Mountain B Pub Owner Sentenced to Five Years For Fire That Killed 26

From Pattaya News

On August 5th, 2022, a devastating fire broke out at the Mountain B Pub, a nightclub located on Sukhumvit Road in the Sattahip district of Chonburi Province. The blaze started around 12:45 AM during a live music performance, originating on the ceiling above the stage which we covered in depth here.

The owner of the Mountain B Pub, identified as Pongsiri Panprasong, also known as “Sia B,” faced legal consequences for his role in the disaster. On March 18, 2025, the Pattaya Provincial Court sentenced him to five years and four months in prison after he was found guilty of recklessness causing death.

Initially facing a potential 10-year sentence, his term was reduced due to a guilty confession. Alongside him, three others were convicted: His wife and father each received 10-year sentences, and an electrician involved in the pub’s setup was sentenced to five years and one month. The court also imposed fines, with Sia B ordered to pay 133,000 baht. Compensation for the victims’ families was set to vary between 2 to 5 million baht per victim. His wife and father received longer sentences and 266,000 Baht fines due to not confessing but later being found guilty for their part in the shocking incident, although they are able to appeal.

The fire exposed significant safety violations at the venue. The Mountain B Pub was operating illegally, licensed only as a restaurant with a midnight closing time, yet it functioned as a nightclub past legal hours in an area where such establishments were prohibited. The lack of proper permits, inadequate fire safety measures—like the limited exits and the use of highly flammable materials—and alleged negligence by officials who failed to enforce regulations contributed to the catastrophe.

https://thepattayanews.com/2025/03/19/mountain-b-pub-owner-sentenced-to-five-years-in-jail-for-fatal-2022-fire-that-killed-26-people-in-sattahip/