Fire guts Crocodile Disco
PATONG: A fire early this morning gutted the popular Crocodile Disco on Soi Bangla, causing damage estimated at 40 million baht, according to the disco’s manager.
The manager, Amnuay Kuabkum, told the Gazette that the fire broke out around 5 am, while guards were sitting outside to ensure the safety of the three-story complex, located at the end of Soi Moulin Rouge.
The soi, more commonly known as “Soi Katoey” because of its go-go dancing ladyboys, is home to one of Patong’s most popular strips of beer bars.
“The other shops had already closed, so nobody knows how it started. I just heard from the police that the building was gutted,” K. Amnuay said.
Forensics experts from the Phuket Provincial Police were trying to determine the cause of the blaze, he added.
“The damage was about 40 million baht, because everything on all three floors was destroyed. We plan to rebuild and hope to reopen in about six months,” he said.
He said he did not know whether the owner had insured the building.
A source in Patong said that the nearby Soi Gonzo beer bar strip had been cordoned off as a crime investigation scene and that it was unclear whether it would be allowed to open for business tonight.
