A fire at the Arcadia Beach Continental condominium in Pattaya forced Thai and foreign residents from the building in the early hours of 4 August 2026. No one was injured, although a sixth-floor flat and all property inside was damaged.

Pattaya City's land disaster relief radio centre received the report at 2.36am. The fire was in room 610 on the sixth floor of Building D at the condominium in Soi Thap Phraya 7.

Police from Pattaya City Police Station, Bang Lamung district officials, rescue volunteers and firefighters were sent to the scene.

Firefighters worked for two hours

Fire crews found flames burning fiercely inside the flat, with smoke spreading throughout the building. Residents, including both Thais and foreigners, were evacuated as officers moved to prevent the blaze spreading further.

Firefighters entered the room' using breathing apparatus and used water hose-line to bring the flames under control. It took around two hours before the building was declared safe and residents were allowed to return.

The room's interior and all belongings inside were damaged by the fire. Despite the scale of the blaze and the overnight evacuation, there were no reported injuries.

Owner awoke to burning smell

May, the owner of the flat, told officials she had been asleep when she woke after smelling burning. She found flames in the kitchen, in the area of an electric stove.

She grabbed her phone and ran from the room, seeking help from a neighbour and condominium staff. However, she said the fire spread quickly, forcing those nearby to flee the building.

May said she suspected her cat may have stepped on the stove's on-off control. She told officials that similar incidents had happened before.

Cause still to be confirmed

The suspected involvement of the cat has not been confirmed. Forensic officers from Chon Buri Provincial Forensic Science Division 2 are due to examine the scene to establish the exact cause of the fire.

Pictures courtesy of SiamChon

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4 August 2026

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Well, this is Thailand, so it's either the cat or the brakes.

You can keep a pet in a high rise condo?

Maybe the forensic officers from Chon Buri Provincial Forensic Science Division 2 should dust the stove's on-off control for paw prints!

1 hour ago, Jim Blue said:

You can keep a pet in a high rise condo?

Depends on the condo rules.

A catastrophe! Paws for thought.

So is the cat ok ?

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

May, the owner of the flat, told officials she had been asleep when she woke after smelling burning. She found flames in the kitchen, in the area of an electric stove.

No smoke detector?

This is a great cautionary tale. Buy smoke detectors, install them all over your home and keep fresh batteries in them. Back home, that's not even an option. Building codes require them. Here in Thailand, I would bet that half the hotels I've stayed at don't have them, and I had to buy my own when I had an apartment in the Asoke area (not a condo, an apartment).

The lady got lucky.

42 minutes ago, FlorC said:

So is the cat ok ?

I very much hope so, and able to find a new home where it won't be ludicrously blamed for what was clearly a human error.

Pattaya Police have released a mugshot of the suspect.

Yes, cats can actually activate the controls on a cooking hub, but if it's locked it normally needs some long paw-time on the sensor to be unlocked, and another long paw touch to be activated, and yet another to start an item to heat.

However, one of my cats managed to lock the hub yesterday, while I was cooking, when it was looking very interested on today's supper and standing still long time enough, to activate the lock-sensor. But the feline residents of the mansion have never managed — or figured out — to start anything and begin to it heat; but some cats might be cleverer than others...😼

1 hour ago, Watawattana said:

Pattaya Police have released a mugshot of the suspect.

He's a cat burglar.

9 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

You can keep a pet in a high rise condo?

Yes, unless the condo rules forbid it, why not?

20 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

I very much hope so, and able to find a new home where it won't be ludicrously blamed for what was clearly a human error.

Now now, don;t be petulant!

a generell question

IS GAS IN CONDOS , prohibited by law ????

i think it is , but if not ,i love cook on gas and would change my stove.

but if by law not alloud, in case thers a damage , related to GAs , you are not only libality for damages as well for CRIMINAL ???

22 hours ago, Watawattana said:

Pattaya Police have released a mugshot of the suspect.

This cat just committed arson, forced an entire condo to evacuate in their underwear at 3am, and still expects breakfast.

Absolute ducking legend.