A fire continued to destroy part of the Phru Toh Daeng peat forest in the southernmost province of Narathiwat on Tuesday.

It is the third day since the fire began in the peat bog in Tak Bai district of Narathiwat.

An airborne survey by paramotor glider found smoke from the fire covering a section about 25 kilometres long on Sungai Kolok-Tak Bai Road. There were five hotspots destroying about 160,000 square metres of the forest that adjoins Ban Plak Pla in Khosit sub-district of Tak Bai.

Unlike last year, when there was a similar fire, there was no official action to contain the outbreak.

It was believed the fire was accidentally spread by villagers who intentionally tried to burn a part of the forest to clear it for growing rubber trees. The fire was also destroying some local rubber plantations.