After the catastrophic fire at Santika's New Year party, many questions still remain open

After the catastrophic fire at Santika's New Year party, many questions still remain open:

Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga said while inspecting the charred building of Santika Club in Ekamai Soi 9, a popular nightlife zone, where the fire erupted at around 0.30am that he would order the Justice permanent secretary Kittipong Kittiyarak on Monday to set up a special committee to probe the Santika blaze for the sake of fairness to relatives of fire victims and the owner.

Among the victims were foreigners including a Singaporean identified as Teo Sze Siong who was pronounced dead and 25-year-old Japanese Keiichi Wada who suffered over 60% burns.

Information obtained during the inspection will also be used to determine whether the club's owner had violated the city's building code, Mr. Pirapan said, adding that he was puzzled why the burned nightclub had only one exit and was equipped with iron-grilled windows, making it difficult for persons inside the building to escape in case of fire.

The large number of casualties was blamed on there being only one apparent exit, making it difficult for New Year revelers who had just finished the countdown to the New Year to escape when the blaze broke out above them. Many of them died because of the stampede.

Mr. Pirapan said he had spoken with Chantra Purnariksha, secretary-general of Office of the Insurance Commission, who was inspecting the disaster site that concerned officials in future certify that building owners have insured buildings in accordance with the law while fire protection equipment must be installed inside in order to prevent a similar incident from occurring in future.

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Australian entertainment industry worker Peter Kent, who lives near the club, told The Age that clubs along the flashy Ekamai Road were known for poor safety standards, with many lacking fire escapes.

"It was an accident waiting to happen," said Mr Kent, who is holidaying in Melbourne. "Being inside one of these clubs is like a sardine can. If there was a fire you wouldn't get out because you are shoulder to shoulder."

He said local police turned a blind eye to poorly built and regularly overcrowded clubs.

"People who have money are able to sidestep regulations in Bangkok," he said.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said there did not seem to be legal questions regarding the construction of Santika club.

According to local media, Bangkok clubbers yesterday led heated discussions on Thai websites about the narrow entrances and exits of Santika and other similar clubs.

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