Pattaya, Chonburi – January 17th, 2026– A prominent figure in Thai jetski racing was left in shock after a fierce fire completely destroyed two of his pickup trucks on Friday afternoon, January 16th, 2026.
The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. at the employee dormitory parking area of a well-known jetski repair shop in Soi Thepprasit 8.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Suthephan Thapsri, investigator from Pattaya City Police Station, received the report and rushed to the scene along with three fire trucks from Pattaya Municipality and rescue teams from Sawang Boriboon Foundation Pattaya.
Upon arrival, officers found flames engulfing a white four-door Ford pickup truck (Chonburi license plate งต-8626). The fire had already spread intensely to an adjacent bronze-colored Vigo pickup truck (Nakhon Ratchasima license plate ผจ 111). Both vehicles were fully ablaze, with fire raging through the cabins and bodies.
Firefighters quickly deployed water to bring the blaze under control, but both trucks were reduced to charred wrecks, suffering total loss.
Mr. Osman, a 26-year-old Cambodian national and employee of the jet ski shop, told The Pattaya News that he had driven the Ford pickup from work and parked it at the dormitory garage to run an errand. As he returned to the vehicle, he noticed smoke billowing out, followed by flames. He attempted to extinguish the fire using a chemical extinguisher, but it was too late, with the blaze rapidly spread to the neighboring Vigo.
The owner of both vehicles is Mr. Chawalit Kuejrujun, 50, the current manager of the Thai National Jetski Team and a former world champion in jetski racing, famously nicknamed “Iron Man” for his toughness and achievements in the sport.
Mr. Chawalit arrived at the scene visibly stunned by the sight of his destroyed vehicles. He explained that he had instructed his employee (Osman) to drive and park the Ford pickup earlier. He admitted the Ford had pre-existing electrical system issues but never anticipated it would lead to such a catastrophic fire.
Police documented the scene, collected evidence, and took initial statements. Preliminary investigations point to an electrical fault in the Ford pickup as the likely cause of the blaze. However, officers from the Police Forensic Science Office (PFSO) will conduct a thorough inspection to determine the exact origin and confirm the cause.
The loss has left the respected jetski figure reeling, with authorities continuing their probe into the incident. No injuries were reported.
