Palm Plantation Fire Spreads After Wasp Attack
A wasp attack in a Phatthalung oil palm plantation turned catastrophic on August 23 when the owner set fire to a nest, causing flames to spread across 12 rai in the dry heat and wind.
Firefighters in Phatthalung province responded at 12:30 p.m. on August 23, 2025, to a fire burning through a four-year-old oil palm plantation covering 12 rai in Village 6, Thamihram subdistrict, Muang district. The plantation owner entered the grove to tend to it when wasps attacked and stung him. He then lit a fire to burn the wasp nest, but hot, dry weather combined with strong winds caused the flames to spread uncontrollably, destroying more than half the plantation. Municipal firefighters took almost thirty minutes to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to neighboring rubber plantations. Keasamsak Sengsuen, mayor of Thamihram Tambon Municipality, warned the public that the current dry and hot conditions in Phatthalung have left vegetation parched, making fires a serious risk. He urged palm, rubber, and fruit plantation owners to take precautions and avoid starting any open fires during this period, as they could easily spread to surrounding agricultural land.
