These pictures capture the decaying glory of an abandoned Batman-themed nightclub in Thailand

For a short time in the '90s, there was a Batman-themed nightclub operating in Pattaya, Thailand. It's completely abandoned now and American photographer Dax Ward captured it in its decaying glory.

Described as "one of Pattaya’s hottest night-spots at the time", the club was only open for a year-and-a-half before a fire forced it to close. The fire was reportedly caused by a circuit board overload, preventing the electronically-operated doors from opening and leading the deaths of many inside, according to Ward.

Two floors of the building were apparently used as dance areas, with the top floors used for "entertainment" purposes. The ladies that worked there once walked around scantily clad (or un-clad) and entertained club members around a snooker table. Living up to the Batman theme, Batman spotlights were regularly beamed across the city to signal it was open.

The crumbling club can be found on Soi Batman, and the street still carries the name.

Having read about it online, Ward visited the building and his images show walls covered in graffiti, rooms flooded with water and litter, collapsed ceilings and the Batman logo at the main entrance.

"I visited the Batman club with my girlfriend Mook, my ride-or-die companion for most urbex-exploits," reads his website. "We heard about the the unusual venue via online forums and blogs on strange and unique places around Thailand. We were in the area for a weekend escape from bustling Bangkok and drove over to have a look, expecting it to be restricted or the entrances to be covered (often the case). However, when we arrived, we were, surprisingly, able to walk right in the front door without restriction.

On his website, Ward gives more history about the club as recounted by a former employee he tracked down. Ward is based in Bangkok and his work focuses on urban exploration, abandoned structures and street portraiture. Head to his website to check out his portfolio (including an abandoned hospital, shopping mall and movie theatre) and visit his Facebook page to see what he's up to.