The blaze broke out near the stage of Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao in the popular Chatuchak district before spreading rapidly, cutting power and filling the venue with thick smoke.

Videos shared on social media showed panicked customers rushing towards the exit, with some fleeing while their clothes were on fire.

Firefighters arrived shortly after midnight and brought the blaze under control within about 30 minutes. Most of the victims were found inside a bathroom, where they had apparently sought shelter from the flames and smoke.

A total of 71 people were injured in the incident. According to the latest official update, 25 remain in critical condition, 14 suffered moderate injuries and 32 sustained minor injuries.

One survivor, 41-year-old Usa Tadsree, said she escaped only because she had stepped outside for a cigarette moments before the fire erupted.

"There was a boom – a very fast boom... There was no way to get out at all," she told Reuters.

She said rescuers later carried out the body of a friend with whom she had been enjoying the evening.

"I lost my mind. It looked like she was asleep," she said.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene early Monday and said a musician performing at the bar told him an explosion was heard before smoke and flames spread rapidly through the building.

According to the musician, many people fled towards the rear of the building and attempted to hide in the toilets, where several victims were later found.

Authorities said the owner of the bar was among those receiving treatment in intensive care.

Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Director Suriyachai Raviwan said preliminary findings indicated that most victims died from smoke inhalation.

Bangkok Governor Chatchart Sittipunt said highly flammable decorative materials on the ceiling may have accelerated the spread of the fire.

He also said several people were found unconscious near an emergency exit, raising concerns that the exit may have been obstructed. However, officials stressed that forensic investigators would determine the exact cause of the tragedy.

Motorcyclist Surin Jaiharn, who helped rescue several people, said he used clothing to extinguish flames on victims as they escaped.

"I feel depressed. I saw many deaths and I do not know the fate of the people I helped," he told AFP.

The driver who alerted emergency services told local media that he broke windows to help two people escape.

Fire investigator Vithyaa Thavapalan said the intense flames seen shooting through the entrance were consistent with the behaviour of a fully developed compartment fire.

"As the fire grows, a layer of extremely hot gases and smoke forms beneath the ceiling. Once an opening such as a doorway becomes available, that hot gas layer vents out of the building," he explained.

Authorities have sealed off the bar for 30 days while investigators examine the cause of the fire.

The Thai government announced compensation of 29,300 baht (about $880) for the families of each victim and 4,000 baht (about $120) for those receiving hospital treatment.

Thailand has witnessed several deadly entertainment venue fires in recent years. In 2022, a nightclub fire south of Bangkok killed 22 people, while a New Year s nightclub blaze in Bangkok in 2009 claimed 66 lives and injured more than 200 others. In 2024, an electrical fire at Bangkok s Chatuchak market killed around 1,000 animals.