While the father and mother went to collect dried rice, a fire broke out in their home, burning their 2-year-old son to death in the flames. The cause is believed to be an electrical short circuit. Neighbors reported hearing the child crying, “Mama, Mama,” during the incident.
At 14:40 on 8 Nov 2026, Police Lieutenant Sarawut Surasiang, investigating officer of the Na Kha police substation, received a report from Naree Noikanya, village head of Na Kham Luang, about a house fire in Village 17, Na Kham Luang, Na Kha Subdistrict, Mueang District, Udon Thani Province. A 2-year-old child had died. Police, two fire trucks from Na Kha Subdistrict Administrative Organization, rescue volunteers from the Prom Tham Foundation, and emergency doctors from Udon Thani Hospital rushed to the scene, where villagers had recorded video footage.
At the scene, many villagers had gathered to watch the fire engulfing a two-story house made of wood and concrete. Villagers were dragging hoses to spray water to extinguish the fire, but the flames had already spread and damaged the entire house before authorities arrived. Upon arrival, firefighters sprayed water to contain the fire, preventing further spread. It took about 30 minutes to control the blaze.
Officials searched for the victim and found the body of Nong Boss, aged 2 years and 1 month, charred and lying near the front door. The scene was filled with shocked and grieving villagers.
Mr. Ruangyot, 25, the father of Nong Boss, said he has three children, with Nong Boss the youngest. He separated from Nong Boss’s mother when the child was 9 months old. The mother moved to work in southern Thailand, and he raised the child alone. Later, he remarried and moved to his wife's home with his children. Before the incident, he and his wife had taken unhusked rice to dry about 200 meters from their house.
Mr. Ruangyot continued that in the afternoon, he and his wife went to collect the dried rice and sack it. Before leaving, he put Nong Boss to sleep on the second floor. While filling the sacks, he saw smoke rising from his house and was sure it was on fire. He rushed back to find the entire house ablaze and was unable to enter to help. He believed Nong Boss had been burned to death. The suspected cause is an electrical short circuit originating near the cutout switch by the stairs to the second floor.
Ms. Suwanan, 29, a nearby neighbor who recorded video of the fire, said she was resting at home when she heard a child crying. She thought children were playing because many kids often come to play at that house. She went to use the bathroom and, upon returning, heard the crying again and smelled smoke. She went outside and saw the house on fire. She rushed inside to help and heard the child call, “Mama, Mama,” but could not reach upstairs because the fire had spread to the stairs and second floor. She then ran outside to call the fire department and rescue teams and alerted neighbors to help extinguish the fire, but they were unable to save the child.
Police suspect that while Nong Boss was sleeping alone on the second floor, an electrical short circuit caused the fire. Since the second floor is made of wood, it fueled the fire, which spread quickly. No one could reach Nong Boss in time, resulting in him being burned to death. Forensic officials will conduct further investigations to confirm the exact cause.