 years have passed and this tragedy is still infamous nationwide here in the States.

I heard on the news this morning that the tour manager got 4 years in prison after he admitted 99 counts of manslaughter for letting the fire works off.

The club owner is next.

I bet the same don't happen here.

Apparently pattaya city council have just placed an order with Axeminster carpets for a 200m X 100m carpet so they can brush this whole episode under it.

[Digger]

RI Club fire case

Over 3 years have passed and this tragedy is still infamous nationwide here in the States.

I heard on the news this morning that the tour manager got 4 years in prison after he admitted 99 counts of manslaughter for letting the fire works off.

The club owner is next.

I bet the same don't happen here.

Apparently pattaya city council have just placed an order with Axeminster carpets for a 200m X 100m carpet so they can brush this whole episode under it.

And the sad irony would be that they specified it could have no holes to allow anything to 'leak' out but forget to ask if it was fire retardent.

[Jarrod]

Fires in nightclubs occur frequently around the world. If the fire is caused by careless behaviour then the offender must face prosecution. For instance the rock star in America who just killed about a hundred people by setting off fireworks at his show has just been jailed for a meagre 4years. If the fire exits are locked or obstructed, unfortunately very common, the owner/manager should face criminal actions. Quite frankly, the mere notion of being trapped or trampled in a burning smoke filled room is horrific. I feel so sorry for the staff at Route 999 including the survivors who face the prospect of losing workmates.

[Dragonmode]

Believe it or not, but I am a 9/11 survivor (Tower 1, 83rd floor). Although it was an infernal chaos on my floor after we got hit anywhere from 10 to 13 floors above, it doesn't compare to what the RI club patrons went through and Im sure Route 999 as well. At least we were able to breathe and see enough to make it to the emergency fire stairwell and it was more or less smooth sailing from there (so to speak, until we reached downstairs anyway after an hour). From what I hear, these 2 club tragedies didn't allow the luxury of time that I had either in the WTC and we're talking about only a very few minutes.

Supposedly, the door was so narrow at the RI club that people were literally clogging the door sideways and stacked on top of each other. The stage was covered walls and ceiling with this extremely flamable soundproofing and the video of the fire spreading was so horrific and surreal.

Edited May 11, 2006 by Dragonmode

[donkeykong]

Today's Pattaya Mail

It's their main story.

No mention that the fire exits were locked from the outside.

They claim 'the owners had an insurance policy with Viriya Insurance, with a coverage policy of 60 million baht'

Wouldn't that be void if the doors were locked?

"Chonburi Social Insurance Department said that the department would help out the families of the deceased with 1,840,000 baht for each death."

Smells of 'hush money'.

"Mayor Niran and Pattaya City civil engineer Pichet Uthaiwattananon said that after the fire they checked the records of Route 999 and found that the building had the correct licenses from Pattaya City."

I bet they checked very well!

Whatever they checked, whatever paperwork is ever presented, whatever hush money you pay the folks, whatever mistake the mechanic/handyman made, nothing will take away the simple fact that:

THE FIRE EXITS WERE LOCKED

This is manslaughter.

BaoPIMPa, or the club's duty manager, should be held responsible.

Apart from the deaths, who is paying all the medical bills for those 60+ poor folks being treated in hospital?

Edited May 12, 2006 by donkeykong

[dougrobinson2024]

Kind of old news now, but there's a video of the fire here.

[kurgen]

So 10 weeks on has anyone been prosecuted, have any clubs in Pattaya been forced to take any fire precautions or even closed down?

I think not

[Kerryd]

So 10 weeks on has anyone been prosecuted, have any clubs in Pattaya been forced to take any fire precautions or even closed down?

I think not

Haven't heard a peep from anywhere (as a lot of us expected would happen). Lots of hype and press right after the event, then it fades away until the next incident.

Went by the site of Route 999 a few nights ago. Place is pretty much torn down. Had a large backhoe in there scooping up rubble.

[johnh101]

Money talks !

[Meg_2003]

Looks like they are starting to build where Route 999 used to be. Wonder what its going to be ? Alot of sand and concrete pipes on the land... I hope they make it safer this time if its gonna be another disco!