Another year, another deadly pub inferno in Thailand

This handout photo taken and released on August 5, 2022 by the Sawang Rojanathammasathan Rescue Foundation shows firefighters working to contain a fire at the Mountain B nightclub in Sattahip district in Thailand’s Chonburi province. (Photo by Sawang Rojanathammasathan Rescue Foundation / AFP)

Thailand’s nightlife scene was hit by a tragedy of historic proportions this year when an inferno tore through the Mountain B nightclub in Chon Buri province, killing 26 people and badly injuring at least 40 others.

The fire made headlines for weeks because it was among the deadliest at a night-time venue in Thai history. People who had entered the club expecting an evening of fun and entertainment instead found themselves trapped by a wall of flames and choking black smoke.

What happened?

On the night of August 4, around 100 people were partying at Mountain B – a new…