A tragic incident occurred where a Myanmar national visiting from the United States died after being electrocuted by a faulty streetlight. The 33-year-old man, Thura Kyaw, had just reunited with his girlfriend after nearly six years apart.
The accident took place around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday near a grilled fish restaurant on Don Jom Thao Road in Thepkrasattri, Thalang district. Kyaw, while walking with his girlfriend, slipped on the rain-soaked pavement and grabbed a nearby streetlight pole for support. Unfortunately, the pole, which was later found to have an electrical leak of 220 volts, electrocuted him.
Bystanders immediately attempted to assist, performing CPR until emergency responders from the Thepkrasattri Subdistrict Administrative Organization arrived. Despite their efforts, Kyaw was pronounced dead at Thalang Hospital.
According to a friend of the victim’s girlfriend, Kyaw had arrived from the United States just 5-6 days earlier for his long-awaited reunion with his girlfriend. Following the incident, officials from the Provincial Electricity Authority of Thalang conducted an investigation. While the streetlight was under the jurisdiction of the Phuket Highway District Office, preliminary findings revealed a dangerous electrical leak. The power to the pole was temporarily disconnected to prevent further accidents, and local authorities were instructed to contact the Highway District Office for repairs.
The incident highlights significant concerns about infrastructure maintenance and public safety, especially during wet weather conditions.