BANGKOK, 6 January 2011 (NNT) – Thai Police Chief Police General Priewpan Damapong has instructed the Metropolitan Police and the Central Investigation Bureau to increase security around Chatuchak market following the recent fire.

The fire occurred on January 4, two days after the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) returned the management of the popular weekend market to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

According to the report, the fire broke out from a book shop which is just meters away from the MRT’s Kamphaeng Phet station, at around 8 p.m. Although the police have concluded that a short circuit had started the fire, shop keepers believe it could be the work of a third party.

In an attempt to prevent a similar incident in the future, police officers have been dispatched and stationed around Chatuchak to keep the situation under control.

The Central Investigation Bureau has been instructed to speed up the investigation. The case is reportedly under the supervision of Deputy National Police Chief Police General Panupong Singhara. Police General Preawpan added later that if the situation exacerbates, the investigation team must report to the Royal Thai Police immediately.

Reporter: Nuppol Suvansombut – NNT