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Just after 12:30am on January 1st, 2009 Santika burned to the ground and took with it 61 people and injured over 200. I was there first hand with friends ringing in the new year and know all too well the firetraps these things are. Santika is a large venue with a pit area in the center below the band and a balcony that sweeps around the upper level in a U shape. Last night was a special event on account of it being New Year's but also the second last night before the bar shut it's doors for good.
The celebration brought out a huge crowd, easily a few hundred more than a normal Friday or Saturday night. I was separated from the other half of my group and was standing on the stair landing mid-way between the main floor and balcony when I felt a blast of heat and looked above the stage to see huge flames. At first my friend and I thought it was a special effect but the heat was too strong. At that point people had already started to move outside and we were carried by the crowd out the main front doors.
Outside I made a detour back to the smaller front door that opens onto a veranda and helped several others lift people over a walled water feature about 1.5m tall. Within minutes I recognized my other friend being helped out and I immediately jumped up and swept her across the feature out into the parking lot.
Her friends followed in worse shape and I had to carry the friend's boyfriend about 100 meters after which I stood and watch the sea of helpless patrons standing over dozens of barely conscious bodies. My friend and I then began scouting the area for our third who wasn't answering calls. After a painful 10 minutes he called and had managed to walk down the street to 7/11 where we met up and took him to the hospital for treatment of minor burns and smoke inhalation.Commenting afterwards my friend and I were shocked at how fast the place became engulfed in flames. From the time we witnessed the first flame until we were outside was only 30 seconds yet when I circled back I was seeing people passing out as they were being helped out the front. Relatively speaking Santika is probably less of a fire hazard than the other mega clubs along Ekamai which tend to be packed beyond humanly possible with little regard for safety.
I have many friends that work and frequent Santika and I've read that most of the deaths occurred in the pit area and washrooms. My sincerest condolences to all the friends and families affected by this tragedy. I hope that in the coming months I will once again see the countless smiles I came to recognize from friends I've made during Santika's run.
11 Comments:
Setting off fireworks in a crowded room with foam ceilings, no fire exits, no sprinkler system, only one way out - Will 2009 finally bring some common sense to the people of this Kingdom?
The new Thai PM while visiting the injured at Camillian hospital was asking why the bar owners allowed patrons to bring fireworks inside the bar in the first place. Fireworks inside bars here are not uncommon and while it may or may not have been a patron's party cracker that started the blaze the main display was put on by the bar itself. I personally witnessed at least one stage effect go off incorrectly sending a stream of sparks into the stage floor for a good 2 minutes.
What a tragedy. So glad you're okay, though.
The people who managed this club, and perhaps the people who own this venue, certainly have a lot to answer for. Fifty-nine youg lives lost, 59 grieving familnies, and no doubt even more tragic loss of life in the days and weeks to come.
But I also wonder how you, and other like you, feel now about the way you have shamelessly promoted this fire trap and the many others just as dangerous as Santika as the "place to be" and the "place to party". I wonder if you can manage to sleep at night now or to look at yourself in the mirror.
Bangkok nightlife is great, having fun is great, but all the fun in the world is not worth the life of a single one of those innocents killed in the fire.
May those who perished in the flames of Santiak find peace in their next lives. I hope you can somehow manage to find peace in yours.
This is truly a tragic time. However, I'd feel remiss if I didn't say that the above poster is being harsh. Just because one hypes someplace as the "place to be," does not mean that they are purposely luring people to a place they knew to be a danger. I've been to Santika (and told others to go) and had no idea this was possible. The fault for this may lie somewhere, but certainly not with those who merely advertised or otherwise promoted the club.
lol, that comment by Mark is perhaps the most out of line comment I have ever read.
I once brought some out of town mates to party at Santika, I guess I should be feeling responsible for promoting the place too?
No problems sleeping here...
I agree that Mark's comment is an inappropriate attack, and is also unhelpful and unnecessary in this aftermath of such a very tragic event. Perhaps he has a reason to write what he did. But I can't see one. Mike's site, and others like it, are there for the public to use as it wishes.
Hi Mike,
I am glad you are okay, it is such a tragic event indeed. Take care.
Sabina
Mike - Positive change comes from highlighting irresponsibilty. Not making excuses: Read on... “Most Thais want to know who is responsible PURELY so they can recover financially from the incident. ..” This is an arrogant cooment and insulting to Thais, let alone westerners. Of course hospital bills will have a devastating effect on many people. This goes without saying. And there is a strong argument for accountability and compensation even if it is Thailand, but, I can guarantee this is not PURELY the reason that most Thais would want to find out who is responsible, especially if they have lost a loved one.
(“Some amount of responsibility need s to lie on the people who enter a club like this in the first place.”) Whether people entered the club knowing that the fire-exits were locked or not does not make them responsible for the death and injury that many have suffered. The only people responsible are the owners and managers. Safety is a basic common sense requirement. And basic requirements such as having an adequate number of unlocked fire escapes would have nothing to do with the encroachment on excitement and freedom as alluded to by the writer in the main passage. Is he hinting that we have to accept is a trade off between excitement and sleaze and the forgoing of safety and regulation? Of course he is. We all know this to be true including myself, but it doesn’t make it right. An unlocked fire exit has nothing to do with “big brother babysits our every move... as in western societies” as alluded to in the author’s main passage.
“Thailand is not a first world country and as such it cannot be held up to the bar we expect in the western world.” But this is not the first time it has happened. There have been numerous disasters like this in the past that have involved the death and injury of westerners (and Thais) as a result of corrupt negligence. NOT highlighting the problem will not bring about positive change; all you are doing is ensuring that the status quo persists – and as keeps happening – the irresponsible people get away with it. The last thing you should be doing is making excuses for them. Let us not forget, if Thailand (especially Bangkok Thais) want to see themselves as part of a modern global international arena operating on a global stage, as they do and always promote, then we certainly can expect to hold them up to the same international bar, especially on basic matters such as safety. They can’t have it both ways. Either they want to see themselves part of a modern international arena or they don’t. If they do, meet the bar.
I agree that offering a donation may be helpful and supportive - as the author of the main passage has suggested. But I totally disagree when he says that, “otherwise you are only adding comment to a country you have only seen sensationalized on CNN or Fox”. Rubbish! If you don’t add comment and point out these inconsistencies and devastating acts of negligence there will be no positive change and the same thing will happen again and again, and there will be more tragedy.
Finally, he says we need to consider carefully before we pass judgements which may be unproductive and disrespectful to families and friends of victims. I agree, but can I suggest that he reads over what he has written and practice what he preaches when he advises this.
As I mentioned I was there, and I did help, I did pay hospital bills for several victims. My comments are based on first hand feedback. Try putting that energy to good use next time.
Once I heard the news, your name popped up in my thought. I haven't checked ur blog for quite sometime but I am glad u r not one of those 63. This is a real tragedy.
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