Thai Tales

I had a chance to speak to a Singaporean eyewitness at Santika that night who works in the nightclub industry in Bangkok and has himself been involved in all parts of the process in different clubs in many countries. It was a very informative interview and I thought I’d pass along some of the things we discussed.

He says that it’s habitual for him to check out the nearest exits in any club, but it’s because of fights and riots he has witnessed that have spiraled out of control, not risk of fire. Thrown and broken glassware can become deadly and even if security is able to contain a fight–the damage may already be done–and many times, innocent bystanders are the victims.

Corners are cut frequently in Bangkok with club owners wanting to get up and running as soon as possible. Construction can be shoddy as the opening is the main priority. Proper fire safety and security are expensive and sometimes owners may adopt a laissez faire attitude towards them, instead of investing time and money in professionals to oversee these important matters, before the club opens. There aren’t audits or checks of any kind.

Sprinkler systems may be in place but dependent on tanks that need to refilled on a regular basis. Water usage in the club can render these systems ineffective, if they aren’t replenished. One major danger is the amount of alcohol and how it’s stored–he was afraid that night that the entire place could blow up if the fire reached the massive amounts of alcohol on the premises.

Infrastructure was a major problem on NYE–he said the emergency services and fire trucks were fast and responsive but because of traffic as well as a car park in front of the building, they were unable to get access immediately to the fire.

Meanwhile the beat goes on…and while naturally the Santika tragedy is on everyone’s mind, it may be too much to hope that nightclubs will actually be required to implement the safety features that should in any case be there. There may be some lip service paid and of course, patrons will return to these same kinds of venues with the same kinds of fatal inadequacies.

A friend called today to tell me about a large dance party he attended last night–it was in a deluxe hotel convention centre with (one assumes) emergency exits and fire safety equipment, but there was one more detail to his description that leaves me shaking my head–guests had live fireworks and sparklers indoors, once again.

By now, the facts are well known….a NYE celebration gone terribly wrong at the hugely popular Bangkok nightclub Santika, when the roof caught on fire and the blaze spread throughout the club. Around 60 were killed and more severely burned and injured. Many died from suffocation and trampling, say police who believe the inferno may have been caused by fireworks going off inside the club.

My own NYE, which also happens to be my birthday, started off very low key with a small dinner with a group of friends. After we finished, plans were being made for onward festivities and yes, the clubs and venues along the trendy Thong Lo and Ekkamai districts were mentioned as possible destinations.

My friends and I opted for some place walkable and not huge or crowded. I was in a mellow mood and rang in the new year with my friends but then we all split up, some of us returning to the apartment–that would be me, looking forward to a tranquil start to the new year.

My university friend visiting from New York and I shared a final toast and then retired– with both of our partners opting to stay out and enjoy some more revelry, when a call came for me at about 3.40 am local time, telling me about the fire and asking if I knew more. I didn’t know anything since I had been asleep—but in a flash of panic, I was awake since I had no idea where the boys had gone after we said goodbye and it could have easily, easily been Santika.

Bangkok nightlife is like that–very breezy and relaxed–there are so many choices of clubs and pubs that a split second decision to go out to one particular place versus another is commonplace. There aren’t many places that require reservations, so it’s a completely open scene.

I rushed out into the main room of my flat and found that everyone was awake and had just walked in the door. No one we knew had been at or near Santika, thankfully and the next day I spent at a few different hospitals trying to get some information about the injured.

I ended up at the Police Forensics Institute, which is in the heart of Bangkok, near Central World and Siam Square. There was a bulletin board set up and the security guards very gently and kindly showed me the way. From afar, I could see the horrible pictures of the dead and unidentified–some burnt beyond recognition and some young faces that will be frozen in my mind for years to come. People scrutinised the lists, some taking pictures with their phones, others breaking down in recognition of a loved one.

I spoke to a Singaporean there who said she had been outside when it all happened–just so she could phone people to wish them happy new year away from the club. They were a mixed group of Thais and foreigners and one friend had perished and two others were injured. At first, she said she thought people were running outside towards something but of course, we know now that they were running away.