Fire engulfs iconic, haunted boat hotel on Koh Chang (video)
A fire broke out today at the iconic, and reportedly haunted boat hotel, Koh Chang Grand Laguna, located on an island in the southeastern province of Trat. Firefighters are still struggling to control the blaze.
The official Facebook page of Fire & Rescue Thailand reported that the fire began on the second floor of the landmark of Koh Chang at around 2pm, today, December 3, and gradually spread to other parts of the boat.
Photographs shared on the page show the cruise ship enveloped in black smoke, particularly concentrated at the front. Flames can also be seen emanating from some of the hotel’s windows.
As of the latest update on the Facebook page, at around 2.20pm, firefighters have been unable to contain the situation.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined but it is unlikely to be due to an electrical fault, as the hotel had no electricity supply.
The Koh Chang Grand Laguna cruise hotel was Asia’s first boat hotel when it opened in 2004. The luxury hotel offered rooms priced between 4,500 and 20,000 baht per night but was eventually closed due to an economic downturn around Covid-19 in 2020.
The abandoned cruise ship has since become a popular photogenic spot for tourists visiting Koh Chang. Visitors could explore the outdoor terrace for a fee of 100 baht while access to the interior and its seven floors required a payment of 150 baht.
According to Sanook, the cruise hotel previously featured 200 guest rooms. Much of the original hotel equipment and furnishings remained intact. The first two floors served as a lobby and meeting area, the third to fifth floors housed guest rooms, and the sixth and seventh floors were used as restaurants.
Most of the hotel rooms were locked, but some were left open, allowing visitors to see that many items remained untouched, including beds, refrigerators, televisions, towels, and even full bottles of drinking water.
In addition to its photographic appeal, the site was also infamous for its eerie reputation. While the hotel officially closed due to financial issues, locals believe it was haunted by the spirit of a guest who tragically fell to their death from the seventh floor.
Others claim the hotel was cursed by the ghost of a Russian tour guide who fell from the third floor after an argument with a female colleague.
