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Published on September 7, 2007

Some hotels in Bangkok are stepping up safety measures in response to the blaze at the Mandarin Hotel early Wednesday morning that injured at least 16 tourists and has been cited as the worst incident in the Thai hotel industry in 10 years.

Thai Hotels Association (THA) president Chanin Donavanik said the THA planned to discuss the issue with its members soon. He said all hotels were constantly urged to be more concerned about security.

"This case is another big event 10 years after the Pattaya incident. In fact, this should not happen in any hotel," said Chanin.

He said the THA would investigate the incident after officials had finished their work. In 1997, the Royal Jomtien Resort in Pattaya caught fire, killing 90. Two hotel executives were charged with neglecting fire-safety measures.

The THA is calling on all hotels to be concerned about safety and train their staff to handle emergencies.

It said one important measure would be to install fire masks in hotels, but many operators have not yet responded, due to the high cost.

The THA said many Bangkok hotels were discussing the issue. At least 10 are expected to hold a meeting to discuss the matter in the next few weeks.

Radisson Hotel Bangkok manager Karl Buhr held an internal meeting yesterday to discuss security measures, particular regarding fires. The hotel, which plans to hold a fire-evacuation drill on September 20, will include all departments in the drill instead of only some as originally planned. A public-relations executive said the move was a response to the Mandarin Hotel fire, which injured 16 guests.

The mandarin Hotel is located on Rama IV Road near Hualampong railway station. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has declared the hotel a danger zone, and outsiders may not enter without official permission.

Wednesday morning's fire broke out on the hotel's second floor, which is under renovation, before spreading to other areas. The damage is estimated at more than Bt100 million.

Two years ago, the Baiyoke Suite Hotel in Bangkok was closed temporarily after a fire broke out on the second floor of the tower, causing extensive damage to retail textile outlets.

That fire was caused by a short circuit in a control room in the hotel, which operates on the upper floors of the 43-storey tower.

At least eight people suffered from smoke inhalation, but there were no fatalities.

Early this year, tourism experts warned about hotel safety during a meeting of the Thailand chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association.

Suchat Sritama

 The Nation