Survivor Recounts Escape From Bangkok Bar Fire, Loses Sister
A 26-year-old survivor of the Ladprao beer bar fire escaped but lost her sister, who was in the restroom when the blaze erupted; she now struggles with trauma and guilt over the tragedy.
At 10:05 a.m. on July 15, 2025, at the Forensic Medicine Institute of Police Hospital, 26-year-old Ms. Waraporin Phalsadi, one of the survivors of the devastating fire at a beer bar in Ladprao, recounted her experience while mourning the loss of her close sister who was with her that day. She explained that on the day of the incident, she and her sister came to relax and socialize as usual. She was seated on the left side near the stage, approximately 10 meters from the exit.
Before the fire erupted, she detected a strong smell of gas drifting through the venue for about 5-10 minutes and noticed the stage lighting system malfunctioning, similar to a power outage. However, no one paid attention at the time, including her, because they assumed it was smoke from special effects that the venue regularly used during singer performances. It was only when a staff member shouted that this was not an effect but an actual fire, and thick smoke began billowing from the ceiling near the stage, that panic set in. Moments later, all the lights in the venue went out.
In that critical moment, she made a split-second decision to run for her life and managed to escape through the main entrance on the left side. Her sister, however, had excused herself to use the restroom just five minutes earlier, which meant she was trapped inside and ultimately perished in the fire. She acknowledged that this was her sister's first visit to that establishment, while she herself visited only occasionally.
Ms. Waraporin admitted her mental state is severely affected. The images from the incident remain vivid in her mind, and she cannot bear to read news or watch clips about the tragedy. Whenever she smells smoke or sees ambulance lights, she experiences severe anxiety, worry, and psychological distress. She also feels guilt for inviting her sister out, only for the tragedy to occur. Nevertheless, she wanted to send a final message to her sister: "Please do not worry about me surviving, and may you find peace in the next life."
Regarding the initial compensation of 10,000 baht offered by the bar, Ms. Waraporin believes it is far too little compared to a human life. She expressed concern that once media attention fades, long-term compensation may also disappear.
