A massive fire in Mae Sot, Thailand destroyed 200 impounded vehicles at a customs compound. No injuries reported, as authorities investigate the cause.
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| A fire in Mae Sot, Thailand, destroyed 200 impounded vehicles, causing extensive damage at the customs compound. The investigation into the cause is ongoing. Photo Courtesy: Assawin Pinitwong/ BP |
Tak, Thailand – March 19, 2025:
A devastating fire broke out at the Mae Sot customs compound in Thailand late Tuesday night, destroying approximately 200 impounded vehicles. The fire, which began around 7:30 p.m. at the new facility in tambon Tha Sai Luat, ravaged the parking lot, where about 800 vehicles were stored.
In response, around 20 fire engines were deployed to the scene. Firefighters worked tirelessly for three hours to bring the blaze under control. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
Phantong Loykulnanta, the spokesperson for the Customs Department, called the fire unprecedented in the history of the impounded vehicle compound, noting the scale of the damage.
The vehicles destroyed in the fire were old, unusable models that had been seized from legal cases either pending or concluded. No luxury cars were among the lost vehicles. According to a Mae Sot customs official, these cars were originally imported from Japan and were en route to Myanmar. However, due to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, the vehicles were stranded at the border for years. As a result, local customs officials were forced to impound them, in compliance with legal requirements.
Attempts were made to auction the vehicles, but no buyers showed interest due to the high reserve prices, according to the official.