Sex workers fled in terror as a fire ripped through a bar in Pattaya.

The female hostesses were closing shop when a blaze broke out at the 'Cat Flaps' gentleman's club in the Thai 'Sin City' early morning today, July 7.

Firefighters rushed to the scene, tucked in the basement of a home in Soi Phra Tam Nak 4, and doused the flames with extinguishers.

The fire was quickly put out, leaving only smoke blanketing the charred remains of the secret shop.

Police Captain Panasan Krongsit of the Pattaya City Police Station said officials were checking if the bar had a license to operate.

He added: ‘As for the cause of the fire, we speculate it was caused by an electric short circuit, or lit cigarette butts, because this entertainment venue was already closed when the fire occurred.

‘However, we have to wait for forensic police to inspect the scene to find the exact cause of the incident.'

A bar girl said she heard a noise 'like someone prying open a door' before recognising the telltale crackles of a fire.

She said: 'I rushed to the room upstairs where my friends were staying, and told them the place was burning. We immediately left the building and called the firefighters.'

A website promoting the Cat Flaps bar boasts that it offers 'excitement, pleasure and hedonism' for the 'seasoned mongerer'. It said the bar was 'high end' and ideal for 'intimate encounters'.

Fires in Thailand are commonly caused by aging electrical infrastructure, extensive use of wood in construction, and regional heatwaves that can exacerbate fire risks. Rapid fire response can also be hampered in densely packed neighbourhoods where narrow streets can delay firefighting efforts.