Firefighters battle flames at bars in Thai holiday resort
Tourists ran screaming for their lives tonight as a fire ripped though a packed red light district in Thailand.
Flames erupted just after 10pm on Saturday (March 10) in bars at the SMK plaza on Walking Street in Pattaya.
Female bar workers were filmed screaming in terror as they fled into the street in high heels with flames behind them and explosions.
The blaze quickly spread to neighbouring bars as motorbikes parked outside exploded.
Fire crews were tonight scouring the smouldering wreckage for signs of what caused the blaze.
British holidaymaker Andrew McKay from Crawley, said: "I was drinking in the bar and smelled smoke. In a few seconds people were screaming 'fire, fire'."
"I grabbed my bottle and legged it. I was outside and it was just like a matter of 10 or 20 seconds before the flames were everywhere.
"All the girls, all the locals, they ran outside and away down the road. The fire engines came and it took them about 30 minutes to get it under control."
Bar girl Noi Wattana said: "I'm so shocked this was so scary. I just ran and the fire was so hot, I could feel it burning my skin.
"I was choking on the smoke. It was like a nightmare. My clothes and handbag was in the bar and I had to leave it."