Picture from responders.

 

A 56-year-old man died after being electrocuted while attempting to use electricity to catch fish in a canal in Moo 6, Khlong Yai Subdistrict, Tamot District, Phatthalung Province.

 

The incident, which occurred on the morning of 27 December, involved the man, identified only as Sompong, illegally tapping into a roadside power line to connect an electric shock shun device for fishing. While carrying out the hazardous activity, he inadvertently came into contact with live electricity, resulting in his immediate death.

 

Local residents discovered the body lying in a canal with shallow water, approximately 20 centimetres deep, and promptly notified local authorities. Police and rescue workers from Tamot Police Station arrived at the scene, where they found the deceased man with fishing equipment and electrical wires connected to the roadside power line.

 

According to Sompong’s wife, who requested anonymity, her husband would often go fishing in his free time when not working as a woodcutter. She noted that she had last seen him walking along the roadside earlier that morning but had no idea he was planning such a dangerous act.

 

A preliminary examination of the body revealed burn marks on the man’s left hand, consistent with electrocution. No other injuries or signs of foul play were detected. The body was retrieved and handed over to the family.

 

Authorities have emphasised the dangers of using electric shock devices for fishing, a practice not only hazardous to human life but also illegal due to its devastating impact on aquatic ecosystems. Fishing with electric shock devices is strictly prohibited under Thai law, with violators subject to legal penalties.

 

-- 2024-12-28

 

 

 

Another Darwin Award