Passenger boats catch fire at Wat Ratchasingkhon pier, no injuries reported
Initial probe points to an electrical short circuit from battery charging as the cause of the passenger boat fire at Wat Ratchasingkhon pier.
The Rama 199 Radio Centre received a report of a fire breaking out on a passenger boat moored at Wat Ratchasingkhon pier on Charoen Krung Road in Bangkok’s Bang Kho Laem district at 6.43pm on Sunday (September 14).
Fire and rescue teams from Yannawa station, along with special operations and water rescue units, were immediately dispatched to the scene.
Firefighters arrived at 6.49pm to find the vessel engulfed in flames. No passengers or crew were on board, allowing officers to focus on containing the blaze.
By 6.53pm, the fire had spread from the docked vessel to two other boats floating nearby on the Chao Phraya River. However, by 6.59 pm, responders successfully brought the blaze under control on the boat tied to the pier, while water rescue crews continued battling the flames on the two riverbound vessels.
After the situation was contained, Chao Phraya Express Boat Co Ltd confirmed that two boats were severely damaged and another sustained minor damage. All the vessels had completed operations for the day and were docked, with no passengers or staff on board at the time, resulting in no casualties.
An initial investigation suggested the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit from the pier’s power supply used to charge the battery of the first vessel. The boats had returned from service and were docked at 6.15pm before the incident occurred.
On-site staff attempted to suppress the blaze immediately while coordinating with fire crews. The fire was fully extinguished within 45 minutes.
The company stated it is working with relevant authorities to determine the exact cause and will strengthen preventive measures to ensure the highest safety standards.
It also expressed gratitude to all agencies involved in the response and reaffirmed its commitment to passenger and public safety.
