Nakhon Ratchasima News Center — Alarming! A fire has broken out at Wat Han Toei in Prathai District, Korat, destroying a temple pavilion, monks' quarters, and a kitchen — a total of 3 buildings damaged — with losses exceeding 2.5 million baht. The preliminary suspected cause is an electrical short circuit.
At 11:33 a.m. on 16 August 2026, a fire broke out at Wat Ban Han Toei in Prathai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The fire originated at the kitchen pavilion, which was undergoing renovation, and spread to the sermon hall and one monks' quarters building. The estimated damage is approximately 2.5 million baht.
Six fire trucks from Prathai Subdistrict Municipality, Talat Sai Subdistrict Municipality, and Khok Klang Subdistrict Municipality rushed to the scene and sprayed water to suppress the flames. It took more than 30 minutes before the fire could be brought under control.
From the investigation, witnesses recounted that at the time of the incident, at around 11:30 a.m., the abbot of Wat Ban Han Toei and the monks were having their midday meal on the first floor of the temple pavilion, together with novices and villagers, when they heard a loud bang coming from the second floor of the pavilion — a storage room that also contained a power transformer on the upper level. Thinking something had fallen, they went to check and found that a fire had broken out. They then alerted everyone to evacuate the scene. The preliminary cause is an electrical short circuit. The damage comprises: 1) the temple pavilion, 2) monks' quarters, and 3) the kitchen, with total damage estimated at 2,500,000 baht. The investigation is ongoing.
