Pattaya, May 22nd, 2026 – Pattaya City authorities have ordered the temporary suspension of the J A Plus Hotel following a fierce fire that broke out on its rooftop, as officials move to investigate the cause and assess structural safety.
The blaze erupted around late Thursday night on the 7th-floor rooftop of the J A Plus Hotel, located at 3/248 North Pattaya Road 3, in the Na Kluea area of Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province. At the time of the incident, the hotel had approximately 120 rooms occupied out of 173 total, with more than 200 guests inside, many being foreign tourists. The fire triggered a chaotic evacuation as residents rushed to escape the building.
Four people were injured. Three suffered smoke inhalation, including two Thai women and one Indonesian boy. The fourth victim, a 40-year-old Thai male employee named Thawatchai Rodphet, sustained approximately 20% burns after attempting to fight the flames and was seriously injured from both burns and smoke inhalation. All injured parties were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Pattaya City’s Acting Head of Building Control, Mr. Marut Uthaiwattananon, along with engineering officials, inspected the scene at approximately 10:00 AM on May 22nd. The inspection revealed extensive fire damage across the entire rooftop area, which housed a swimming pool and rooftop bar. Officials initially believe the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. Flammable decorative materials, including ceiling fabrics, ornaments, and solar panels, are thought to have contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
Although the fire was largely confined to the rooftop, Mr. Marut stated that the hotel’s building permit is valid. However, Pattaya City has suspended use of the building until an engineer conducts a thorough structural assessment to determine whether the fire affected the building’s integrity. The rooftop zone appears to have sustained the majority of the damage with limited impact on the main structure, but public access to the building has been restricted for safety reasons.
Mr. Athinuth Watthanaphrom, a director of the hotel, addressed the media and confirmed that preliminary investigations point to an electrical short circuit as the likely cause. He expressed deep regret over the incident and extended a formal apology to all guests.
“The safety of our guests is our top priority,” he said. “We are closely monitoring the condition of the injured and will provide full assistance and compensation to every affected customer.”
Following the fire, all guests were safely evacuated and temporarily relocated to nearby hotels. Hotel staff are coordinating with authorities to allow guests to return and retrieve their belongings once inspections are completed. The hotel has pledged to facilitate this process and offer full support.
The estimated damage from the fire is approximately 25 million baht.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
