American tourist Thua Kyaw, 33, tragically dies in Phuket after grabbing a faulty lamp post during a slip. The lamppost, live with a dangerous high-voltage leakage, electrocuted him in front of his girlfriend, sparking concerns over infrastructure safety.
An American tourist of Burmese origin lost his life in Phuket on Thursday due to a freak accident. Thirty-three-year-old Thua Kyaw from New York died in front of his girlfriend as the pair entered a seafood restaurant. The young man slipped and fell. Mr. Kyaw reached out to grab a lamppost, which was live with a dangerous electrical leakage. He was electrocuted by the high-powered voltage in the pole.
On Thursday night in Phuket, a visiting American tourist of Burmese origin was fatally electrocuted by a lamp post. Thirty-three-year-old Thua Kyaw was walking with his girlfriend. The couple were approaching a grilled seafood restaurant on Don Jom Thao Road in Thepkrasattri within the Thalang district.
Friends already at the eatery saw the accident unfold. At the time, the man’s Thai long-distance relationship partner was walking ahead of Mr. Thua. Disaster struck when the young man slipped on the pavement. It had been a rainy day.
In turn, the Burmese man grabbed hold of the lamp post to steady himself. Unfortunately, the pole was live with a 200-volt current.
Eyewitness shocked while attempting to rescue tourist electrocuted by dangerous lamppost in Phuket
Another eyewitness and bystander who tried to help was identified as Mr. Phiew. He related what happened to reporters.
“I saw that the man had fallen, but his leg was still touching the pole. When I tried to touch him, I was zapped myself,” he said. “I managed to remove his leg from the streetlight before calling an ambulance.”
Despite frantic efforts to give Mr. Kyaw CPR at the scene, he was unconscious by the time rescue services arrived. He was later declared dead at Thalang Hospital.
Mr. Kyaw had only just arrived back in Thailand the week before. Previously, he had spent six years apart from his partner in the United States. He was a resident of New York.
Faulty lamp post with severe electrical leakage raises concerns over infrastructure safety in Phuket
Following the accident, technicians with the Provincial Electricity Authority in Thalang, Phuket, examined the lamp post. It was found to be live with an electricity leakage of 220 volts. The technical team cut off power to the faulty installation to avoid further accidents.
The technical staff reported that the lamp post was subject to a dangerously high electricity leakage problem. However, the same officials pointed out that the lamp post was the responsibility of the Phuket Highway District Office.
61-year-old man died with his dog in a freak swimming pool electricity accident in Udon Thani
Thai man killed by smartphone and head sockets left connected to the mains while lying in bed after football
Undoubtedly, this tragic accident raises disturbing questions about infrastructure maintenance, particularly given that Phuket is a tourist hotspot.
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Further reading:
61-year-old man dead with his dog in a freak swimming pool electricity accident in Udon Thani
17-year-old Thai girl electrocuted by her smartphone in Chaiyaphum province last Friday
