A devastating fire swept through a popular bar in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, late Sunday night, leaving at least 27 people dead and dozens injured.
The blaze broke out near the stage of Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, located in the Chatuchak district, before rapidly spreading throughout the venue. Witnesses said the power went out as thick smoke and flames quickly filled the building, forcing customers to scramble for safety.
Emergency crews arrived shortly after midnight and managed to bring the fire under control within about 30 minutes. Firefighters later discovered many of the victims inside a restroom, where they had apparently sought shelter from the flames.
Authorities confirmed that 73 people were injured in the incident, including 25 who remain in critical condition. The victims include nine men and 18 women.
Among those affected was 24-year-old Kaew-udon Poungppany from Laos, who said he desperately tried to rescue his younger brother after grabbing a fire extinguisher. Despite his efforts, his 21-year-old brother did not survive.
Initial investigations suggest the fire may have started due to an electrical fault in an air conditioning unit. Officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause, and forensic experts are continuing their investigation.
Bangkok Governor Chatchart Sittipunt said highly flammable ceiling decorations may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Authorities are also examining reports that the emergency exit may have been blocked, as several victims were found unconscious nearby.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene on Monday and pledged a full investigation. According to a musician who was performing when the fire broke out, panic spread quickly after what sounded like an explosion, causing people to rush toward the back of the building where many became trapped.
The building has been closed for 30 days while investigators examine the scene. The government also announced financial assistance for victims’ families and those receiving medical treatment.
The tragedy has renewed concerns about fire safety standards in Thailand. Although previous deadly fires have prompted calls for stricter enforcement of safety regulations, similar incidents continue to occur.
Thailand has experienced several major fire disasters in recent years, including a nightclub fire in Bangkok in 2009 that claimed 66 lives and a bar fire south of the capital in 2022 that killed 22 people.
About the author
Togo : l’Assemblée valide la ratification de l’Accord BBNJ
L’Assemblée nationale togolaise a adopté définitivement, mardi 25 août 2026 à Lomé, le texte autorisant la ratification de l’Accord BBNJ, consacré à la conservation et à l’utilisation durable de la biodiversité marine dans les espaces situés au-delà des juridictions nationales. Adopté dans le cadre de la Convention des Nations unies sur le droit de la mer, le traité vise à mieux protéger la biodiversité en haute mer. Il prévoit notamment des mesures contre la pollution et la surexploitation des ressources marines, ainsi qu’un mécanisme pour assurer un partage plus équitable des bénéfices liés aux ressources génétiques marines. Lomé veut peser dans les discussions internationales Pour Edem Kokou Tengué, ministre délégué chargé de l’Économie maritime, cette démarche constitue une avancée importante pour la participation du Togo à la gouvernance internationale des océans. Le gouvernement estime que l’adhésion au traité permettra au […]
AI assists first brain surgery as tumour is removed
A British man has become the first patient in the world to undergo brain surgery with live artificial intelligence assistance, with surgeons successfully removing his tumour. Rhys Hibbert, a 48-year-old father of two from Bedfordshire, was at risk of losing his sight because the tumour was pressing against the nerves responsible for vision. Doctors at University College London Hospital said the AI system provided real-time guidance during the operation, helping the surgical team identify important blood vessels and nerves that could not be seen directly. Hibbert said the technology provided an additional layer of safety during a procedure where there are no clear visual markers to guide surgeons. Tumour affected his vision Hibbert had previously been fit and active, regularly walking about two miles during his lunch break. That changed when he suddenly lost consciousness and suffered a seizure while […]
Meta agrees to $18bn deal over child safety claims
Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle claims brought by 29 US states alleging that Facebook and Instagram failed to adequately protect children. The agreement, reached on Wednesday, brought an unexpectedly early end to a closely watched legal case. The trial had been expected to continue for weeks, but proceedings lasted only five days and ended before Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was called to testify. The case formally focused on children's online privacy and the company's handling of data belonging to users under 13. It was brought under the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a law introduced nearly three decades ago, before today's major social media platforms existed. However, the case also placed Meta's broader approach to child safety under intense scrutiny. Evidence raises questions over safety measures During the proceedings, former Instagram […]
La Côte d’Ivoire intensifie la lutte contre l’orpaillage
Les forces de sécurité ivoiriennes renforcent leur lutte contre l’orpaillage clandestin. Depuis le 22 août 2026, plusieurs opérations sont menées dans différentes localités du pays, avec quatre sites particulièrement ciblés. À Zaranou, la Brigade spéciale de surveillance et d’intervention (BSSI) a arrêté cinq personnes soupçonnées de pratiquer l’exploitation illégale de l’or. Il s’agit de trois ressortissants togolais et de deux Burkinabè. Les cinq suspects ont été présentés à la justice. Les forces engagées dans ces opérations ont également saisi et détruit d’importantes quantités de matériel utilisé sur les sites clandestins. Le bilan comprend notamment des motopompes, concasseurs, équipements de lavage, tapis de lavage, raccords, abris de fortune, motos et bouteilles de gaz. Ces interventions s’inscrivent dans le cadre des efforts des autorités ivoiriennes pour réduire l’exploitation illégale des ressources minières et limiter ses effets sur l’environnement. Le gouvernement entend également […]
Le Togo participe au forum Russie-Afrique à Novossibirsk
La troisième édition du Forum international de coopération Russie-Afrique s’est ouverte mercredi à Novossibirsk, dans l’ouest de la Sibérie. Une vingtaine de pays africains prennent part à cette rencontre consacrée au renforcement des échanges entre la Russie et le continent africain. Le Togo participe aux travaux avec une délégation conduite par le ministre de l’Éducation nationale, Mama Omorou. La Guinée-Bissau, la Sierra Leone, la Namibie, le Sénégal, le Ghana et le Niger figurent notamment parmi les pays représentés. Organisé par le Centre national russe de diplomatie publique, le forum entend élargir la coopération Russie-Afrique au-delà des relations diplomatiques traditionnelles, en mettant l’accent sur les échanges dans les domaines de l’éducation, de la recherche, de la culture et de l’économie. L’éducation au cœur des échanges La première journée a été consacrée en grande partie aux questions éducatives. Une table ronde a […]
Togo : 106 enseignants formés à la comptabilité numérique
Le Togo poursuit ses efforts pour renforcer les compétences des enseignants de l’enseignement technique. Depuis le 25 août 2026, 106 enseignants spécialisés en comptabilité participent à Lomé à une session de formation consacrée au logiciel Sage Compta 100 et à la fiscalité. L’initiative est portée par l’Institut national de formation et de perfectionnement professionnels (INFPP), avec l’appui du Fonds national d’apprentissage, de formation et de perfectionnement professionnel (FNAFPP). La formation vise à actualiser les connaissances des enseignants et à développer des supports pédagogiques adaptés aux élèves de Terminale G2. L’objectif est notamment de rapprocher davantage les enseignements dispensés dans les établissements techniques des méthodes utilisées dans les entreprises. Les participants sont formés à plusieurs fonctionnalités de Sage 100, notamment le paramétrage du logiciel, la création d’un plan comptable, l’enregistrement des opérations et la production des états financiers. Le volet consacré […]
Related
Missing persons in Nepal, China floods soar to nearly 3,000
Rescuers in Nepal and Tibet are racing against time to find survivors after a tsunami-like surge of water, ice and debris engulfed communities in the Himalayas, with the threat of further flooding hampering operations.euronews+1 Nepal reported 626 deaths and 2,426 people out of contact, including 517 foreign trekkers and pilgrims, after officials added 933 missing hydropower workers to the toll. Across the border in Tibet, Chinese authorities reported seven deaths and 554 missing people, bringing the combined missing figure close to 3,000.france24+3 The floods struck on Wednesday after what the US Geological Survey said was a glacial collapse that unleashed a huge torrent of icy debris downstream. Entire riverside settlements were swept away, while some bodies may have been carried as far as India, according to reports.dawn+2 Rescue teams have faced severe challenges, including widespread destruction, dwindling food and water […]
Nepal floods: Nearly 1,500 missing, including tourists, as death toll rises
Rescuers used helicopters to search for survivors and deliver emergency supplies after a wall of ice, mud and rock collapsed into a Himalayan river, triggering devastating floods in Nepal and neighbouring Tibet. The disaster struck on Wednesday along a route linking Kathmandu with Lhasa that is popular with trekkers and pilgrims. Nepalese authorities said more than 650 foreign nationals remained unaccounted for, while the number of missing local residents was still being assessed.reuters+1 In Nepal, officials had located around 100 previously missing Indian visitors and 25 Chinese workers in the worst-hit Trishuli area. India said 288 of its nationals were still missing in Nepal, while a further 200 were stranded in China. Across the border in Tibet’s Gyirong County, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported 558 people missing, including 260 foreign nationals. Reuters reported that the missing foreign visitors in Nepal […]
US hopeful Hormuz Strait deal will be done ‘today or tomorrow’ after ship hit
Washington is expressing optimism that talks involving Iran and Oman will soon restore safe passage for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil supplies. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC there is “a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict,” saying any agreement would ensure freedom of movement rather than allow Iran to charge tolls. His comments echoed President Donald Trump, who said progress in talks had led him to hold off on further military strikes while negotiators work on a framework to reopen the waterway. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is “involved” in negotiations between Oman and Iran aimed at increasing safe traffic through the strait, noting that around 20 per cent of global […]
Iran denies negotiating with US after Trump announces talks
Tehran rejected Trump’s claim that talks were set to begin as part of efforts to end the conflict, saying no negotiations are currently taking place with Washington. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the country is “not currently negotiating with the United States,” adding that Iran’s talks are instead with Oman over passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The denial came after Trump said he had postponed further strikes to allow diplomacy to continue and claimed new discussions would start Monday. The exchange came amid a war that Reuters described as being in its sixth month, with tensions also affecting oil markets after Trump’s remarks. Iran’s response suggests there is still a gap between Washington’s public claims and Tehran’s position on the status of talks.
US introduces $20,000 visa bond for Nigerians, others over overstay concerns
The United States says the new rule is aimed at curbing visa overstays and improving compliance among visitors from countries flagged for high overstay rates and weak identity or document verification systems. Under the policy, consular officers will decide whether an applicant must post a refundable bond of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000, depending on factors such as travel purpose, employment, income and ties to the home country. The bond will be refunded without interest if the visitor leaves the US within the approved period and complies with visa conditions, but it will be forfeited if the holder overstays or violates the terms of the visa. The policy formalises and expands a pilot programme launched in August 2025, which the US State Department says showed a sharp drop in overstays among affected applicants. It also said the pilot reduced demand significantly, […]
Hamas agrees to disarm under Trump plan, but no word from Israel
The Palestinian Islamist movement says it accepts a ceasefire roadmap that includes handing over its weapons to a Palestinian governing committee and a staged Israeli pullout from Gaza, while Israel remains unconvinced the proposal meets its security demands. Hamas announced on Friday that it had agreed to a deal unveiled by President Trump, under which its weapons would be placed under the control of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a Palestinian body backed by Trump’s Board of Peace. The agreement is tied to a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force alongside a new Palestinian police force to secure the territory. A senior Israeli political source told AFP that the draft did not “satisfactorily” address Israel’s demand for full demilitarisation of Gaza, insisting on the “complete disarmament of Hamas, including […]