Death toll from Bangkok bar fire rises to 32 as 2 more die in hospital

Survivors and relatives of those killed in a deadly bar fire in Bangkok visited a nearby police station on Wednesday to seek compensation, collect personal belongings and provide statements about the blaze.

The fire, which broke out on Sunday night, killed at least 32 people and injured more than 70, with 24 of them still in critical condition, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

The cause of the fire at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar remains under investigation.

Most of those who died were found trapped in windowless bathrooms, where they may have sought refuge from the flames, police said.

Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, chief of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, told reporters on Wednesday that most victims died from smoke inhalation, while a smaller number succumbed to burn injuries.

Natthaphong Lakhorn, 26, was at the beer hall with four companions on the night of the fire. He was sitting near the stage when the blaze broke out.

He recalled seeing white smoke rising from the stage, which he initially mistook for dry ice before realising it signalled the start of a fire.

"When the fire broke out, I just ran, and then all the power went out," said Natthaphong, who lost a relative in the blaze. "It was so hectic."

On Wednesday, Natthaphong visited Phahonyothin Police Station in Bangkok to give a statement. Photographs of personal belongings, including smartphones left behind at the bar on the night of the fire, lined the station's walls.

Bandages covered both of Natthaphong's ears and part of his forehead. Before registering with police, he said he planned to seek compensation for his injuries.

Natthaphong said he escaped through the bar's rear exit near the bathrooms and that a security guard was using a torch to guide people to safety, contradicting police reports that the door had not been used.

Kanticha Singkhon, 25, was at the police station to collect her mother's handbag and other personal belongings. Her mother died in the fire.

With her mother's death, Kanticha said she is now responsible for her younger brother.

"I want the bar owners to reach out to the families instead of making us come to the police station ourselves, because many families will already be returning to their hometowns," she said. "They won't have time, as each victim came from far away."

A lawyer representing the bar owners told local media that survivors and bereaved families would initially receive 10,000 baht (about $300) in compensation.

"It's not enough to cover a funeral — I had to take out a loan to arrange my mum's funeral," Kanticha said. "I haven't received any financial assistance, and no one has contacted me."