Pattaya, Thailand – Firefighters battled a blaze at the J A Plus Hotel in North Pattaya on the evening of May 21st, 2026, forcing the chaotic evacuation of hundreds of guests, many of them foreign tourists. The fire was eventually brought under control after more than an hour thanks to the hard effort of local firefighters, with four people injured, three with smoke inhalation and one with severe burns.
At 9:36 p.m., the Pattaya Municipal Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center received reports of a fire at the J A Plus Hotel on Moo 10. Officials, including Banglamung District Chief Anusak Phirayomrorn, local administrative officers, Pattaya City Police, and volunteer rescuers from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan, along with multiple fire engines, rushed to the scene.
Upon arrival, crews found flames raging intensely on the hotel’s rooftop. Firefighters immediately began evacuating guests and staff to safety in a disorderly rush, with many foreign tourists among those fleeing the building. While crews deployed water cannons to contain the blaze, the fire spread rapidly, making initial control difficult.
Four people were injured in the incident. Two Thai women and one Indonesian boy suffered smoke inhalation, while a Thai man sustained burns covering more than 20% of his body after running through flames to escape. All four were treated at the scene and transported to nearby hospitals.
Hotel staff reported that a worker on the upper floors first noticed the fire and attempted to extinguish it with a portable fire extinguisher. However, the flames spread too quickly, bringing an immediate call for emergency services.
At the time of the fire, the hotel was fully booked with 178 occupied rooms, predominantly by foreign tourists. Rescue teams conducted thorough searches to ensure no one remained inside while continuing to evacuate guests.
According to the latest update, firefighters fully extinguished the blaze after more than one hour of operations. All guests were safely evacuated. Banglamung District Chief Anusak confirmed that only the four individuals were injured. The hotel has arranged alternative accommodations for affected guests.
The fire originated at a rooftop restaurant on the building’s top floor, which was not in use by guests at the time. Authorities will conduct a full investigation to determine the exact cause. The Pattaya News will update this story as further information is released.
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