Seven Hurt in Bangkok New Year Firework Blast as Authorities Crack Down

A burst of colour meant to mark the year’s first minutes instead sent revellers scurrying for cover in downtown Bangkok, while an illegal workshop 100 km away was quietly dismantled before it could do far worse. Both incidents are feeding a fast-growing debate: has Thailand’s passion for fireworks finally crossed the safety line?

Snapshot of a troubled New Year

• Seven people hurt on Sukhumvit Road in the capital

• 200 L of explosive powder seized in Suphan Buri raid

• Bangkok now enforces fines up to ฿60,000 for unlicensed displays

• Experts warn of 900 °C sparks and 130 dB noise blasts

• City districts asked to approve shows only between 23:00 and 01:00 on New Year’s Eve

Bangkok blast underscores regulatory gaps

Witnesses on Pridi Banomyong 26, a narrow lane off Sukhumvit 71, recall seeing a 50-centimeter mortar-style firework propped against a wall shortly before 22:44. Moments later the wall-toppled device burst sideways, unleashing a debris shower that cut into bystanders. In the ensuing chaos, seven injured revellers—four treated on site, three hospitalised—were helped by volunteers as Khlong Tan police cordoned off the alley. A forensic team collected three unexploded shells for laboratory analysis to learn whether sub-standard powder or simple misuse triggered the blast.

A night of celebration that turned chaotic

Residents told reporters the alley often hosts informal street parties, yet few realised a permit is mandatory under Bangkok’s 2018 ordinance on dok-mai fai (fireworks). District officials who arrived later confirmed that no approval had been sought. Because fireworks must be registered at least 15 days in advance—and only devices with tubes under 12 inches get a green light—the neighbourhood display was illegal from the outset. Police say they will summon the organisers once laboratory results clarify whether the shells themselves violated the Explosives Act.

Illegal workshops: danger beyond the city

While Bangkok firefighters cleared spent casings, officers in Suphan Buri were zeroing in on a different threat: clandestine production. Acting on tips from villagers, provincial officials stormed a house in Muang District and uncovered 200 L of loose gunpowder, metal casings, finished sky-rockets and a hand-press for packing fuses. The owner now faces charges under Section 38 of the Explosives Act, which can carry three-year prison terms. District chief Sitthiporn Konghom noted that similar backyard plants caused lethal explosions in 2022 and 2024, killing workers and shaking nearby homes. “People forget one spark can level an entire block,” he warned.

What the rules actually say

Bangkok tightened controls for the 2025–2026 holiday window:

No unlicensed lighting or launching of fireworks, lanterns, bang-fai rockets or smoke balloons anywhere in the metropolis.

Offenders face up to 3 years in jail or ฿60,000 fines.

Applications require a site map, emergency plan and district approval 15 days before the event.

Even with permission, displays were restricted to 23:00–01:00 on New Year’s Eve, and banned within 200 m of hospitals, petrol depots and royal premises.

Experts urge a rethink

Health and safety specialists point out that a single sparkler tip already reaches 900 °C, while large shells can generate a 130 dB concussion, well above pain thresholds. The Department of Disease Control recommends replacing traditional pyrotechnics with laser shows or augmented-reality displays. If fireworks are unavoidable, they say organisers should use licensed technicians, keep buckets of water ready, ban alcohol near launch pads and ensure children observe from a safe distance. Chemical residues such as potassium perchlorate and barium nitrate also raise air-quality alarms, a growing concern for asthma sufferers during the cool-season smog.

Will 2026 bring tougher oversight?

Preliminary figures from the Public Health Ministry list 112 firework-related injuries nationwide last New Year—slightly fewer than 2024, yet still double the pre-pandemic average. Bangkok City Hall is reviewing whether to extend the one-hour window or adopt Singapore-style professional-only shows. Insurance firms, meanwhile, have started refusing event coverage unless licensed pyrotechnicians are hired. For Thai residents who relish crackling skies each December, the message is clear: the spectacle can stay—if the rules do, too.