Reports of a large fire at Phuket Graceland hotel

[webfact]

Reports of a large fire at Phuket Graceland hotel


Photo: Nong May

PHUKET: -- There are reports of a large fire at the Graceland Hotel Resort and Spa which broke out just before 2pm today (December 19).

Suchart Hirankanokkul, the Managing Director of the Graceland hotel told The Phuket News, “It started in the laundry where some cleaning fluid, because of the heat, caught fire. It’s mostly smoke. Everything is under control now."

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/reports-of-a-large-fire-at-phuket-graceland-hotel-43537.php


-- Phuket News 2013-12-19

[stevenl]

According to another site both guests and staff are safe.

[webfact]

Firefighters battle blaze at Phuket Graceland Resort and Spa
Phuket Gazette


Patong firefighters have contained the blaze, which continues to burn. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Hotel staff have evacuated the Phuket Graceland Resort and Spa in Patong as firefighters battle the blaze that started at the hotel’s laundry facilities.

The standalone building, part of one of Patong’s best-known resorts, caught fire at about 1:30pm, Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan told the Phuket Gazette.

Firefighters have now contained the fire, which continues to burn.

On site are five fire trucks and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers.

So far no injuries have been reported.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Firefighters-battle-blaze-at-Phuket-Graceland-Resort-and-Spa-23065.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-12-19

[JetsetBkk]

According to another site both guests and staff are safe.

Not too busy, then.

[JoeThePoster]

It’s mostly smoke.

Thai smoke - no need fire.

[hansgruber]

More

[graeme64]

According to another site both guests and staff are safe.

It is a big hotel, I am sure there are more than two guests

[NamKangMan]

According to another site both guests and staff are safe.

Not too busy, then.

Hence the need for insurance money.

[thhMan]

“It started in the laundry where some cleaning fluid, because of the heat, caught fire

Sure it wasnt someones incompetence or does that hotel have excellent electricals, excellent and observant staff?

[IrishIvan]

It does sound like an insurance job at this stage

[Naam]

the resident Sherlocks and Watsons will soon without any doubt solve the case.

[fiddlehead]

I remember when this place opened. Rumor had it that Thaksin was one of the owners.
If true, that could definitely have something to do with any fire.

[madmitch]

Every time there's a fire on this island the "insurance job" theories come out.

Very few fires are deliberately caused, and a very small proportion of those are set to claim on the insurance.

Believe it or not, loss adjusters are highly qualified individuals and are pretty good at determining the actual cause of fires, alongside the fire service and police in many places (may not apply to Thailand!).

[merijn]

I remember when this place opened. Rumor had it that Thaksin was one of the owners.

If true, that could definitely have something to do with any fire.

Correct the Thaksin family is one of the owners.

But i don't think this is something to do with the fire. ( just my opinion )

[davejones]

According to another site both guests and staff are safe.

So they have two guests. LOL.

[davejones]

It does sound like an insurance job at this stage

You think they did this to claim 500 baht for damage to the detergent? LOL. Are you serious? Or just plain mad?

[JoeThePoster]

Reports of a large fire at Phuket Graceland hotel

Never gonna find Elvis now.

[IrishIvan]

It does sound like an insurance job at this stage

You think they did this to claim 500 baht for damage to the detergent? LOL. Are you serious? Or just plain mad?

100 plus rooms worth of linnen is hardly chump change

[LivinginKata]

100 plus rooms worth of linnen is hardly chump change

600 rooms according to Agoda.

[biplanebluey]

According to another site both guests and staff are safe.

Both guests------------- Good job there was only two of them

[MK1]

I remember when this place opened. Rumor had it that Thaksin was one of the owners.

If true, that could definitely have something to do with any fire.

Correct the Thaksin family is one of the owners.

But i don't think this is something to do with the fire. ( just my opinion )

According to this website below also confirms the notion that Phuket Graceland hotel is owned by the former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

http://www.tophotelsphuket.com/hotels/phuket-graceland-resort-and-spa-phuket-hotel.htm

No doubt DSI will be hot on the scene in the morning....has anyone seen the mayor about lately?

Edited December 19, 2013 by MK1

[ChoakMyDee]

I've seen this hotel from beach road and thought it looked very nice with the large pool in front and always assumed it is a 5 star hotel but the more I learn about it I'm very glad I've never stayed there. Heard lots of stories about people on package tours getting sub-standard rooms and service and having generally bad experiences there.

[MK1]

I've seen this hotel from beach road and thought it looked very nice with the large pool in front and always assumed it is a 5 star hotel but the more I learn about it I'm very glad I've never stayed there. Heard lots of stories about people on package tours getting sub-standard rooms and service and having generally bad experiences there.

and now, perhaps in light of recent events, i dare say it's been ping-ponged !

Edited December 19, 2013 by MK1

[LivinginKata]

Unhelpful posts removed

[webfact]

Four injured in Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa fire
Phuket Gazette


All guests were safely evacuated from the resort. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Three staffers and a carpenter were injured in a fire that broke out yesterday afternoon in the laundry facilities at the Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa in Patong.

“When I realized there was a fire, I order hotel staffers to notify guests to evacuate the hotel. We were at about 70 to 80 per cent occupancy, but got all our guests out safely,” Managing Director of Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa Suchart Hirankanokkul told the Phuket Gazette (story here).

All four of the people injured in the fire were taken to Patong Hospital for treatment. Chokchai Aiwsakul, 34, and Jakkrapong Jaysa, 31, were both treated for burns on their arms; Sunas Phanphet, 32, was treated for smoke inhalation, said Patong Superintendent Jiraphat Pochanapna.

Col Jiraphat was unable to provide the name of the carpenter who was treated for serious burns across his body.

“At this stage, we believe that the fire started from oil leaking from the laundry machine. However, we are waiting for Forensic Police to confirm the cause of the fire for our report,” Col Jiraphat said.

“It took 10 fire trucks and their teams to put out the fire,” he said.

“They had the blaze under control in about 20 minutes,” he added.

Mr Suchart, at this point, was unable to estimate the cost of the damage.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Four-injured-in-Phuket-Graceland-Resort-Spa-fire-23069.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-12-20

[MK1]

As reported by PG “At this stage, we believe that the fire started from oil leaking from the laundry machine. However, we are waiting for Forensic Police to confirm the cause of the fire for our report,” Col Jiraphat said.; Unquote.

This initial causation claimed will look better on the insurance claim form than say something not covered and excluded as perils under standard property insurance policy such as civil unrest or political violence, which is still yet to be determined.

Edited December 20, 2013 by MK1

[stevenl]

As reported by PG “At this stage, we believe that the fire started from oil leaking from the laundry machine. However, we are waiting for Forensic Police to confirm the cause of the fire for our report,” Col Jiraphat said.; Unquote.

This initial causation claimed will look better on the insurance claim form than say something not covered and excluded as perils under standard property insurance policy such as civil unrest or political violence, which is still yet to be determined.

Don't forget that the initial causation is also much more likely than civil unrest or political violence.

[TheWizardofRnR]

Its most likely another very slow High Season , but it never got busy until after Christmas in December til the 15th of Jan.In my previous 20 years that I lived in Patong.This does sound like insurance but unless it was totaled that makes no sense ! The staffs of Thailand do make many errors ,due to poor training in some hotels. Not everybody can get top workers due to their seasonal lay-offs in low end and Burmese worker jobs .

[stevenl]

On what basis do people come to conclusions like 'this sounds like insurance'?

[MK1]

On what basis do people come to conclusions like 'this sounds like insurance'?

Not me StevenI. I believe in the worst case scenario or potential probability, if you haven’t already detected, until forensic science proves conclusively. In particular, when you consider it ironic that there were two separate fires that day, in the country, at two different locations, owned by opposing feuding political parties families, currently engaged in a tit-for-tat, you torch me ; I torch you campaign.

In both cases, the likelihood of any perpetrators claiming responsibility for arson will never eventuate and given the country is on the brink of the worst political crisis in history since 2006, at the beginning of the peak holiday earning season, Police are highly unlikely to point the finger at anyone, fearing an escalation without the conclusive evidence.

Edited December 22, 2013 by MK1