English_George Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 ...It is a very sad day for the people and their loved ones... ...my heart goes out to the families ..anything other than commiserations are at risk of sounding tactless, today. ..79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsnow Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 The crazy thing is that little picture of flame next to the yesterdays event at Santikas home pages. I guess it means "what is hot right now, the next event" but considering everything, it just is so out of place there currently. Truly amazing that the people responsible for the web page have not removed the flame from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stramash Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 The crazy thing is that little picture of flame next to the yesterdays event at Santikas home pages. I guess it means "what is hot right now, the next event" but considering everything, it just is so out of place there currently. Truly amazing that the people responsible for the web page have not removed the flame from there. To be fair I don't think that is something they will have thought about or have high on a list of priorities. It may even be that the person who maintained the web page is injured or worse or has friends injured or other, so I think critiicsm of a particualr image on their web page is a very minor and unimportant factor. Of course I heard the news before even going out for NYE and it stuck with me all evening. I was at the 'Optimo' NYE event, which is one of biggest in Glasgow, and I found myself checking for fire exits etc when I got into the venue (their NYE event is not at their normal club but at much larger venue called Old Fruitmarket) Not many people had heard about the tragedy as most had already been out when the news broke. As Johnny and Keith who run the club are old friends of mine, I asked them if there was anything they could do to recognise the tragedy (a difficult thing to do on such a busy night) However, there is a worldwide camaraderie between clubbers, and Keith agreed to try and do something; So one of them downloaded some images and text on the tragedy and projected on the big screens. Rather than attempt any sort of commemorative silence, Keith decided to announce the tragedy over the pa system and went on to dedicate the next tune to all affected. A small gesture, but one I was grateful for them doing... I can only pray that the TFer we know was injured recovers fully and that there are no fatalities amongst the TF community... Wanted to add these words from the Indian poet Sri Chimnoy; Death is not the end Death can never be the end. Death is the road. Life is the traveller. The Soul is the Guide ... Our mind thinks of death. Our heart thinks of life Our soul thinks of Immortality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Mike Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Of course this tragedy is very sad for all of us. Another reminder of the status here in Thailand, showing blatant and surprising lack of respect for human life and protection. In and around the majority of all buildings here there are: no fire sprinklers, no fire hoses, no fire extinguishers. no safe sidewalks, the list goes on and on. Just like there is no control on the roads for public safety, no morals when driving, no right of way, no respect and no courtesy. Additionally, it wasn't only fireworks making the scene. Almost anywhere you can hear the sounds of guns being fired into the air, very dangerous and haphazardly, as the bullets come down just as deadly. Strange enough, I had a weird feeling last night and so we stayed home for New Years. Hopefully no one else dies from this terrible incidence. Sincere condolences to all involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whateverforever Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Of course this tragedy is very sad for all of us. Another reminder of the status here in Thailand, showing blatant and surprising lack of respect for human life and protection. In and around the majority of all buildings here there are: no fire sprinklers, no fire hoses, no fire extinguishers. no safe sidewalks, the list goes on and on. Just like there is no control on the roads for public safety, no morals when driving, no right of way, no respect and no courtesy. Additionally, it wasn't only fireworks making the scene. Almost anywhere you can hear the sounds of guns being fired into the air, very dangerous and haphazardly, as the bullets come down just as deadly. Strange enough, I had a weird feeling last night and so we stayed home for New Years. Hopefully no one else dies from this terrible incidence. Sincere condolences to all involved. Thailand is very lack about regulations and most buildings are an electrical and engineering disaster but when it comes to clubs it seems they are unsafe worldwide. I know my country in the USA has had a few similar tragedies so we can't blame Thailand as uniquely guilty in this disregard for human life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetieBabie Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Thailand is very lack about regulations and most buildings are an electrical and engineering disaster but when it comes to clubs it seems they are unsafe worldwide. I know my country in the USA has had a few similar tragedies so we can't blame Thailand as uniquely guilty in this disregard for human life. Rhode Island Club Fire 2003 The Station nightclub fire on the evening of Thursday, February 20, 2003, was the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history, killing 100 people and injuring more than 200. Ninety-six perished on the night of the fire, and four died later from their injuries at local hospitals. The Station, which regularly hosted glam metal and 1980s rock bands, was a nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Mike Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Of course this tragedy is very sad for all of us. Another reminder of the status here in Thailand, showing blatant and surprising lack of respect for human life and protection. In and around the majority of all buildings here there are: no fire sprinklers, no fire hoses, no fire extinguishers. no safe sidewalks, the list goes on and on. Just like there is no control on the roads for public safety, no morals when driving, no right of way, no respect and no courtesy. Additionally, it wasn't only fireworks making the scene. Almost anywhere you can hear the sounds of guns being fired into the air, very dangerous and haphazardly, as the bullets come down just as deadly. Strange enough, I had a weird feeling last night and so we stayed home for New Years. Hopefully no one else dies from this terrible incidence. Sincere condolences to all involved. Thailand is very lack about regulations and most buildings are an electrical and engineering disaster but when it comes to clubs it seems they are unsafe worldwide. I know my country in the USA has had a few similar tragedies so we can't blame Thailand as uniquely guilty in this disregard for human life. The conversation is about Thailand, about the loss of life in Thailand. In a business 'regulated" by Thai laws. I doubt Pakistan or anywhere else was involved with this tragedy, thus I blame Thailand's almost total lack of respect for public safety. Were there not fireworks inside the building? Don't motorbikes drive around with full LP gas cans strapped to the back? Haven't you ever been cut off by a high speed car just seconds before an exit? Do cars wait for you to cross the road, A soi, or between shopping centers? No, they don't. Not even in parking lots. I am saddened and bewildered by any loss of life in such an irresponsible manner..Anywhere in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
submissiv Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I think Thailand is so dependent on tourists that's why its always in the news when this things happen. Off course there is many other things in Thailand that need to look after, but now we are in Thailand friends not Pakistan Friends. This is not the first fire as i said before. They need to do something and if they close 50 % of the night clubs doing it i do not mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 After they changed Santika now about a year or so ago I did not have a good feeling about the place and haven't really been back since. I was thinking about it yesterday as I looked for some alternatives to celebrate NYE, but the 'Goodbye Santika' just sounded not right. I'm glad I trust my instincts. Another place I avoid for that reason is Gazebo on KSR. The music may be great but that place is just another disaster waiting to happen. It surely makes you think about where the exits are when you go to a place. I think it would be good if we will all start to ask the staff and owners of the places we visit about emergency exits, emergency lighting, fire extinguishers etc... and if it's not safe, leave for somewhere else. After all it's only gonna change when people become vocal. Some of my good friends got injured at Santika last night. One of the people we know here on TF was not so lucky. It just made me realize that we all spend not enough time with our friends. Life can be shorter than expected so you better make the best of it and show people that you care about them and not just once or twice a year.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English_George Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 It just made me realize that we all spend not enough time with our friends. Life can be shorter than expected so you better make the best of it and show people that you care about them and not just once or twice a year.. ..yes, ..a very apt remark ..79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetieBabie Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Having watched the news and scoops on tv this evening, shows a few numbers of injured/ burn victim who are younger than 20 years old. Some where only 16 - 17 clubbing first timers asked permission from parents to be out on NYE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treborz Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Thailand is very lack about regulations and most buildings are an electrical and engineering disaster but when it comes to clubs it seems they are unsafe worldwide. I know my country in the USA has had a few similar tragedies so we can't blame Thailand as uniquely guilty in this disregard for human life. Rhode Island Club Fire 2003 The Station nightclub fire on the evening of Thursday, February 20, 2003, was the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history, killing 100 people and injuring more than 200. Ninety-six perished on the night of the fire, and four died later from their injuries at local hospitals. The Station, which regularly hosted glam metal and 1980s rock bands, was a nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. There was a similar tragedy in Shenzhen, China just a few months ago. You would think club owners would sit up and take notice of these tragedies. If, as documented, the owners of Santika allowed fireworks inside they should be held accountable. China nightclub fire in Shenzhen kills 43 A fire in a nightclub has killed 43 people in the Chinese border city of Shenzhen in the latest post-Olympics disaster to hit the country. Firemen are now attempting to clear the damaged club Photo: REUTERS The blaze was sparked by a fireworks show that was part of the stage act on the third floor of the illegal King of the Dancers club. Roman candles set fire to the ceiling, and as the fire spread the lights short-circuited, plunging the club into darkness. Revellers rushed for the doors, but those who made it became trapped in narrow corridors and were crushed in the stampede. Shenzhen is the economic "new city" on the border with Hong Kong which in the space of less than three decades has exploded from a small rundown town to a metropolis of 10 million people. It is the richest town per head of population in the country, but is also known for its "wild west" traits. Fortunes are made overnight from its mixture of high-tech industries, sweatshops, prostitution and crime. In microcosm it is an example of the difficulties of maintaining the rule of law in a system that is changing far more rapidly than systems of governance. The deaths occurred as China is reeling from two other scandals - the sale of large quantities of milk, particularly baby formula, that was tainted with the poisonous plastic melamine to disguise the fact that it was sub-standard, and the collapse of a slag heap at an illegal mine that killed at least 250 people. Not long after the fire, a gas explosion at a coal mine in central China killed 37 people, according to state media. Provincial authorities launched an immediate inquiry into the causes of the nightclub accident, promising to "appease the victims' families and maintain social order", a reflection of the anger such incidents can cause. The owner was being questioned by police, while 51 people were hospitalised. "There was only a narrow aisle," said Yang Zhi, a member of staff. "Many people got hurt in the stampede." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
submissiv Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Gazebo does not give me a very good feeling, where do you run if you have a fire on the bottom? Jump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Owners need to be responsible for their patrons. Us had a fire in a small club due to fire works. IMO having fireworks in a small club is VERY STUPID :shock: Prayers for the survivors ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primetime Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 This is exactly what happened at the Station Night Club in the U.S. state of Rhode Island 6 years ago. Similar deaths and injuries (100 died and over 200 injuries at SNC). Makes me sick that it is a repeat. Here is an excerpt from the SNC fire "The fire started about 11:08 PM, just seconds into headlining band Great White's opening song "Desert Moon," when pyrotechnics set off by the band's tour manager, Daniel Biechele, ignited the building's flammable soundproofing foam. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoaBrotha Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I remember one case in Israel a dancing floor collapsed and dozens of people die. It?s was a wedding party. I can?t remember which year it was.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBgR_BiWOlc&feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsnow Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Finnish man interviewed today who survived the fire. He recollects not seeing any signs for emergency exits and people after the electricity cut off, just fleeing from any holes they could find. He jumped out between the steel bars that they managed to rig open in front of the windows. Anyhow, pure tragedy. The pictures of shoes among the debris made my eyes tear (Pantips forums, I was wondering how is it possible that someone was able to enter crime scene like that and snap away pics, but this is Thailand right) and the part from WSJ.com quoting really made me feel so bad and like hug any Thai gal around to be safe " I saw people, particularly young girls, being pushed away and crushed underneath as others were stomping on them trying to get out" These club fires are so horrendous. Santika and so many others are pure mazes. Real bummer. Blaaah I better stop thinkin' this right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stramash Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I used to be involved in organising a lot of 'free' parties; these often took place in abandoned warehouses, old railway tunnels, barns, and even on one occasion an abandoned underground station in Glasgow. One of our primary concerns was always safety, despite most events being break even financially as we only made money from the bar. All the wall hangings we used to decorate the place had been treated with flame retardant coatings, we had a couple of old illuminated 'fire exit' signs that we would use to highlight main exit routes, and we always had a minimum of 3 or 4 fire extinguishers just in case something happened. It just beggars belief that in this day and age, a crowd of friends throwing free illegal parties could take more safety precautions than an actual business. I hope that one good thing comes out of this tragedy; in that there is a huge clampdown on safety standards in Thai clubs. A poster earlier said he didn't mind if 50% of clubs had to close, even if temporarily, and I support that completely. It is unfortunate that it does take tragedies, of any sort, to stimulate debate on the standards of safety or precautionary measures in the particular area where the tragedy has occurred, but hopefully we will see more stringent regulatory measures in place for all clubs and entertainment venues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimy Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I have been to Zantika many times. Hard to imagine the scene there last night as I sit here 10,000 miles away....thoughts and prayers to all the victims & their loved ones.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetieBabie Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 ignited the building's flammable soundproofing foam = Polyurethane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garlic Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 ignited the building's flammable soundproofing foam = Polyurethane this was a few years ago...very similar... http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040216/16rhodeisland.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyoiy Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I got calls asking if I'm ok since 3am last night but I didn't see any news on telly and didn't bother to check the internet. When I logged on TF in the afternoon, it's all over about Zantika.. it's sad indeed, I can stop reading about it even it make me so sad. As I been there before many times but only a few times after it has been renovated. I couldn't imagine how 1000+ ppl could get out of it within 10mins as fire burned all over within 5-10mins only from what survivors said. I magine a big hall with 1000+, most ppl ran to the only one destination... Not surprised at all that we face a big loss... most updated news said 89 gone but I'm not sure if this is final yet, not sure if they can get in to take all bodies out already? too sad.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbroker Posted January 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Thailand is very lack about regulations and most buildings are an electrical and engineering disaster but when it comes to clubs it seems they are unsafe worldwide. I know my country in the USA has had a few similar tragedies so we can't blame Thailand as uniquely guilty in this disregard for human life. Whenever you jam many people into a confined, closed space there is ALWAYS a risk like this; anywhere on earth. No, Thailand is not "uniquely guilty." But I doubt you or anyone else can argue comparing Thailand's (if there are any or if they're enforced) to U.S. regulations regarding mitigating that risk is the same or even close. Can anyone recall seeing Thai firefighters or police make unannounced visits at any club to check exits, sprinklers, club capacity, etc? I never have. Maybe this disaster will prod some corrective action there. Maybe it will soon be back to business as usual. One known exit? For a club that size? Unacceptable. The conversation is about Thailand, about the loss of life in Thailand. In a business 'regulated" by Thai laws. The "conversation" is about a Thai nightclub going up in flames during a packed New Year's Eve party and its aftermath. Mentioning other like instances and comparing club regulations elsewhere is relevant. That won't stop posters from going off topic; it already has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankenburner2 Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 While manager at Absolute 7, I was painfully aware of how much of a fire trap it was. Jamie, one of our most popular singers, also sang Santica and was on stage last night when the fire started. Thankfully, he's ok. The owners of Absolute recently opened a gawdy monstrosity on Soi 12 called "Nomad" The ceilings and walls are lined with about 6 inches of sound proofing and decoration. While very good for acoustics, it too is a fire trap. As far as I know, there NO enforced fire codes in Bangkok. Enter at your own risk. btw...back in canada...I once had a small hot dog cart. THAT had to meet fire code! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 i'm fairly sure there are no fire codes to speak of in Thailand, or they are not enforced at all. MBK is a potential death trap if ever there was one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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