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Young Man Killed by Lightning While Using Phone

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A 31-year-old man died after reportedly being struck by lightning while using his mobile phone inside his home during a thunderstorm in Buriram province, leaving his wife devastated and prompting renewed warnings about electrical safety during severe weather.

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The victim, Mr Rung Pliengklang, 31, from Bu Krasang subdistrict in Nong Ki district, died after the incident at his home. His funeral is being held at Wat Ban Nong Man in Bu Krasang, where relatives and local residents have gathered to pay their respects. The atmosphere at the temple was one of deep sorrow, with his wife, 29-year-old Ms Supitcha Somporn, remaining beside her husband’s coffin in tears.

According to Ms Supitcha, the incident occurred at approximately 8.30pm on 29 May. Her husband had cycled out to top up his internet credit before returning home and sitting down to use his mobile phone. At the time, heavy rain, lightning and thunder were continuing outside.

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She said she repeatedly warned him to stop using the phone and disconnect the charger because of the storm. However, he ignored her concerns and continued using the device as normal.

Moments later, a powerful flash of lightning occurred and a bright burst of light entered the house. Mr Rung was thrown backwards and collapsed. Ms Supitcha rushed to help him but said she felt what seemed to be an electrical current running through his body and instinctively pulled away.

Emergency responders from the Nong Ki Rescue Association were called to the scene and attempted to assist him, but he later died from his injuries. Ms Supitcha said she noticed burn marks on her husband’s chest after the incident.

She believes the lightning strike may have been linked to him using and charging his mobile phone at the same time during the storm, although the exact cause has not been officially confirmed. The tragedy follows several recent lightning-related deaths reported in Thailand and has renewed concerns about safety during severe weather.

Amarin reported that Ms Supitcha urged others to learn from the incident and avoid using mobile phones during thunderstorms, even when indoors. Authorities have not released any further details regarding the circumstances of the lightning strike and are investigating the cause of death.

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Pictures courtesy of Amarin

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image.png Adapted by ASEAN Now Amarin 31 May 2026


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  • D Peter
    D Peter

    AI Why mobile phones are safe during lightning Mobile phones do NOT attract lightning. Lightning follows the tallest object or conductive paths like metal structures, wiring, plumbing, or phone line

  • wil iam not
    wil iam not

    I do not think the phone had anything to do with it, just bad luck. Why would a phone attract lightning more than any other metal object in the house?

  • NoDisplayName
    NoDisplayName

    Phone just topped up, too excited to change into dry clothing before tiktok'ng. Phone/charger connected to house outlet. Ongoing lighting storm. No safety breakers, improper or no grounding. Our expe

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  • Popular Post

Sad accident, RIP to the victim of course. It is just a miracle that no more victims are there, as it seems that nobody cares when there is a thunderstorm. Ever zombie walks around with their mobile in their hands as nothing can be missed.

I was learned to remove all plugs from the sockets and turn everything of including internet and now phone, but I am just a silly old man perhaps.

  • Popular Post
6 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

It is just a miracle that no more victims are there, as it seems that nobody cares when there is a thunderstorm.

...........and the ones that obliviously keep swimming in the pool..........really........

  • Popular Post

Inside his home ?

That is weird.

  • Popular Post

I do not think the phone had anything to do with it, just bad luck.

Why would a phone attract lightning more than any other metal object in the house?

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Sad accident, RIP to the victim of course. It is just a miracle that no more victims are there, as it seems that nobody cares when there is a thunderstorm. Ever zombie walks around with their mobile in their hands as nothing can be missed.

I was learned to remove all plugs from the sockets and turn everything of including internet and now phone, but I am just a silly old man perhaps.

I was TAUGHT that fitting a surge protection unit in your fuse box, sorry Consumer Unit, should protect things, but I don't know if it works yet. I do have a UPS to keep the router and PC going during outages.

It would be interesting to know whether the charger, which was still connected to the phone, was a genuine one, or a cheapo Chinese jobby

(Aren't they all made in China 555 )

Edited by wil iam not

  • Popular Post

I think it has nothing to do with the fact that he had a phone in his hand; if he had been smoking a cigarette, the same thing would have happened.

  • Popular Post
5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Her husband had cycled out to top up his internet credit before returning home and sitting down to use his mobile phone. At the time, heavy rain, lightning and thunder were continuing outside.

Phone just topped up, too excited to change into dry clothing before tiktok'ng.

Phone/charger connected to house outlet.

Ongoing lighting storm.

No safety breakers, improper or no grounding.

Our experience..........last house had to install new safety breakers, replace main line outside, main circuits inside, separate ground from neutral, teach "electrician(*)" how to isolate circuits for testing.

Current house build....... had to teach "electrician" how to use plug in circuit tester. Why? 3 of 17 outlets had L/N reversed. Builder ran correct wire from correct circuit box to outlets, "electrician" used whatever scrap to wire between outlets. Black tape for connectors, no wire nuts. Used black for ground wire. Connected CCTV ground wire...........black wire with red duct tape marker.....from random outlet to CCTV box, but ran power from ceiling circuit box. CCTV L/N/G wires were all black, with a red duct tape marker on the ground wire.

He's almost finished ripping out and replacing ALL the interior wiring.

(*) "electrician" = random dude with screwdriver

Surprising that more "electricians" aren't pulled out of ceiling spaces.

Edited by NoDisplayName

8 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

It would be interesting to know whether the charger, which was still connected to the phone, was a genuine one, or a cheapo Chinese jobby

Apparently either the phone nor the charger were damaged.

A different News outlet said his wife commented "From what I observed, the power outlet had a phone charger and a fan plugged in, but neither the phone nor the fan was damaged".

Also no mention of their house being on a hill or the highest one in the village.

I have a mate who built a house on top of a rise with no tall trees or utility poles nearby. His house has been struck three times. Plus once after he had lightning arrestors fitted to his roof.

Post breaking forum rules removed.

@LosLobo rule 17.News articles are collected from recognised sources and may be consolidated or rewritten with AI assistance. Respectful discussion of the article content is welcome. Disrespectful comments about the articles, the use of AI, or the news team (e.g. “clickbait,” “slow news day,” mocking grammar, or AI taunts) are not permitted. Posts breaching this rule will be removed, and posting suspension or account closure may result.

  • Popular Post

A cunning way to murder your husband?

Zap him with an electric lead, then use the old wives tail about mobile phones and lightening as a cover story. 😅

  • Popular Post
1 hour ago, wil iam not said:

I was TAUGHT that fitting a surge protection unit in your fuse box, sorry Consumer Unit, should protect things, but I don't know if it works yet. I do have a UPS to keep the router and PC going during outages.

It would be interesting to know whether the charger, which was still connected to the phone, was a genuine one, or a cheapo Chinese jobby

(Aren't they all made in China 555 )

AI

Why mobile phones are safe during lightning

Mobile phones do NOT attract lightning.

Lightning follows the tallest object or conductive paths like metal structures, wiring, plumbing, or phone lines—not small battery‑powered devices.

Cordless/mobile phones are safe indoors.

The CDC explicitly states that cell phones are safe to use during a storm as long as they are not connected to a charger.

The real danger is wired connections.

Landline phones and any device plugged into the wall can conduct a lightning surge into your body.

1 hour ago, Mr Janneman said:

I think it has nothing to do with the fact that he had a phone in his hand; if he had been smoking a cigarette, the same thing would have happened.

He was connected to the house's wiring by the phone, and was a median, so the phone can possibly not get damaged but bypassed if he was touching the charger wire. Through him to the ground. There isn't any other way to get electrocuted inside a house besides taking a shower or washing, through the water and possible metal pipes into a person besides the rare occurrence through concrete and rebar and bare feet.

Edited by fredwiggy

A lightning strike on the house unleashes a phenomenal amount of electricity getting badly burnt is as much of a problem

  • Popular Post
2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

(*) "electrician" = random dude with screwdriver

correction "electrician" random dude who will borrow ( and either break or lose) your screwdriver

  • Popular Post

Off topic posts removed

@Bday Prang discuss the and not just troll your own political agenda.

10 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

There isn't any other way to get electrocuted inside a house besides taking a shower or washing

Yes there is. Playing an electric guitar through a badly earthed amp, and singing down a mic in a PA System connected to the same mains socket. Many good musos have gone this way.

  • Popular Post
1 minute ago, wil iam not said:

Yes there is. Playing an electric guitar through a badly earthed amp, and singing down a mic in a PA System connected to the same mains socket. Many good musos have gone this way.

Yes, that's the same way this man died. Being connected to a live wire, just as some musicians have gotten shocked playing on stages during rain. Just standing in a house holding an unplugged phone or otherwise there is almost no chance of being electrocuted.

21 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Yes, that's the same way this man died. Being connected to a live wire, just as some musicians have gotten shocked playing on stages during rain. Just standing in a house holding an unplugged phone or otherwise there is almost no chance of being electrocuted.

I guess that the lightning could have melted everything inside the charger and sent the 220 mains voltage straight to the phone.

The wife said the phone and fan were undamaged, but I wounder if she has tried them, and the charger on another phone...hands free of course.

10 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

I guess that the lightning could have melted everything inside the charger and sent the 220 mains voltage straight to the phone.

The wife said the phone and fan were undamaged, but I wounder if she has tried them, and the charger on another phone...hands free of course.

The current can pass through the phone and into him. It usually happens with cheap chargers, as the better ones convert AC into DC. High humidity can increase the shock.

Edited by fredwiggy

2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

The current can pass through the phone and into him. It usually happens with cheap chargers, as the better ones convert AC into DC. High humidity can increase the shock.

Most, may I say ALL, phones need DC to charge them, usually 5 volts.

There must be some correlation between him holding the phone connected to the charger and the flash of lightning. As I suggested, the cheap charger melted down and sent 220 v AC into him. The fact that his Mrs could feel electricity running through him suggests that it was coming from the mains, as the lightning would have been instantaneous then gone.

Edited by wil iam not

Never see lightening rods on Thai homes. Anyone know how come why not?

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

A 31-year-old man died after reportedly being struck by lightning while using his mobile phone inside his home during a thunderstorm in Buriram province, leaving his wife devastated and prompting renewed warnings about electrical safety during severe weather.

Wow - inside his home? Man, when it's your time to go, it's your time to go.

Edited by connda

5 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

Never see lightening rods on Thai homes. Anyone know how come why not?


We have one. It was the steel frame used for TV antennas back in the day. Works as a lighten rod now.

5 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

Most, may I say ALL, phones need DC to charge them, usually 5 volts.

There must be some correlation between him holding the phone connected to the charger and the flash of lightning. As I suggested, the cheap charger melted down and sent 220 v AC into him.

Chargers convert the AC to DC for the phones. If the charger was cheap, it could have left out protective components that had the electrical charge going into the man as AC. Amps is what kills people. The Volts carry the charge. Low voltage and high amps can kill especially if the person is wet or in humid environments. Most homes carry 200 amps which is definitely enough to electrocute with a 220V line.

9 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

Never see lightening rods on Thai homes. Anyone know how come why not?

Cheaper costs and more concrete construction. My home wasn't grounded well, so I get mild shocks when I touch some appliances. Builder was a dolt.

6 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Sad accident, RIP to the victim of course. It is just a miracle that no more victims are there, as it seems that nobody cares when there is a thunderstorm. Ever zombie walks around with their mobile in their hands as nothing can be missed.

I was learned to remove all plugs from the sockets and turn everything of including internet and now phone, but I am just a silly old man perhaps.

If it was a mobile phone, it was not the cause of the strike. Lightening doesn't follow air-gapped, electromagnetic signals - well unless it was on a charger. If it was a land-line (which pretty much no one has anymore) then it could have been the cause. Sounds like it was a mobile attached to the homes electric circuits via a charger. Yeah - that could kill a guy as it provides a path for a lightening strike. If your phone is disconnected from a charger its safe to use.

Well - RIP 🙏🏼

Edited by connda

14 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

Most, may I say ALL, phones need DC to charge them, usually 5 volts.

There must be some correlation between him holding the phone connected to the charger and the flash of lightning. As I suggested, the cheap charger melted down and sent 220 v AC into him. The fact that his Mrs could feel electricity running through him suggests that it was coming from the mains, as the lightning would have been instantaneous then gone.

Has anyone checked the fusebox? In the above scenario any size fuse would have been blown to kingdom come

3 minutes ago, Kandinski said:

Has anyone checked the fusebox? In the above scenario any size fuse would have been blown to kingdom come

It doesn't need to blow a fuse to have enough current to kill a person.

4 minutes ago, Kandinski said:

Has anyone checked the fusebox? In the above scenario any size fuse would have been blown to kingdom come

The whole idea of fuses, or Circuit Breakers as they are now known, are there to shut off the current if it exceeds the rating, 16amp, 30 amp, whatever. Obviously their's did not shut off the power, if they actually had any fitted, or any other safety stuff like Earth Leakage etc.

Edited by wil iam not

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