Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai has announced the rescheduling of its “Music in the Garden” festival after a fire damaged part of the property on April 23, 2025. The three-day event, initially planned to start tomorrow, will now be held from May 1 to May 4 for safety reasons.
The fire, which broke out during the night, affected seven buildings in the old spa section of the property, an area disconnected from the current event venues and the Dhara Dhevi Market. Authorities confirmed that the damaged structures had not been in use for some time, with electricity supplies already cut off. Investigations into the cause of the blaze are ongoing.
The Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai hotel, a historic 123-room property that commenced operations in 2004, has faced a series of financial challenges in recent years. The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic led to its closure in 2020, subsequent bankruptcy, and liquidation proceedings. It was later listed for sale with an opening price of 2.116 billion baht.
Ownership of the hotel is now under Siam Estate Dhara Dhevi Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Siam Estate and Inter Far East Thermal Power Co., Ltd. (IThermal), a subsidiary of Inter Far East Energy Corporation Public Co., Ltd. (IFEC). The joint venture acquired the property for 2.4 billion baht, combining cash and asset offset strategies.
Suphan Sethapanich, a board member of Siam Estate Dhara Dhevi Co., Ltd., stated that despite the fire, only about 5% of the property—specifically the spa area—was damaged. He emphasized that hotel operations have largely continued unaffected. The company has committed to a 500 million baht renovation project, aiming for full reopening by the end of 2025. The renovation is proceeding in two phases, starting with the reopening of a restaurant and market area earlier this year.
Authorities have ruled out insurance fraud, clarifying that the Dhara Dhevi hotel did not hold fire insurance at the time of the incident. Suphan noted that while the cause of the fire remains under investigation, he believes the circumstances were unusual.
Officials, including local police and company executives, are monitoring the situation as the hotel works toward full restoration.
