A thrilling lunchtime drama unfolded yesterday in the bustling streets of Pattaya, leaving one foreign driver red-faced and his SUV nearly flambéed. A rapid roadside rescue took center stage when his vehicle combusted into a surprising spectacle of flames. It was just after midday on July 16 when emergency services and eager volunteers dashed to the scene at Thai Udom Road in Naklua, responding to urgent SOS signals from a car fire at the Phothisan Road intersection.
Upon arrival, the fearless firefighters from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation, supported by a plucky water truck and nearby Good Samaritans, were met with a smoky specter—a blue-grey Mitsubishi Pajero with its engine room exuding more smoke than a dragon’s breath, its bonnet crispier than a well-done toast.
In a twist of fate, the fiery frenzy was already under siege thanks to the quick-witted and lightning-fast actions of nearby residents. Armed with a chemical extinguisher, these civilian heroes doused the insatiable flames before the SUV could fulfill dreams of a roaring blaze. The firefighters merely added a short but dramatic final salvo of water to keep any embers from reigniting, ensuring the crispy SUV was towed off for a less flamboyant repast at a local garage workshop.
The Pattaya News chronicled the experience of the bewildered driver, labeled as a foreigner fluent only in a smattering of Thai. He shared with the rescuers that he recently enjoyed a pit stop at a Bangchak petrol station, moseyed about a Makro store, and was en route to his lodgings when, alas, the smoky signal rose ominously from the engine. “I pulled over and popped the hood,” he recounted, “That’s when the locals became dynamos, averting what could’ve been a vehicular fireworks display!” Thankfully, no one was scorched, and the fire’s origins remain shrouded in mystery.
Meanwhile, in Thailand, it seems that roadways are perfecting their role as backdrops for automotive-fire melodramas. One such act happened on June 27, when Bangkok’s rush hour transformed into a fiery tableau as a silver Toyota sedan ignited on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, near Soi 22, straining traffic as fire brigades vainly fought the flames. Not to be outdone, on July 6, amid the crescendo of the Bangsaen Grand Prix, TikTok lit up with clips of a flame-spewing sedan gallivanting along a pedestrian footpath near Bang Saen Beach, its engine bay aglow like an automotive pyrotechnic display, leaving onlookers both thrilled and appalled. One spectator candidly exclaimed, “This isn’t ‘Fast and Furious’, just plain foolish!” The audacious driver of said “fire-breathing sedan” now faces the long arm of the law with a hefty fine looming like a storm cloud.
Sources: Pattaya News, Thai Emergency Services
Wow, Pattaya never fails to bring drama. First explosive sunsets, now explosive cars!
Haha, right? It’s like every day there’s a new episode of ‘Thailand’s Got Spectacles’. Makes me wonder if people just enjoy playing with fire!
Exactly! Maybe it’s the thrill? Or just the allure of smoke signals!
Dang, feels like those cars are poorly maintained. Aren’t there any regulations to prevent such incidents?
I agree, TommyG. Maintenance is key, but who knows, in these fast-paced urban areas, anything can happen.
Regulation-schmegulation! Sometimes things happen that’s out of our control. It’s just life.
Seems like Pattaya’s firefighters had a pretty easy day thanks to the quick thinking locals! Community spirit at its finest!
All credit to those residents! They should get medals for bravery.
Totally! Everyday heroes in action. Makes you appreciate local communities even more.
Wait, the driver only spoke a bit of Thai? Then how on earth did he communicate during the whole ordeal?!
Thankfully, kindness is a universal language, Traveller_77. Sometimes gestures and expressions can carry across as well.
True, true. I suppose there’s a lesson in humanity buried in there somewhere!
This is what happens when wannabe racers ignore safety to race through the streets. It’s about time they learn a lesson!
But maybe it’s more of a mechanical failure than reckless racing? From what I gather, the combustion happened quite suddenly.
Possibly, still doesn’t excuse some people’s behavior on the road, though.
Glad everyone is safe, but why do these incidents keep happening? Bangkok’s rush hour fire was no joke!
Traffic jams enflamed by literal flames, that’s just the cherry on top for Bangkok drivers.
I’m amazed by how often vehicles catch fire in Thailand. It sounds like a genuine safety concern.
Car fires are a rare spectacle elsewhere but seem common in those parts. Might be an issue with vehicle quality.
Or could it be the intense heat getting to car engines? Either way, sounds like mechanics will be busy.
I’m just pleased no one was hurt. Human lives are more important than any material possessions.
I’m sure the next blown-up car scene will be part of some viral TikTok trend. Modern world, right?
Sadly, you’re probably right, Sam. Anything for clicks these days.
Imagine if this happened during a K-Pop concert trip, the horror!
There’s a reason why these ‘spontaneous combustions’ seem almost exclusive to social hotspot cities like Pattaya.
I wonder if these incidents are part of a global pattern or just unique to Thailand given its trending popularity.