A 29 year old Thai woman became the 38th person to die following the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao fire in Bangkok, while 13 other victims remain under medical treatment one month after the nightclub blaze on July 12.
Bangkok Emergency Medical Centre confirmed the death of Saimai Singchom, who sustained serious injuries in the fire. She initially received treatment at Chulalongkorn Hospital before being transferred to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital.
Saimai died at around 6.30pm on August 12, according to the centre. Her death brings the reported number of fatalities from the incident to 38.
Thirteen other victims remain under treatment at hospitals in different parts of the country. Seven of those patients remain in critical condition and require close monitoring in intensive care units (ICUs).
Metropolitan Police Division 2 officers have questioned 211 witnesses, officials involved in the case and experts as part of the investigation into the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao fire.
Police concluded that modifications to the nightclub’s power supply and the layout of the venue, which blocked an escape route, contributed to the incident. Officers said the issues resulted from alleged recklessness.
Police subsequently prosecuted the nightclub owner, Suwicha, over the incident. Investigators also found that four to five other people were business shareholders, but police said they were not involved in managing the venue.
Suwicha was charged with recklessly causing a fire, committing a reckless act resulting in deaths and injuries, causing property damage and operating an entertainment venue without permission. The legal punishment he may face remains under consideration by the prosecutor.
According to MGR Online, Suwicha remains in serious condition in the ICU at Paolo Hospital Kaset in Bangkok.
Multiple witnesses reportedly said Suwicha attempted to help customers who were trapped inside the nightclub during the fire. He sustained serious injuries while doing so, according to the witness accounts.
The police investigation has therefore identified the nightclub’s power supply modifications and blocked escape route as factors that contributed to the fire, while the legal proceedings against Suwicha remain ongoing.
The Ministry of Justice provided compensation of 300,000 baht each to the first 14 victims on July 20. The ministry also planned to approve an additional budget for the remaining victims and their families. However, details of the specific amounts each remaining victim or family will receive have not yet been clarified.
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