Police Reveal Cyanide Found in Fire Victims at Bangkok Beer Hall
Cyanide and carbon monoxide killed victims of a Bangkok beer hall fire through asphyxiation rather than flames, police revealed during an investigation into the Ladprao establishment that authorities suspect may have been operating beyond i
At 11:00 a.m. on July 16 at Phahol Yothin Police Station, Police Commissioner General Siam Bunsawat and Deputy Commissioner Kiratkul Santinern held a one-hour meeting with investigators on the Ladprao beer hall fire case. General Siam revealed that investigators are conducting a detailed examination of the true cause. Registered shareholding records show the shop owner and his mother's names, while police are questioning staff to determine if other undocumented parties are involved. The commissioner ordered a comprehensive financial audit of the establishment to trace income transfers and will summon all relevant parties for questioning in order of priority and urgency.
The shop owner's sister, who managed operations but held no official shares, gave a statement on his behalf as he remains hospitalized with severe injuries, on respiratory support and unconscious. Police cannot yet interview him but are monitoring his condition daily; charges will be filed as soon as he can communicate. Preliminary charges include negligence causing death and injury, unauthorized building modification, negligence causing fire, and violations of service establishment regulations if the venue exceeded its licensed scope. Coordination with the Chatuchak district office is ongoing; authorities are assembling construction permit documents and may pursue legal action against the district if negligence is found.
The forensic pathology report revealed that victims died not from direct flame but from asphyxiation due to toxic gas inhalation. Tests detected carbon monoxide and cyanide—both substances that block oxygen absorption in tissues—with exposure to high concentrations proving fatal within four minutes. The toxic gases also affected police officers who risked their lives rescuing people on the day of the incident, causing respiratory irritation and severe coughing, though all received hospital care and were safely discharged.
