Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

A 61-year-old man was struck and killed by lightning early morning on 3 May, while riding his motorcycle with a sidecar to check on his sugarcane fields in Buriram province, despite his wife’s pleas for him to stay home.

 

The incident occurred around 08:00, near the rear of Ban Na Fai village, Moo 6, in Ban Dan subdistrict, Ban Dan district. Pol Sub Lt Niyom Thuamthaisong, an investigator at Ban Dan Police Station, was alerted to the fatality by Ban Dan Hospital and responded to the scene with municipal rescue personnel.

 

At the site, authorities found a black and red Honda motorcycle with a sidecar. Tools including a hoe and a spade were resting in the sidecar. The deceased, Mr Amnat Tentiram, was discovered lying on his back on the motorcycle, with his legs still straddling the seat, a posture indicating he had been struck while still riding.

 

Burn marks were observed near his left ear and along his torso, while his clothing also showed signs of burning. The motorcycle itself bore only minor damage. Officials estimate the lightning strike occurred approximately one hour prior to discovery.

 

Mr Amnat’s wife, 53-year-old Mrs Farung, tearfully recounted that the couple owned a 10-rai sugarcane plantation on the outskirts of the village. Her husband routinely left each morning to tend the fields. On this particular morning, around 06:00, she urged him not to go as heavy rain had fallen the night before and the skies were still dark and drizzling.

 

“He said it was just a light rain and insisted on going,” she said. “Then later a neighbour came to tell me he’d been struck by lightning.”

 

Mrs Farung added that he had taken only his mobile phone with him, and she was unsure what might have attracted the lightning.

 

Local authorities noted that lightning fatalities occur every rainy season in Buriram, typically affecting people working in open fields, such as livestock herders and fishermen. However, this is believed to be the first recorded case in the province of a lightning strike killing someone while riding a motorcycle.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-05-04.

 

 

 

Probably on his phone which is a lightning conductor very unlucky poor fella

3 minutes ago, ozz1 said:

Probably on his phone which is a lightning conductor very unlucky poor fella

Unlikely since a 'lite rain' at the time.   That steel sidecar and possibly being the highest thing in the area, on the road probably didn't help any.

A car having a steel shell absorbs the electricity but a scooter or motorcycle has none so a driver can be electrocuted. It happens a few times every year.

Well that sucks RIP.

 

I honestly believe that folks trust to luck too much when it comes to lightning