Suchart Orders Urgent Aircraft Deployment to Extinguish Forest Fire in Sakaerat, Nakhon Ratchasima

On February 13, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Suchart Chomplin, who also serves as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, issued an urgent order to address a fire at the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station in Nakhon Ratchasima. He instructed the ministry's permanent secretary to immediately deploy aerial firefighting teams to control the situation and minimize damage. At 4:30 PM, the flying team supported Nakhon Ratchasima provincial administrators in surveying the forest fire situation. The initial survey revealed extensive fire spread across a long area, primarily in dipterocarp forest with significant accumulated bamboo fuel, causing rapid fire propagation. At 5:00 PM, 10 water-dropping flights were conducted, partially controlling and reducing the fire's intensity. The team plans to continue missions tomorrow at 8:30 AM with another reconnaissance flight to develop an efficient fire suppression strategy. Suchart emphasized the need for close inter-agency collaboration and continuous monitoring to protect natural resources and minimize impact on local populations.