Lightning Strike Kills Farmer in Front of Father

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

A 34-year-old man was killed instantly by a lightning strike while sheltering from the rain with his father in a small hut in the middle of a rice field in Buriram province. The father, who was sitting just inches away, survived unscathed.

The incident occurred at around 14:00 on 20 May in the village of Khok Khao Pattana, Kok Mamuang Subdistrict, Pakham District. Police Lieutenant Wiwat Nama-asa from Pakham Police Station responded to the emergency call along with forensic officers and rescue volunteers.

The victim, Mr Thossaphon, a local resident, had gone out with his father, Mr Boonkoet 57, to plough their fields using a seated tractor. When rain began to fall, the pair sought shelter in a small wooden hut flanked by two tamarind trees approximately 2 km from the nearest village.

While the rain began to ease, a sudden bolt of lightning struck the hut. Mr Boonkoet recounted the harrowing moment:

“We were sitting against the same wooden post, our backs nearly touching. Suddenly there was a blinding flash followed by a deafening crack. I felt a tingling shock down my spine and heat on my back. When I turned around, my son was slumped over, unresponsive. I held his head and saw he had burns across his body and foam at the mouth. He was already gone.”

Emergency responders found Mr Thossaphon’s body with severe burns from the head down to his torso, as well as multiple bone fractures. Signs of a lightning strike were visible on the hut’s wooden post.

His mother, Mrs Kamonrat 52, expressed heartbreak over a sentimental loss, her son’s two-baht gold necklace, which he had worn since his monkhood, was destroyed in the incident.

“We searched all around the hut and found only a few melted fragments of the chain. He was such a good son, always working hard. It’s devastating.”

Medical officials later explained that Mr Boonkoet likely survived due to the wooden post they leaned against remaining dry, preventing the electrical discharge from reaching him.

Authorities have documented the scene and will continue investigations as per legal procedures. The case serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers of lightning during rainy season.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-05-22.