A car valued at over one million baht was destroyed by fire on August 16 after being left charging overnight outside a townhouse in Khlong Luang district, Pathum Thani. The blaze gutted the vehicle’s cabin, though no injuries were reported and firefighters prevented it from spreading to adjacent homes.
Emergency services were alerted early on August 16 to a fire at a housing estate in Khlong Sam subdistrict. Two fire engines were dispatched to the scene, where they found a white sedan engulfed in flames inside the passenger compartment. Firefighters worked for approximately an hour to bring the blaze under control, successfully preventing it from reaching the townhouse or neighboring properties. The driver’s compartment sustained significant damage.
The car had reportedly been plugged in to charge overnight. While investigators have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire, this incident is one of several recent electric vehicle fires in Thailand, many of which have involved home charging setups.
Volvo experienced a notable series of incidents earlier this year. An EX30 caught fire in a Bangkok residential area on March 25, followed by another EX30 fire while charging at home on May 15. Both vehicles were part of a recall announced in February for 1,668 EX30 models with potentially overheating battery modules. Volvo Cars Thailand indicated that early checks on the two affected cars revealed they had been charged above the recommended 70% limit. The company began replacing battery modules on May 22. The Office of the Consumer Protection Board summoned Volvo on May 21, and Thailand subsequently issued a stop-sale order for the model.
Other EV fires have also occurred. In June, a BYD Dolphin caught fire while charging at a home in Khon Kaen, with the flames spreading to the house. Another EV fire in Phichit the same month affected three nearby homes. Earlier this month, a nearly new electric car caught fire while charging at a home in Nonthaburi, destroying the vehicle and damaging another, prompting a forensic examination of the wall charger. Investigations in several of these cases have focused on the home charging infrastructure.
Thai fire services have advised charging EVs in a visible location rather than overnight, adhering to manufacturer recommendations for charging limits, using certified installers for wiring, and ensuring adequate space between the car and the house wall during charging.