Huge fire at Ban Phaya Mai wooden home in Pattaya

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Huge fire guts Ban Phaya Mai wooden home in Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- A huge fire broke out before noon today at Ban Phaya Mai Thai wooden home village in Nang Lamung district of Chonburi, a new tourist attraction to be open to visitors this year in Pattaya, causing damage to its main two-storey wooden home worth over 200 million baht

The fire was reported to start shortly before 11 am at the main Ban Phaya Mai wooden home in the 15-rai compound of the wooden home village.

The fire raged quickly because all the structure was built with teak, Pradoo and Takien rare woods.

A dozen of big and small fire trucks rushed to the scene reported difficult access to the main wooden home because of narrow path.

Only two small fire engines could make close access to the fire raged wooden home.

However both trucks ran out of water shortly later after dousing water at the home to keep it from spreading to adjacent wooden Thai traditional houses in the neighborhood.

Other fire trucks which could not reach were forced to douse water around the neighborhood houses to keep the fire from reaching them.

It was not immediately known the cause of the fire but some workers who were working in the wooden home village said the fire started from a prayer room on the second story where several Buddha images were kept.

Owner of the village is the owner of the Poi Pet market in Aranyaprathet known as Mr Khunthong U-ngern, a former police tourist police officer who turned businessman.

The Thai wooden home village is not yet open to tourist visit although construction started about 10 years ago.

It was scheduled to open sometime this year.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/162297


-- Thai PBS 2016-05-06

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Photos: https://www.facebook.com/welovepattaya58/posts/1730665277204936

[johng]

" A famous tourist attraction in Pattaya "

I've never heard of it before..when was it built ?

ohh ok never mind from "the broadcaster you can trust"

A huge fire broke out at 10.40 am today at Ban Phaya Mai Thai wooden home village, a soon-to-be new tourist attraction in Pattaya.

Edited May 6, 2016 by johng

[lopburi3]

I have not been in that area for years but even Google has never heard of it until today so don't feel too bad about being unaware of how famous a place it is.

[KhunBENQ]

It will be famous for burning down before opening

Rethought the business plan?

Insured?

Edited May 6, 2016 by Rimmer

[prouzak]

traditional thai house for 200M... rich country endeed

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

[johng]

Looks like it burnt to the ground !

photo from "we love Pattaya" facebook

[lust]

Death-trap, match-box, tourist attraction took 10 years to construct and it's still not open burns down. Insurance?

[LennyW]

You would have thought that a modern wooden house/village would have had a readily available water supply in the event of such an incident, but obviously not!

"However both trucks ran out of water shortly later after dousing water"

[Berty100]

Owner of the village is the owner of the Poi Pet market in Aranyaprathet known as Mr Khunthong U-ngern, a former police tourist police officer who turned businessman.

Amazing how those police officers on a low salary in Thailand always turn into businessmen woth hundreds of millions of Baht.

[chasntong]

Policeman turned business man, 200mil house, surely he was a business man while still a policeman.

[KhunBENQ]

Finally found the place under it's Thai name.

Quite close to motorway 7.

2.3 km (1.4 mi) from Sukhumvit.

https://goo.gl/maps/dWDjtaoKUjz

Satellite view, not far from a big housing area:

https://goo.gl/maps/WLdaboWzmup

View from motorway(?):

Edited May 6, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[Mak25]

I imagine this happening with a house filled with tourists...

[Bangkok Barry]

traditional thai house for 200M... rich country endeed

Built by a former tourist policeman..... Hmm. Karma coming home?

[Bangkok Barry]

'A dozen of big and small fire trucks rushed to the scene reported difficult access to the main wooden home because of narrow path.' Typical Thai planning then. No emergency vehicle access provided. That would mean thinking ahead, wouldn't it. Approved for construction anyway

[Beats56]

I quess they dont install fire sprinklers here and for a matter of fact I have never seen a fire hydrant.

[remobb]

I saw this from the highway Pattaya to Bangkok. Traffic was stopping on the highway to take pictures. I was tempted but refrained from doing it. Flames were roaring high, i seriously doubt even if they had water it could have stopped it from burning. On the way back it was smoldering but all gone.

[Yann55]

" A famous tourist attraction in Pattaya "

I've never heard of it before..when was it built ?

ohh ok never mind from "the broadcaster you can trust"

A huge fire broke out at 10.40 am today at Ban Phaya Mai Thai wooden home village, a soon-to-be new tourist attraction in Pattaya.

Do you always misquote and react before you read (or hear) something properly, John ? Because if you do, living with you must be quite a challenge.

[lopburi3]

The original report did indeed say a famous tourist attraction. It was only later that they took that down and changed it without any notice of doing so.

The house cost is also subject to question as another source says it was 100 million (the 220 million being the entire village area of homes).

[DrTuner]

Why bother installing sprinklers or making clear paths for fire crews when building a house of wood? If it burns, that's just bad karma for you, maibpenrai.

[Fookhaht]

Why bother installing sprinklers or making clear paths for fire crews when building a house of wood? If it burns, that's just bad karma for you, maibpenrai.

Karma is an illusion. Bad planning is a reality.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Fookhaht

[Fookhaht]

Looks like it burnt to the ground !

photo from "we love Pattaya" facebook

13102751_1730713097200154_4274924547075761883_n.jpg

Wonder if that little dirt road is representative of the surrounding "infrastructure" (lack of adequate access for normal-size firetrucks)?

In my province, which has a large university, they will build 4 and 5 huge dormitories (4-5 stories, hundreds of rooms) with little dirt cow paths (slightly widened for the building phase) between them that serve as access for 4-6 years before the city/province finally comes around to build a proper asphalt or cement road. Meanwhile students on motorbikes and cars fight the mud and floods during rainy season, with access often blocked because of the conditions. God-knows-what-all would happen if there were a serious fire--no fire truck could get down these little cow paths either.

I'm coming from a country that builds the infrastructure (roads, sewers, water traps, etc.) and THEN puts up the buildings. All very strange to me, here. T.I.T.

[DrTuner]

Why bother installing sprinklers or making clear paths for fire crews when building a house of wood? If it burns, that's just bad karma for you, maibpenrai.

Karma is an illusion. Bad planning is a reality.

To misquote Adam Savage, Thais reject your reality and substitute their own.

[Emster23]

It's pity. I love old style Thai houses.

[Joeb]

Watched the fire from Hwy 7 this morning. Driven by this place for years. Always looked like an abandoned pile of old wood buildings. Made a pretty spectacular fire. Stopped at a resteraunt up the road a way and watched slow moving cars block the fire trucks trying to get to the fire.

[GuestHouse]

It seems at least four investigations are in order:

1. Investigate the accessibility of business and resudential properties fo emergency service vehicles.

2. Investigate how the fire started.

3. Investigate the 'insurence'.

4. Investigate how a cop came by so much wealth.

Don't hold your breath on any of these.

[Rough Rider]

traditional thai house for 200M... rich country endeed

Built by a former tourist policeman..... Hmm. Karma coming home?

NO! No! It's not karma It's 200 Million coming home be greatfull. !!

Edited May 6, 2016 by Rough Rider

[Rough Rider]

It seems at least four investigations are in order:

1. Investigate the accessibility of business and resudential properties fo emergency service vehicles.

2. Investigate how the fire started.

3. Investigate the 'insurence'.

4. Investigate how a cop came by so much wealth.

Don't hold your breath on any of these.

Maybe You're not long enough in Thailand to know how things is working in Thailand. He is also the owner of Poipet market in Aranyaprathet on the border with Cambodia with all the Casinos.

[dogleg]

Hmmm. If the fire trucks couldn't get in, then nor would any tour busses.