BANGKOK – Police are moving quickly to understand the cause of a car fire that killed a three-year-old child who was left sleeping in the vehicle while relatives went to pick mushrooms in northeastern Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
Early findings suggest an electrical short circuit might have sparked the fire, as the car was in poor condition. The child’s parents, who work in another province, have been informed of the tragedy.
On 8 September at 9:10 am, rescue teams were called to the scene in Huai Bong, Dan Khun Thot district, Nakhon Ratchasima, where the incident happened near the woods between village 5 and village 12.
A black Chevrolet sedan, registration NgN 9562, Nakhon Ratchasima, was found in flames. Firefighters quickly put out the blaze and then discovered the body of a three-year-old boy inside the burnt car.
Investigators learned the group had travelled from Hin Dad to forage for mushrooms. Five relatives were in the car, including Ms. Pimpika Tichanthuek, Mrs. Sunthorn Hansungnoen, Mrs. Somsan Tichanthuek, an unidentified adult, and the three-year-old child.
While searching for mushrooms, the group heard four loud bangs from the direction of the car. When they returned, they saw the tyres had burst and the car was on fire. The sedan engine was off, and the doors were unlocked.
The child, Kittichai Nathamthong, remained asleep inside. The adults tried to put out the flames but could not stop the blaze, so they contacted emergency services. Sadly, the rescue teams could not save the boy. Police are now working to uncover what started the fire.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Phairot Khunmuen, chief of the provincial police, said he received a report from the Hin Dad police chief about the incident. A group of three to four adults had driven to the forest with the little boy.
The adults left the sleeping child inside the old car while they harvested wild mushrooms. Around 9:00 am, explosions were heard, and the group rushed back, only to find the car engulfed in flames. Despite their quick call for help, the boy did not survive.
Forensic officers and hospital staff have examined the scene, and results on the cause of the fire are expected soon.
Initial reports point to an electrical short circuit, likely because the car was old and its gas system had been removed last year. The parents of the three-year-old, who work out of town, have been informed about their son’s death.
Car fires in Thailand have been reported in several incidents, often linked to road accidents, mechanical failures, or unsafe vehicle conditions. Thailand’s road safety record is among the world’s worst, with 17,914 average annual road deaths (2013–2023).
