Fire destroys 7 speedboats on Koh Mak

Disaster struck the island of Koh Mak in Trat province over the weekend when seven speedboats docked at Thong Lang Bay were destroyed in a fire. A group of tourists from the mainland who had taken a day trip to the holiday island were briefly stranded as the speedboats to transport them back burned and sank.

Local villagers came to the aid of the Tambon Koh Mak Administrative Organisation officials who tried to put out the flames. But strong sea winds fanned the fire, causing it to spread quickly and engulf the boats.

It’s still unclear what caused the fire, as no witnesses saw which boat sparked the blaze. The fire quickly spread to six more speedboats that were all docked side-by-side, which burned in the blaze before capsizing and sinking. No one was injured but the total damages are estimated at a staggering 20 million baht (nearly US$600,000), according to Nation Thailand.

According to Koh Mak Mayor Nol Suwatjananon, the speedboats were docked because the sea was rough with strong winds and high waves, making it too dangerous to operate small boats on the open water.

Upon hearing about the fire, the Trat governor was contacted for help. The Royal Thai Navy had to be called in to help transport tourists back to the mainland of the eastern province. After the fire destroyed the seven speedboats, only six boats remained, which was not enough transportation for everyone.