Pictures from responders.

 

A fire engulfed a home in Pattani province, leaving a disabled man scrambling to escape and destroying over THB 300,000 in cash. Authorities are investigating whether the blaze was caused by an electrical short circuit or arson.

 

Police Colonel Jeffrey Sailaomanakul, Superintendent of Mueang Pattanij Police Station, received a report on 12 March, of a severe house fire in Moo 3, Baraheoh subdistrict, and dispatched emergency responders. Fire crews from Pattani Municipality and Pu Yud Subdistrict Administrative Organisation arrived with four fire trucks to tackle the blaze.

 

Upon arrival, firefighters found the fire consuming a raised wooden house alongside a single-storey concrete structure. The flames spread rapidly, but after 30 minutes, crews managed to bring the fire under control. The house, however, was completely destroyed.

 

The house belonged to a woman named Mariam, who was at work at the time of the incident. Her younger brother, 30-year-old Ahamad, who has a physical disability affecting his legs, was alone inside when the fire broke out.

 

Ahamad recounted that he had been sitting outside when he noticed smoke coming from inside the house. Moments later, flames erupted. Struggling due to his condition, he gathered his strength and scrambled away from the house, calling for help from neighbours, who assisted him before firefighters arrived.

Once the fire was extinguished, Mariam and other residents searched through the debris for valuables. The homeowner revealed that over THB 300,000 in cash had been stored inside the house. Some money, which had been wrapped in fabric, was found partially burned, about 80% destroyed, while another bundle in an envelope suffered 30% damage. A significant portion of the cash was completely incinerated.

 

The funds reportedly belonged to multiple family members who had pooled their savings, intending to deposit the money in a bank. Tragically, the fire struck before they could do so.

 

Authorities have cordoned off the site to allow forensic experts to determine the cause of the fire. Initial findings suggest an electrical short circuit, though investigators have not ruled out the possibility of arson.

 

The investigation remains ongoing.

 

-- 2025-03-13

 

Yet more evidence of thai people not trusting thai banks. They know something us farang dont know