Thalang Police were notified of the incident at about 1am after reports of a vehicle fire on the northbound side of Thepkrasattri Rd in Moo 5, Srisoonthorn.
Officers arrived at the scene to find a Phuket-registered Volkswagen van engulfed in flames. Local firefighters arrived with a fire truck and worked for about 10 minutes to bring the blaze under control.
The driver and owner, Phongsaphan Suksawat, 50, told police he was driving along Thepkrasattri Rd when he noticed a burning smell coming from the vehicle.
He said he pulled over to investigate and saw heavy smoke coming from the engine compartment, followed by sparks that quickly ignited into flames.
The fire spread rapidly and destroyed the entire vehicle before emergency services could fully extinguish it. No injuries were reported and traffic was able to continue normally after the fire was brought under control.
Police noted that the van had been in use for about 19 years and had been modified with a LNG fuel system. The owner reported that the vehicle did not have voluntary insurance cover.
Phuket Forensic Science officers have been contacted to examine the burned-out vehicle and determine the exact cause of the fire. An official report is being prepared by Thalang Police as the investigation continues.