The Department of Health Service Support (HSS) and police have launched an investigation into Sunday's blaze at Praram II Hospital that caused the death of a patient who was kept tied to his bed.
Pol Col Nakarin Sukhonthawit, superintendent of Tha Kham Police Station in Bang Khun Thien district, identified the dead man as Manote Thepsa-nguan, 42.
He was admitted to hospital on Friday evening with a lung infection and was isolated in a room on the fourth floor. His hands and ankles were tied to the bed, apparently because he had tried to hurt himself.
Praram II Hospital director Peera Kananuwat said Manote was a regular patient and was receiving treatment for both a lung infection and alcoholism. He said the patient also appeared to have mental problems and often talked to himself.
Manote was in his room alone when the fire started.
No electric appliances were in the room and there was no sign of an electrical short circuit.
Hospital staff told police Manote asked medical staff to smoke in his room about 9pm on Sunday but was forbidden from doing so. The fire broke out in his room shortly before midnight.
Praram 2 Hospital is a relatively small facility in Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district.
Police have yet to discover the cause of the blaze at this stage. Manote’s body will be sent to Siriraj Hospital for an autopsy.
Dr Peera said the hospital was able to extinguish the fire quickly before it spread. Fire damaged only the patient's bed and part of the ceiling inside his room.
It is not known at this stage what caused the fire, Dr Peera said, and it cannot be confirmed if the dead man had been smoking.
Tares Krassanairawiwong, HSS deputy director-general, said that HSS officials, architects and engineers went to the hospital yesterday to examine the blaze scene.
Part of Praram II Hospital is currently shut down temporarily for the safety of staff and visitors. Some patients were transferred to a nearby hospital yesterday.