Chonburi, Thailand – July 14th, 2026
Almost four years after a devastating fire tore through the Mountain B pub in Sattahip, claiming 26 lives and injuring more than 50 others, which we reported on extensively at the time, the scars remain raw. On Tuesday, The Pattaya News reporters returned to the site along Sukhumvit Road in the Phlu Ta Luang sub-district, where the former nightclub once stood. The building has been completely demolished, leaving only an empty plot overgrown with grass and inhabited only by stray dogs, showing a permanent closure of the business. The owner is currently behind bars after pleading guilty, serving roughly five years, heavily reduced due to his guilty plea and financial compensation agreements to victims.
For the families of the victims and survivors, however, the physical and emotional wounds have yet to heal.
The tragedy was thrust back into the spotlight following another deadly blaze at an entertainment venue in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district on July 12th, 2026, which left 31 people dead and over 70 injured. The news caused survivors and relatives from the Mountain B fire to relive their losses and pose a pointed question: How many more times must Thailand learn the same painful lessons?
“We don’t want to see this happen again”
Nang Yupayong Hoi Sang, 56, mother of Ms. Sopita Wongkamhan, 26, a survivor of the Mountain B fire, said the latest incident left her heartbroken.
“When I saw the news, I felt devastated because it immediately brought back memories of the day my daughter was severely burned on her arms, legs, and body,” she said. “I want to urge government agencies and business operators: Let this be the last time. Why are we still not serious about enforcing laws and safety measures? How many more hundreds or thousands of people have to die?”
Ms. Yupayong added that while her daughter has resumed a relatively normal life, she has not fully recovered. Those who narrowly escaped death often need years to accept themselves and reintegrate into society, she explained, with family support being crucial. Her daughter burst into tears upon seeing reports of the new fire, as the images triggered painful flashbacks.
“Everything felt so similar”
Speaking by phone to The Pattaya News, Ms. Sopita said she was shocked and terrified by the latest blaze, noting many similarities to her own ordeal, particularly issues surrounding emergency exits.
“I don’t want this to happen again. Everyone deserves better safety. If safety regulations were strictly enforced, it could have prevented so much loss,” she said.
Another mother, Nang Kanyarat Ngamdee, 63, whose son, Mr. Phanupong Ruamsuk, 40, a former municipal firefighter from Sattahip, was critically injured in the Mountain B fire, said the new incident immediately evoked the same horror.
Her son had managed to escape but chose to run back inside to help others. He suffered severe burns to his back, head, and legs, requiring multiple surgeries and more than three years of treatment before he could return to work and daily life.
“People who have never experienced this themselves or had a family member go through it will never truly understand the suffering,” Nang Kanyarat said. “I want the relevant authorities to take safety measures seriously. I don’t want to see this kind of tragedy repeated.”
Calls for stricter enforcement
Mr. Phanupong said he avoids watching news of fires because it forces him to relive his trauma. He described burn injuries as an indescribable torment and stressed that without strict safety controls, such incidents will keep recurring.
“If venues had proper, functional emergency exits, at least some lives could have been saved,” he said.
He also sent his support to the families affected by the latest fire, urging them to stay strong. “Life after such an event can never be exactly the same, but encouragement from family and loved ones helps you get through the hardest times,” he added.
Nearly four years on, the Mountain B tragedy continues to haunt survivors and the bereaved. The latest entertainment venue fire has reawakened those painful memories, prompting renewed calls from those directly impacted for all sectors to raise safety standards and enforce the law rigorously, so that history does not repeat itself.
