A tourist bus carrying 50 Indonesian visitors caught fire in Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima, on the evening of October 16, 2024. Fortunately, no one was injured, as the passengers had left the bus minutes earlier to have dinner at a nearby restaurant.
The incident occurred on the old Mittraphap Road near Khao Khan Park in the Pak Chong municipality. The fire broke out in the rear section of the bus, a red and black Scania air-conditioned vehicle that had arrived from Bangkok earlier that day. Local residents exercising at the park noticed the blaze and raised the alarm, while Pak Chong Mayor Komkrit Limpanyalert joined firefighting efforts.
Authorities, including Pol. Lt. Col. Suraphat Phadee, Deputy Inspector of Pak Chong Police Station, responded swiftly. Fire trucks from Pak Chong Municipality and nearby areas were dispatched to the scene, successfully extinguishing the flames within 30 minutes. Despite the significant damage to the bus, the tourists’ luggage and belongings were mostly unaffected, with only minor water damage reported.
Initial investigations indicate no mechanical issues with the bus, which was running solely on diesel fuel at the time. Authorities have called in experts from the Forensic Science Centre Region 3 to further investigate the cause of the fire.
In the aftermath of the incident, Pak Chong Municipality arranged alternative transport for the Indonesian tourists, who were safely transferred to their pre-booked hotel accommodations in Wang Sai Subdistrict. Local officials assured that the tourists were well taken care of, and their travel itinerary would proceed as planned.
