NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand – A tourist bus caught fire on Mittraphap Road while a group of foreign tourists was dining nearby, narrowly escaping the incident, October 17. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The fire broke out in the middle and rear sections of an air-conditioned tour bus parked on a service road along the old Mittraphap Highway, across from Khao Khaen Park in Pak Chong Municipality, Nakhon Ratchasima. Thick smoke was seen billowing from the bus, prompting fire crews to respond. Three fire trucks were dispatched, and it took about 30 minutes to bring the flames under control.
The bus driver explained that he had driven a group of 50 Indonesian tourists from Bangkok to visit Pak Chong District. On the way, the bus stopped at a nearby restaurant so the tourists could have dinner. While they were eating, a fire suddenly ignited in the rear seating area of the bus. People exercising at Khao Khaen Park saw the flames and quickly alerted the driver, who then contacted emergency services.
The driver insisted that he had no idea what caused the fire, as the bus used diesel fuel and the engine had no prior issues. Fortunately, no one was inside the bus at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. The tourists’ luggage was also unharmed.
Officials from Forensic Center 3 are set to conduct a detailed investigation to determine the cause of the fire. After the incident, Pak Chong Municipality arranged for vans to transport the 50 Indonesian tourists to their hotel, which had been pre-booked by the tour company. (TNA)
