PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand’s Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) has launched a special emergency complaint center in Pattaya following the fire at the Sunday JA Plus Hotel on Pattaya Third Road, where four people were injured and hundreds of guests were evacuated overnight, May 22. Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Supamas Isarabhakdi ordered the urgent response, directing the OCPB to provide on-site assistance and consumer protection services for affected Thai and foreign tourists.
The blaze broke out late on May 21 at the hotel in North Pattaya, trapping numerous guests inside the building before emergency crews evacuated all occupants. Authorities confirmed that four people suffered injuries, including three hotel guests and one hotel employee. The government said the move follows Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s directive for all agencies to strengthen tourist safety measures in major tourism destinations nationwide. The OCPB is now working together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Pattaya City, the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), and consumer advocacy organizations to coordinate compensation and assistance for victims.
According to OCPB Secretary-General Ranrong Poolpipat, officials have already divided assistance efforts into two groups:
- Injured victims receiving hospital treatment, whose medical expenses and compensation will reportedly be covered by the hotel.
- Guests with future bookings who no longer feel confident about the hotel’s safety, with the hotel agreeing to provide full refunds.
Authorities said all 240 hotel guests have already been relocated to nearby accommodation. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by forensic police. Supamas stressed that hotel guests are legally recognized as consumers under Thailand’s Consumer Protection Act and are entitled to safety and compensation for damages. “We immediately ordered the establishment of a special complaint center in Pattaya so affected tourists can file complaints and receive assistance directly on site without unnecessary travel or delays,” she said.
The temporary center will collect complaints involving injuries, property damage, and financial losses while also helping mediate compensation negotiations between affected tourists and the hotel operator. Officials will additionally provide consumer rights assistance to foreign visitors.
Supamas warned that if negotiations fail and consumers are not properly compensated, the OCPB is prepared to pursue legal action on behalf of victims under Section 39 of the Consumer Protection Act at no cost to consumers. She also thanked the hotel operator for initially accepting responsibility by assisting injured guests, issuing refunds, and relocating evacuees to safer accommodation.
Authorities urged hotels across Thailand to ensure fire prevention systems, emergency exits, and staff evacuation drills remain fully operational at all times. (TNA)
