BANGKOK, THAILAND – Police have handed prosecutors the full investigation into the Brauhaus nightclub fire that killed 37 people and injured 77. The blaze ripped through the entertainment venue in Lat Phrao on the night of July 12-13 last year.
Investigators from Phahon Yothin Police Station presented their findings during a meeting with Police Division 2 and the Metropolitan Police Investigation Division. The file, spanning seven thick binders, now sits with the state attorney for review.
Short circuit sparked inferno
Probers concluded a short circuit in tampered electrical wiring ignited flammable soundproofing material. Flames then spread rapidly through the club.
Fire exits were blocked by tables and chairs. Doors that should have served as emergency exits were either locked, obstructed, or failed to meet legal standards, the inquiry found.
Owner facing multiple charges
Police have recommended charges against Suwicha Sailabat, the 45-year-old owner of Brauhaus, as an individual and against the company itself. The proposed charges include negligent arson, negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and criminal damage.
Investigators also allege the venue operated without a proper permit. Police accused the operator of failing to exercise the required duty of care for running such an establishment.
Owner still in hospital
Suwicha Sailabat has not yet been interrogated. He remains under treatment in the intensive care unit of Paolo Kaset Hospital.
Police said four to five business partners were identified but found to have no involvement in the club’s management. No charges were recommended against them.
District chief transferred
Prasat Phosrimat, director of the Chatuchak District Office, has been moved to the office of the secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The transfer aims to ensure a transparent city government investigation.
The state attorney must now evaluate the evidence and decide whether to formally indict Suwicha Sailabat and the company. Police consider the evidence largely complete.