One dead, 30 houses damaged, vast farmland destroyed in two separate fires in Thailand

BANGKOK, May 4 (TNA) - A fire has swept through a slum community in the heart of the northern province of Chiang Mai, killing one person and damaging 30 houses. Meanwhile, firefighters have been deployed to contain a fire, which is raging farmlands in the southernmost province of Narathiwat. In Chiang Mai, fire fighters took over two hours to control the blaze at Sattha Huafai community near the Chang Khlan cemetery, which broke out at 10.30 pm Sunday. A charred body of a woman was found in a wreckage of her house from where police believe the fire started. Many local residents, who were left homeless after the fire, were forced to take shelter in buildings of the cemetery yesterday night. On Monday morning, Chiang Mai Governor Suriya Prasartbundit and Red Cross officials visited the affected people to hand them necessities. In Narathiwat, firefighters continued on Monday to battle the fire in rubber, palm and water melon plantations amid windy condition. The plantations lie in Sungai Kolok district’s Pupoh sub-district, close to the Phru To Daeng Wildlife Sanctuary. Over 60 rai of plantations for water melon which were ready for harvest have so far been destroyed. Smoke has stretched over a distance of about 10 kilometers and entered nearby Tak Bai district. (TNA)