Fire Fire Guts Two Tourist Boats at Anantara Riverside Pier in Bangkok

Georgealbert · Thursday at 02:26 AM

Pictures from responders.

A early morning fire broke out on 29 May, at the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort’s private pier on Charoen Nakhon Road in Thonburi district, engulfing two tourist boats in flames and prompting a swift emergency response. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries or persons trapped during the incident.

At approximately 05:30 emergency services received an alert from the Phra Phuttha Yodfa Command and Control Centre, reporting a blaze at the hotel’s riverside pier. The Talat Phlu Fire and Rescue Station, along with the Special Operations and Water Rescue Division fire boats, were immediately dispatched to the scene.

By 05:47, firefighters arrived to find two moored tourist boats ablaze. Flames had fully engulfed the vessels, creating intense heat and heavy smoke that threatened nearby structures and boats. Fire crews swiftly launched operations to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further.

At 05:50, fire officials confirmed that the flames had been surrounded brought under control within a limited area, effectively halting any risk of the fire spreading to adjacent piers or buildings.

However, fire suppression efforts continued as officials worked to ensure the complete extinguishment of remaining hotspots.

By 06:40 firefighting teams were using foam to tackle residual fires, particularly in hard-to-reach compartments within the hulls of the damaged vessels. Officials were especially concerned about the stern section of one boat, which contained stored fuel, posing a potential reignition risk.

At 06:55 the fire was declared fully extinguished. However, firefighters and rescue personnel remained on site to conduct monitoring operations, wary of flare-ups due to the presence of residual fuel.

Water was being pumped from the second boat to prevent it from sinking due to damage sustained in the blaze.

While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, early indications suggest it originated on one of the boats, not the pier, before quickly spreading to the adjacent vessel.

The Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, a prominent riverside hotel catering to both domestic and international tourists, uses its private pier to launch daily river cruises and boat transfers. The fire is likely to disrupt river transport services temporarily.

Officials are continuing their examination of the scene and will review CCTV footage in the area to determine the exact cause of the fire. No passengers or crew were reported aboard the boats at the time of the incident.

Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-05-29.