The death toll from the fire in early August at a nightclub near the tourist city of Pattaya, one of the deadliest in Thailand in recent years, has risen to 20 dead, authorities said on Friday evening.
• Read also: Thailand nightclub fire death toll rises to 17
• Read also: Thailand nightclub fire death toll rises to 16
The incident occurred on the night of August 4 to 5 at “Mountain B”, a nightclub located about 180 kilometers southeast of the capital.
Rescuers found 13 charred bodies inside the establishment and seven people died of their injuries, said health authorities in Chonburi province, where the tragedy took place.
The latest victim identified is a 50-year-old man, according to the same source.
All are of Thai nationality.
Twenty-five people are still in care, including 9 on respiratory assistance.
The presence on the walls of acoustic foam, supposed to insulate the building from outside noise, favored the spread of the fire. Firefighters took more than three hours to bring it under control.
A Chonburi provincial police officer confirmed on Saturday that the owners of the nightclub, a father and son, have been charged with reckless causing death and operating an unlicensed establishment.
“They could face other charges relating to building security and employee welfare,” he told AFP.
Both were released on bail by the local court, he said.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha has ordered an investigation.
Thailand is a country that is lax in terms of safety regulations, especially in its countless bars and nightclubs.
In 2009, a gigantic fire in a posh club in Bangkok, during the New Year’s Eve of January 1, had made 67 people and more than 200 wounded.
His owner of the Santika had spent three years in detention following this tragedy.