A third fire broke out in Kanchanaburi, where a spa and a well-known restaurant's four floating rafts were engulfed in flames, causing damage worth at least Bt5 million.

The fire broke out at Si Phraya Tower Inn on Rama IV Road at about 10am, and police found 13 people stuck on the fifth floor, where some had smashed windows to call for help, and six others on the ninth floor.

Fire-fighters helped them out using a crane and sent them to nearby hospitals. It took 20 fire engines half an hour to put out the fire.

The building had no fire escape, only an emergency ladder reaching the fourth floor.

Building administrator Supop Sompradit, 47, said the 4th to 9th floors were used for accommodation and only 20 of 70 rooms had been occupied at the time.

The restaurant on the third floor, where the fire started, was locked, making it difficult for building employees to fight the fire, Supop said.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) sealed the place and labelled the building a danger zone pending further investigation.

Earlier, at about 9am, a fire broke out at the 50-home Nang Nong 2 Community in Soi Wutthakard 26. Strong winds caused the flames to spread quickly, prompting some 200 kindergarten children from nearby Wat Mai Yai Nui school to be evacuated.

It took 15 fire engines around 30 minutes to douse the fire, which damaged 15 homes in the community. There were no reports of death or injuries.

Kanchana Lertkaew, 40, an owner of the two-storey house where the fire started, said she had heard an electrical circuit board on the second floor explode; the sparks fell on a mattress, which caught fire.

Another blaze broke out just after midnight yesterday at a spa in Kanchanaburi's Muang district and spread to the nearby River Kwai Floating Restaurant's four wooden rafts, which belonged to President of the Association of Kanchanaburi Tourism Businesses Surin Janpien.

It took two hours for 10 fire engines to deal with the blaze, which caused an estimated Bt5 million worth of damage. Police collected electrical wiring to determine the cause of the fire.

It was reported that the spa, owned by Nonglak Intaraprasert, had caught fire once before in 2003 and that Nonglak had had a conflict with some locals during the Kwai Bridge Festival early this month.

Meanwhile, residents of Singthoe Community, opposite Queen Sirikit Convention Hall on Rama IV Road, who suffered a massive fire that destroyed 100 homes on Thursday night, urged the authorities to build them new homes.

Police summoned Boonmee Sompong, 80, in whose house the fire started, for questioning

Visiting the scene yesterday, The Nation found that humanitarian agencies had set up tents to hand out relief items for the fire victims and register them for further assistance.  Community Headman Sanya Kwaenchim, 67, said the fire had damaged over 100 homes, affecting 250 residents, and the government had given them initial assistance including food and temporary shelter.

He said the residents wanted the government to build them new homes, which could be in blocks, so as to prevent overcrowding.

Other affected residents said they had not been able to move their belongings out during the fire and most were left with only the clothes they were wearing.

Thongsuk Chanthabul and neighbour Thongkham Langleun said they wanted the authorities to rebuild homes in the same place because they were bonded to the community where they had lived for years.

Thongkham lamented that some thieves had stolen her television, VCD-player and electrical appliances while she was busy taking as many belongings out in front of her burning home.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said the city would assist the victims, including economic compensation of Bt3,000 for a totally burnt house and Bt1,500 for a partially burnt one, while those whose work tools had been destroyed in the fire would receive Bt15,000.