A fire destroyed the two-story traditional Thai house of the chairman of Naphai Subdistrict Council in Chaiyaphum Province. The extent of the damage has not yet been assessed. The owner said the house was built over 15 years ago at an original construction cost of 3 million baht. Initial suspicions point to an electrical short circuit as the cause, and forensic authorities are expected to investigate further.
At approximately 21:30 on 9 April 2026, the 191 emergency center at Phayal Police Station in Mueang Chaiyaphum District received a report of a fire at a two-story wooden traditional Thai house in front of Nai Hoi Apartment, at the intersection leading to Ban Nong Waeng, Village No. 4, Naphai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chaiyaphum Province. Fire units from the Naphai Subdistrict Administrative Organization and neighboring areas including Ban Lao Subdistrict Administrative Organization and Chaiyaphum Municipality, totaling over 10 fire trucks, along with firefighters and volunteers from Sawang Khuntham Rescue in Chaiyaphum, promptly responded to the scene.
At the scene, a fierce fire was engulfing the two-story traditional Thai wooden house at 209 Village No. 4, Ban Nong Waeng, Naphai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chaiyaphum Province. The flames spread rapidly due to hot, dry weather and strong winds. Firefighters quickly deployed water hoses to control the blaze. The house, built over 15 years ago, was constructed entirely of wood, providing ample fuel for the fire. Firefighters worked to douse the intense flames and prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby dormitory housing several dozen residents. It took about an hour to bring the fire under control, but the house was completely destroyed.
Mr. Utham Taprab, chairman of the Naphai Subdistrict Administrative Organization Council and owner of the house, said the wooden traditional Thai house had been built 15 years ago. He had allowed his son and family—three people in total—to live there, while he himself resided in another nearby house.
At the time of the fire, the son and his family were sleeping in a bedroom on the second floor. When they opened the bedroom door to investigate, they saw flames burning a pile of clothes outside. Above that area, on the house’s exterior wall, there was a circuit breaker box with wiring supplying electricity to various rooms. The fire appeared to have started from an electrical short that spread along the wires to the pile of clothes.
“I spent 3 million baht to build the house over 15 years ago. The cause is suspected to be an electrical short circuit,” he said.
Meanwhile, forensic police from Chaiyaphum Province are preparing to conduct a detailed investigation into the fire’s cause and to assess the extent of the damage.