A fire broke out on a sightseeing boat while it cruised along the Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya on Tuesday but all passengers and crew members are safe.

A volunteer rescue unit reported the fire at 2.30pm on the Kalae that was carrying 24 tourists, five of them children, and two crew members to see historic sites along the river in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district.

Crews from another tourist boat and a ship from the Marine Office saw the fire and evacuated everyone onto their vessels to take them ashore. The wind also blew the boat to the river bank to make extinguishing the fire easier.

The boat owner said the vessel was equipped with all safety gear, including life jackets, and the engine was regularly checked in line with safety standards set by the Marine Department.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.