Two tourists were rushed to hospital tonight (Sat) after a horror fire ripped through bars in a packed red light district.

Hundreds of revellers and bar girls were drinking in notorious Walking Street in Pattaya, Thailand, when there was a ''large explosion'' just after 10pm.

Flames engulfed dozens of bars in a plaza area - sending girls in high heels screaming into the street as tourists fled in panic. One woman was heard saying ''oh my god, what's happening'' as sparks flew into the street and flames stretched into the night sky.

Fire crews and paramedics arrived within minutes but motorcycles parked outside the bars had already caught fire and exploded as well as electricity boxes in the street outside the bars.

Witnesses described hearing a ''large explosion'' followed by a fire breaking out, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical transformer.

Bar man Sakarin Khokkruat, 28, said: ''I was working and heard a loud explosion next to the bar. Then there were flames everywhere. The flames were coming from an electrical transformer.

''Then another explosion and more fire. The tourists started running into the street and screaming. We tried to put out the flames but they were too much.''

The injured tourists were taken to hospital. One was being treated for smoke inhalation and another for minor burns and smoke inhalation.