Santika probe nears an end

       The police expect to wrap up their investigation this week into the Santika pub inferno.
       Pol Maj Gen Likhit Lin-ouan, the deputy city police commissioner heading the team investigating the fire at Santika pub on Soi Ekamai in the first few minutes of Jan 1,2009, said officers would question another five or six witnesses, including those injured in the fire, before submitting their report to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
       Video footage of the incident would be shown to witnesses to help police verify the facts, he said, after calling a meeting with his team to discuss the progress of their inquiries.
       The blaze, which erupted as revellers celebrated the New Year, killed 66 people and injured hundreds of others.
       A police team has been sent to track down Suriya Ritrabue, the managing director of White and Brothers, the pub operator, who is still on the run,Pol Maj Gen Likhit said.
       Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat yesterday said teams had been set up in Bangkok and other provinces to inspect safety measures at pubs and night entertainment venues.
       There were six teams in Bangkok and 11 others in the provinces, said the deputy minister after chairing a meeting with a ministry panel inspecting pubs and entertainment venues.
       He said the teams had been set up to prevent a recurrence of the Santika fire. Fire drills were held yesterday at two major pubs in Bangkok.
       Mr Boonjong said the teams would not arrest anybody during their inspections. They would educate operators and visitors about safety measures and insurance policies.
       He said operators of entertainment venues would be required to take out public liability insurance.
       The ministry had reached a conclusion on the public liability insurance fees, which would vary depending on the size and type of business, Mr Boonjong said.
       Entertainment venues required to take out insurance cover would include those with dance shows, which would pay 10,000 baht a year; venues with food and alcohol served by staff (8,000 baht); massage parlours (10,000 baht),venues with an area of up to 300 square metres and selling food and alcohol (8,000 baht); and venues with an area of more than 300sqm (10,000 baht).
       He said the insurance cover would provide at least 100,000 baht a person to a third party in case of death or complete disability and medical coverage of at least 100,000 baht a person to the injured. Outlets would also be required to take out insurance of at least 5 million baht covering patrons' personal property.
       More than 30 insurance firms have shown an interest in providing coverage which would cover fires, bombs and building collapse, he said.