A firefighter sprays water on fire-gutted shops at the Chaimongkol market on Ratchaprarop Road in Ratchathewi district on Saturday. (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)A fire on Saturday gutted more than 20 shops and caused about 50 million baht in damage at the old Chaimongkol clothing market in Pratunam area of Ratchathewi district in Bangkok. However, police had to temporarily close a section of Ratchaprarop Road, from the Ratchaprarop to Pratunam intersections as black smoke hovered over the area. A police investigation found that the fire started on the first floor of a clothing shop before quickly spreading to adjacent buildings. Chatree Wattanakhajorn, director of the Ratchathewi district office, said several buildings in the area had been illegally modified.

Source: Bangkok Post April 01, 2017 07:41 UTC