Cause of fire at Lat Phrao Brewery The Ministry of Interior initially reported that the fire at "Brewery at Lat Phrao" is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit near the air conditioning unit in the ceiling, which then spread rapidly. It was noted that non-fire-resistant materials were used in construction and decoration. Fire exits were blocked, with sales tables obstructing the path, and emergency doors did not meet standards. The establishment qualifies as a "service venue," not merely a "restaurant with musical performances," and lacks the proper license. It is also located outside the zoning area.
At 10:45 a.m. on 13 July 2026, the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior, assigned Police Lieutenant Singkham Kamyod, Director of the Investigation and Legal Affairs Bureau, along with Mr. Sanupat Dentham, Director of the Hotel Licensing and Service Venue Law Division, to inspect the scene of the fire at Brewery at Lat Phrao, Lat Phrao 1 Alley, Chatuchak District. They were accompanied by the Royal Thai Police Chief, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration executives, the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, and related agencies.
Reports indicate the preliminary suspected cause of the fire is an "electrical short circuit" near the air conditioning unit in the ceiling, which rapidly spread.
Initial findings of building deficiencies include:
1. Use of non-fire-resistant materials in construction and decoration.
2. Fire exits were blocked; candy sales tables were placed obstructing the path behind the venue, rendering the exits unusable.
3. Emergency doors did not meet standards; they were simple wooden doors with signs stating "Do Not Open (Staff and Officials Only)," causing confusion among patrons.
Relevant legal issues and information from the investigation:
Nature of the business (differences between Sections 3(4) and 3(5)):
The venue sells food and alcohol, features music, and "allows dancing or permits dancing," thus qualifying as a service venue under Section 3(4) of the Service Venue Act B.E. 2509 (1966).
This differs from Section 3(5), which refers to places serving food and alcohol with musical entertainment that "close by midnight" and do not allow dancing.
Licensing: The venue "does not have a license" to operate as a service venue issued by authorities (Metropolitan Police Commissioner). It only has permission to operate as a restaurant with musical performances, not as a legally defined service venue, and can operate only until midnight.
Penalties: The venue faces imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to 60,000 baht, or both, according to Section 26 of the Service Venue Act B.E. 2509.
Location: The venue is situated outside the zoned area designated for permission to operate service venues (Zoning) within Bangkok.
Building control laws: Further investigation is needed to verify whether building permits were obtained and if the building is being used in violation of legal building classifications.