Spider-Man rescues boy!

A Thai fireman turned superhero when he dressed up as comic-book character Spider-Man to coax a frightened eight-year-old from a balcony, police said.

Teachers at a special needs school in Bangkok alerted authorities when an autistic pupil, scared of going to lessons, sat out on the third-floor ledge and refused to come inside, a police sergeant told AFP.

Despite teachers' efforts to beckon the boy inside, he refused to budge until his mother mentioned her son's love of superheroes, prompting fireman Sonchai Yoosabai to take a novel approach to the problem.

"My fireman rushed back to the fire station and took out his Spider-Man costume... The boy immediately ran into his arms with a smile," sergeant Virat Boonsadao said.

He said the fireman keeps the costume at work to liven up school fire drills.

Dozens killed in Bangkok nightclub during New Years party

At least 59 people were killed when a fire that broke out early Thursday at one of Bangkok's most upscale nightclubs, where about 1,000 revelers were ringing in the new year, Thai police said.

The fire, at a club called Zantika, broke out at about 12:35 a.m. (1735 GMT)

The blaze started near a stage where fireworks were being used as part of a performance, according to authorities.

Most of those who died in the building died from smoke inhalation or were trampled in a rush to get out of the club, they said.

The club is located in one of Bangkok's busiest commercial districts. Most of the fatality victims were Thai, but foreigners have been identified from Australia, the Netherlands, Nepal and Japan, police said.