13th Anniversary Of The Kader Toy Factory Fire

[marshbags]

I remember it well and it was shocking tragedy, demonstrating Thai priorities as against safety .

EDITORIAL quote from todays Bangkok post.

The burning question of safety

This week marked the 13th anniversary of the disastrous Kader toy factory fire in Buddha Monthon district of Nakhon Pathom, in which 188 workers died and 469 were injured. Many who died on May 10, 1993 were young women from impoverished rural families. A large number of the injured suffered serious and permanent disabilities after they were forced to jump from second, third and fourth floors of the buildings to avoid being burned alive. Hundreds of workers were packed into each of the three structures that collapsed. There were no fire extinguishers, no alarms, no sprinkler systems and the elevated walkways between the buildings were either locked or used as storage areas. The buildings themselves were firetraps, constructed from steel girders that buckled and gave way in less than 15 minutes. Those who attempted to flee through the cramped ground floor exits found them jammed shut. There was no escape.

Afterwards, people shook their heads and said ''never again'', while the politicians in power came up with promises of resolute action and tougher safety measures to ensure that it could not.

Did they follow through on their promises? There was no indication they had when, four years later, Pattaya's Royal Jomtien Resort caught fire and claimed the lives of 91 people. Once again, there was an outcry when it was discovered that fire exits had been locked, which prevented guests and staff from fleeing the burning building. Tougher fire safety regulations were again promised, along with a pledge that they would be strictly enforced.

Were they? No _ if the tragedy at Pattaya's four-month-old Route 999 disco last Sunday night is any indication. Eight people died and 58 others were injured when fire engulfed the premises. Initial investigations showed that emergency doors had been locked at the time the fire broke out and the building had been illegally modified and used in defiance of a ban. Pattaya Mayor Niran Wattanasart-sathorn said the city had banned use of the building, initially constructed as a restaurant, in December. He did not explain why it was still operating in May, a fact known to thousands of revellers and anyone who watched its frequent promotional ads on local TV, but not apparently to the police or city authorities.

The mayor did, of course, trot out the ritual promise of strict structural and fire inspections of all entertainment venues to ensure that such a thing never happened again.

How quickly people forget. The negligence in the Kader factory fire was punished by a token fine and the sentencing of a factory worker to 10 years in jail for carelessly discarding a cigarette. All the company executives and government officials who approved the factory and its operation were acquitted. The 1997 hotel blaze drew a similar response. To date, one person employed in a menial job has been arrested in connection with last Sunday's disco fire. The pattern of events is disturbingly similar.

There is another link between these three fires: they have not changed the attitude of government departments responsible for building safety. Nor have any of the senior officials directly involved in approving or regulating operations been punished. Was the lesson of the Kader horror ever learned and have factory health and safety conditions been improved today as a result? Sadly, they have not.

A ceremony was held on Wednesday to remember the victims of the Kader fire, just as it is every year. A minute's silence was observed. The Labour Minister again proposed that the former site of the Kader toy factory be developed as a work safety institute and that a memorial be built. This has been in the works for a decade, but nothing has happened because no government funds have been allocated. There was no indication they are about to be.

The general public is running out of patience. They would like all these promises to be replaced by actual deeds to make our country a safer place to live and work in.

unquote

The article says it all and sadly reminds me of the human tragedy, the first incident in particular and the suffering of the families in the aftermath, which will stay with me forever.

I can still see the shocking visuals and photo,s that where difficult to ignore.

So many ordinary people and in particular females, especially working mothers.

How significant that they could jail an employee for ten years while the people in authority and the owners where acquitted of all responsibilty apat from a token fine.

Again it speaks volumes for the 2 tier justice system here and the value of human life.

marshbags

Edited May 13, 2006 by marshbags

[Neeranam]

13 years, where did the time fly to?

It was very sad.

[GuestHouse]

I remember at the time the Hongkong owner had fled back to Hongkong and placed an advertisement in the local papers there declaring that the fire would not prevent his company meeting orders.

[bina]

wierd,

i read the article and suddenly thought of the triangle fire (19??) in new york in a sweatshop factory exactly the same....