CityNews – A meeting was held at Chiang Mai City Hall in response to another fire in a growing list of fires in the municipality’s district on June 11.
The meeting, chaired by Vice Governor Chana Paengpibun, invited all who were involved or affected by fires in the area between May and June.
Three major fires were reported between May and June 2015.
A community fire behind the Chang Klan Crematorium, a storehouse and a textile and clothing shop, both in Warorot Market.
The meeting aimed at creating better guidelines in how to prevent fires as well as better access to advice for local residents.
According to Patchathanita Sadudee, head of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Chiang Mai Provincial Office, the governor urged police to find the causes behind the fires and how to prevent them re-occurring in the future. He also urged institutes involved to examine the buildings in Warorot Market and Ton Lam Yai Market to check if any electrical wires are exposed and if the store rooms are overcrowded.
According to Deputy Mayor Sunthorn Yamsiri, controlling the fires became more difficult due to crowds of people watching the scene, leaving bikes and cars parked messily on the road, blocking the way for fire trucks.
The buildings in both market areas are almost 50 years old and have outdated electrical wiring that should be updated.
According to Police Colonel Thanandorn Wittayathikun, the storehouse fire was not arson and the insurance payout was small.
However, the recent fire at the textile store has resulted in a payout of over 10 million baht from the insurance company. The police have yet to rule out arson, as the timing of the fire and the large amount of insurance payout received has sparked suspicion. The fire began minutes after the owner locked the store front and there was no evidence of electrical short circuit.
According to Somwang Boonrayong from the Chiang Mai Office of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, most of the buildings in Warorot Market, Ton Lam Yai Market, and Sri Nakornping Market are storehouses housing various products including materials. As a result, the local government should attempt to promote better organisation of store room and ways to prevent overcrowding.