Police issue arrest warrant for two Santika pub bosses

Meanwhile, news of two more victims of the New Year's Eve inferno who have succumbed to their burns, brings the death toll to 66.

The Narenthorn Centre reported that, out of the 229 injured partygoers, 39 remain hospitalised with 19 still in intensive care units. Of those hospitalised, 12 were foreigners.

Deputy Police CommissionerGeneral, Pol Gen Jongrak Juthanon said police investigators from the Thong Lor police station had asked the Phra Khanong District Court to issue arrest warrants for Santika major shareholder Wisuk Setsawat and managing director Surity Ritrabue.

The couple could face up to 10 years in  jail and/or Bt20,000 in fines under the recklessness charges, and fines up to Bt50,000 for allowing minors to enter the nightclub.

Investigators claim the couple arranged stage performances on New Year's Eve, despite the building's unsuitability. They say officials from Wattana district office of the Engineering Institute of Thailand had advised the 500square metre club could manage up to 500 people; but the club had sent SMSs inviting over 10,000 people, resulting in over 1,000 partygoers attending.

The lack of safety systems such as emergency exits, fire exit signs, fire alarms or fireextinguishing systems indicated the suspects sought profits with no regard for customers' safety, which was within the frame of a recklessness charge, according to Jongrak.

Police would inform the couple of the charges filed against them soon. Investigators would probe if there were more people responsible, such as those who made and operated the fireworks or the stage effects, he said. More arrest warrants could be issued if police found evidence of other suspects, he added.

A source at the Justice Ministry revealed that a committee investigating the Santika Pub fire had found a number of agencies associated with the club had acted within a frame of dereliction. For example, Thong Lor police had charged the club for operating without a licence 47 times, but no order was issued to close it.

The source said between 2004 and 2006, club executives had been arrested for operating without a licence and selling alcohol drinks at prohibited times, but public prosecutors had not filed lawsuits within the appropriate time and all charges had been dropped. Similarly, charges involving the selling of booze at prohibited times were not filed with the court  and senior police officers at the Royal Thai Police did not raise objections.

The White and Brother company, which ran the Santika Pub, had originally applied for Wattana District's permission to construct a commercial and residential building, but later modified it to an entertainment service establishment.

The club operated openly for nearly five years but there was no evidence officials had probed the building's modifications. As it was listed as a public service establishment, it was obliged to install fire safety measures, but the company failed to do so, the source said.

Jongrak said the probe into the cause of the fire was 80 per cent complete in determining if it was a firework or a stage effect. He said the man who pushed the special effect's switch, Punnarat Saenmuangshin died at the scene.

The two latest victims of the fire were Mananya Boonsan,who died at Khlong Ton hospital but whose death has just been reported to police, and a Sudanese woman, Mayada Hassan Ali Amad, who was pronounced dead yesterday morning.

In a related development, Social Security Office Area 8 director Weena Lertkamolmas said the club must pay its deceased employees Bt2,300 in funeral assistance money and a death compensation worth 60 per cent of salary for 8 years. The club must pay injured employees at 60 per cent of their salary, she said. Relatives of two deceased employees had already contacted the office for such compensation, while six others had yet to come forward, she said.