BMA promises strict measures to prevent repeat of Chatuchak tragedy

Chatuchak’s Sri Somrat Market will be shuttered indefinitely after more than 5,000 caged animals were burned to death in a blaze on Tuesday, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said.

The fire sparked in the early hours of Tuesday, affected 133 stores in Chatuchak Market, of which 118 stores are in the Sri Somrat Market under the supervision of the State Railway of Thailand, Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said.

“Initial investigation showed that 5,343 animals died inside their cages,” he said, adding that the BMA learned of the fire at 4.08am and it was extinguished by 4.37am. The cause of the fire had not been established as of press time.

Chadchart said the owners of more than 51 stores in the market had submitted their damage reports to the BMA. However, he said, only 36 have the licence to sell animals as pets. Those eligible will receive a compensation of 11,400 baht each.

BMA reported that at least 13 species were killed in the fire, including fish, dogs, cats, sugar gliders, mice, monkeys, hedgehogs, birds, chickens, turtles, snakes, racoons and squirrels.

Chadchart said their deaths will not be in vain, because the BMA will upgrade fire-prevention measures to ensure such a tragedy does not happen again.

“BMA will strictly enforce laws against retailers, especially the 1992 Public Health Act, the 2015 Animal Epidemics Act and the 2014 Cruelty Prevention and Welfare of Animal Act,” he said.

Chadchart added that the Sri Somrat Market will not reopen until SRT has met standards and sought permission from the BMA. He also called on all retailers to apply for a licence to sell pets by July 15 and comply with the aforementioned laws to avoid legal action.

The governor also noted that BMA has nothing to do with the compensation of over a million baht sought for the deaths, saying those animals should have been kept at home.

Separately, the Department of Livestock Development (DLD)’s deputy director-general Boonyakrit Pinprasong asked the BMA, relevant agencies and shop owners to submit correct information on their pet business and help department officials with a market survey.

“We believe this incident will make retailers aware about how applying for a licence to sell pets and animal carcasses will benefit them,” he said.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s animal welfare promotion network has called on the BMA to deal with the tragedy immediately. This includes investigating the incident fairly and transparently, ensuring all pet shops meet standards, implementing measures against fire and other disasters and strictly enforcing relevant laws.

Roger Lohanan, the founder of the Thai Animal Guardians Association, called on the BMA and DLD to survey all markets and ensure animals are safe, adding that conditions for animals in Sri Somrat Market were deplorable. “Tragedies like this can be prevented by enforcing existing and additional laws,” he said.