BMA pushes forward with rigorous city-wide inspections, ordering 56 high-risk establishments closed within 3 days, while advancing investigations into 2 major issues — the fire incident and the phantom-parent case — with a 30-day deadline set for initial findings.
(22 Jul 2026) — At the Airawat Phatthana Building, Bangkok City Hall, Din Daeng, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt gave an interview ahead of a Bangkok Metropolitan Council meeting on the progress of stepped-up safety inspection measures for business establishments following the fire at a brewery in the Lat Phrao area. He stated that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had reviewed its measures and held discussions with the Royal Thai Police and relevant agencies, and had improved its inspection approach by developing a 17-point standard safety checklist, invoking powers under the Public Health Act 1992 alongside related laws, in order to raise safety standards for business establishments across Bangkok.
● 3-day inspection results: 217 establishments pass, 56 ordered closed
Governor Chadchart said that the BMA has 1,091 establishments under its responsibility that are similar to entertainment venues. Over the past 3 days, officers conducted on-site inspections of 824 establishments, finding that 217 met the standard criteria, 551 were ordered to make additional improvements, and 56 were issued orders to temporarily suspend operations due to safety deficiencies. In cases where the deficiencies are not severe, the law allows operators to make corrections before reopening, but where serious risks are found, immediate closure orders will be issued.
The BMA will continue inspections throughout these 2 months, including follow-up re-inspections, and will require operators to obtain certification documents from engineers or specialists on matters that cannot be verified by visual observation alone — such as internal electrical systems and insulation or soundproofing materials — to confirm compliance with safety standards.
● Operators called in to understand new checklist; inspections to be extended to entertainment venues
Following the opening of a public tip-off channel through the Traffy Fondue system, 27 reports have been submitted by members of the public, and officers will move quickly to carry out on-site inspections. Meanwhile, this coming Saturday and Sunday, the BMA will invite all operators to attend a session on how to use the standard checklist, in order to build shared understanding and encourage operators to take responsibility for the safety of their customers.
In addition, inspections will not be limited solely to entertainment venues or establishments similar to entertainment venues, but will cover buildings that qualify under the law as public assembly buildings or performance venues — of which there are approximately 14,000 — including boxing stadiums. Compliance with the law on building inspections will be checked to ensure safety standards are met, with annual inspections and major inspections every 5 years to be carried out by independent building inspectors.
● "Fact-finding committees — fire incident and phantom-parent case" given 30-day timeframe
Regarding the fact-finding investigation into the fire incident, Governor Chadchart revealed that he had ordered the Chatuchak District Director to report for secondment duty since last Friday, so that the investigation could proceed with full transparency and without disrupting regular operations. A committee has also been appointed to handle fire incidents in a broader sense — not limited to the Lat Phrao case alone.
Governor Chadchart emphasised that the secondment of the Chatuchak District Director was intended to allow the fact-finding investigation to proceed fully, and does not in itself mean that any wrongdoing has occurred, as the investigation results have not yet been concluded. He affirmed that if any official is found to have committed an offence, action will be taken in strict accordance with regulations.
Regarding the fraudulent birth registration case, or the "phantom-parent" scheme, Governor Chadchart provided an update following the establishment of a fact-finding committee, stating that officials accused of involvement in the scheme have already been dismissed from government service. He reiterated that the matter must be handled seriously and in strict accordance with existing regulations. However, it is necessary to await the findings of the central-level investigation, which is being conducted by the Permanent Secretary of the BMA.
Governor Chadchart also said that the BMA has been progressively tightening its procedures. In the early stages there may have been some laxity, as district office officials trusted the hospitals. Now that the pattern of the scheme is known, some districts have introduced a queue-ticket system to prevent any single official from serving a specific person exclusively. However, in some districts, contact with a single designated official is still occurring. He has issued instructions and flagged the possibility that corruption may be ongoing, and has emphasised that inspections must be carried out with genuine seriousness.
For both fact-finding committees, an initial investigation timeframe of 30 days has been set, with the possibility of extension if necessary, in order to ensure fairness to all parties.
Regarding the running-track project, an additional inspection committee has been ordered, and other matters currently under investigation are also being pushed forward in a strict manner. The BMA will handle these matters seriously and in accordance with relevant regulations, in order to build public confidence.
● Anti-corruption award dedicated to all BMA personnel
Governor Chadchart spoke about receiving the Outstanding Individual Award for Anti-Corruption for the year 2026, saying that the award does not belong to him alone, but to every civil servant, employee, and member of BMA personnel who has worked together with transparency and genuine commitment to fighting corruption. He expressed gratitude to the Anti-Corruption Foundation for honouring the BMA, and affirmed that the BMA will continue to advance the organisation's transparency and good governance, as there remains much important work still to be done.
