CHIANG RAI – A scary moment played out on the mountain road to Doi Pha Mee and Pha Hi in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, after a tourist’s Range Rover caught fire while heading uphill. The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. on New Year’s Day.
The driver was travelling up to visit one of the popular cafés on Doi Pha Mee and Pha Hi, which draw big crowds for their views, local coffee, and Akha food. Some visitors were also heading up to stay at homestays on the mountain.
Pha Hi (also called Pha Hee) sits in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, and it’s a beautiful Akha hill tribe village with wide mountain views and a cooler climate. It’s best known for its locally grown coffee and calm, slow pace. You can wander short nature trails, sip a brew at spots like Phahee Coffee, and find cafés with terrace seating made for the scenery.
With so many people arriving at the same time, traffic was heavy. The route near Ban Pha Mee is narrow and steep, so vehicles going up and down have to take turns and drive carefully when passing.
Because of the congestion, local village security volunteers from Pha Mee and Pha Hi were on duty to help manage traffic. During that period, a white Range Rover with Chiang Rai plates was making its way up the narrow stretch near the village.
The driver, a woman travelling with children, noticed thick smoke rising from the engine bay. With limited space to stop on the slope, she drove a short distance to pull in near a house by the roadside. Moments later, flames burst out from the Range Rover engine compartment.
Electrical Short in Range Rover
Rongnachai Phitakthitikul, assistant village head of Pha Mee, Moo 6, Wiang Phang Kham, Mae Sai, said volunteers close to the scene radioed for help. They rushed over with nearby fire extinguishers and worked quickly to put out the blaze. The driver and the young children were moved away from the Range Rover to a safe spot.
Police from the Doi Pha Mee service post later checked the vehicle. Early findings point to an electrical short circuit in the engine area. The engine bay was badly damaged by fire, and some of the car’s windows were found broken.
The passenger cabin did not catch fire, and everyone got out safely. The vehicle will be taken down for a fuller inspection.
Range Rovers and other Land Rover models have had several reported fire incidents and related recalls over the years, often linked to fuel leaks, oil leaks, coolant issues, or electrical problems in the engine bay. Over 111,000 vehicles were recalled for cracked fuel tank flanges, causing fuel leaks.
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