Families Claim Bodies From Ladprao Beer Hall Fire
Families identified and claimed bodies from a beer hall fire in Ladprao that killed 27 people, with 71 injured and 45 still unaccounted for as of July 13.
Families Claim Bodies From Ladprao Beer Hall Fire
On July 13 at the Police Hospital Institute of Forensic Medicine, relatives arrived to identify and claim bodies from the fire that broke out at a beer hall in Ladprao. Throughout the morning, families of confirmed victims and those still missing came forward to verify identities. The disaster has resulted in 27 deaths, 71 injuries, and 45 people unaccounted for.
One victim's sister spoke through tears about how police confirmed her brother's identity through fingerprint matching with their database. She came to claim his body for religious funeral rites.
She recounted that the night before, she had been drinking with her brother and friends at home. Near midnight, her brother drove off without saying where he was going. A close friend later called to tell her the bar where her brother used to drink had caught fire. She then tried calling her brother five times without success. On the sixth call, someone answered and said a fire had broken out, but could not confirm whether her brother was injured or dead. The caller asked her to come to the scene. When she arrived, she found her brother dead, lying face-down in the bathroom.
The Police Hospital Institute of Forensic Medicine, along with the Pathumwan District Office, has set up a service center on the third floor to handle identity verification, body collection, and death certificate issuance. Relatives still searching for victims, missing persons, or injured can contact police at Phahon Yothin Station, where officers have photos of victims and personal effects such as clothing, phones, and bags to help identify individuals. Lists of injured persons currently receiving treatment at five nearby hospitals are also available.
For families unable to identify deceased relatives, officials recommend bringing direct family members—such as parents, siblings, or children—to undergo DNA testing for identification. The Potektung Foundation has also provided approximately 20,000 baht in funeral assistance to victims' families and is helping arrange body transportation for religious ceremonies in Bangkok and other provinces. Reports indicate that two police officers also died in the incident, though it remains unclear whether they were on duty or off-duty at the time.
