Parliament fire probe launched after cigarette butt sparks blaze
Officials and forensic police have been ordered to investigate a fire at the Parliament complex in Bangkok, believed to have been sparked by a discarded cigarette butt.
Second Deputy House Speaker Chalad Khamchuang said on Tuesday that he was shocked and concerned after a fire broke out on the fourth floor of the Parliament building, on the Senate side, on Monday evening (October 6).
He said it was fortunate that the blaze occurred in an open-air rest area rather than in a document storage room. He has instructed relevant departments to investigate the cause and identify any construction flaws.
The Deputy Secretary-General of the House has taken charge of the matter and will report to House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha.
All documents will be sent to the forensic police to determine the real cause. We must know the reason — this is something Parliament must take seriously. Luckily, it was not a sitting day when the building would have been crowded,” he said.
Chalad added that another issue — water leakage on basement level B1 — would also be investigated by the building maintenance team. He admitted that the parliamentary complex still has multiple construction flaws.
“There have been constant defects. Some materials did not meet the TOR standards. Whoever was responsible for each phase must be held accountable,” he said.
According to a report, the fire started in a riverside relaxation area on the fourth floor used by MPs, officials, and visitors. Though not a designated smoking zone, someone reportedly dropped a cigarette butt into a plastic rubbish bin, sparking a blaze that activated the sprinkler system. Parliament staff were able to contain the fire before it spread further.
Initial findings suggest the culprit is a Member of Parliament, though officials are awaiting confirmation from the forensic police investigation.
The area remains sealed off with chains and a “Temporarily closed” sign while cleanup and safety checks continue.
Parliament has been a 100% smoke-free zone since 2025, under an initiative by House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha to make it a model for tobacco-free workplaces in Thailand.
