Villagers Light Candles Along Dark Road After Street Lights Fail
Villagers in Phatthalung have lit candles and oil torches along a dark tourist road after newly installed streetlights worked only two days before being switched off, citing safety fears for residents and tourists. They protested the Rural Highway Department's failure to keep the lights on, saying they were left in darkness for nearly a year. The community collected Buddhist Lent candles from local temples and placed them along almost a kilometre of roadside.
Villagers flocked to the temple to request Buddhist Lent candles from the abbot, setting them up along the road with oil torches to light the dark stretch after the Rural Highway Department installed streetlights that only worked for two days, raising safety concerns at night. On October 18, 2026, reporters said residents of Ban Tao Pu, Moo 7, Tambon Lumpha, Amphoe Mueang, Phatthalung Province, living along the road beside Songkhla Lake from Ban Lumpha to Ban Pak Pra, dozens brought candles obtained from various temples in motorcycle sidecars and lit them along the roadside, along with oil torches made from rubber tree sap to increase illumination over nearly a kilometre. They protested the Rural Highway Department for constructing roadside lights but not turning them on for public use. Village assistant Wuttichai said villagers were happy that the Phatthalung Rural Highway Department installed streetlights to improve lighting, but after completion nearly a year ago, the lights were only on for two days before being shut off long-term, leaving roadside residents in darkness. The route is a tourist road, and in the early morning before dawn villagers exercise there, but lack of lighting makes them fearful. Previously, there was electricity from the Lumpha Subdistrict Administrative Organization installed along the road, but when the Rural Highway Department installed its lights, the SAO moved its lights to side alleys. With the villagers' delight thinking they would get better roadside lighting, ultimately it only shone for two days then went out completely. They protested to request the lights be turned on, but received no response. Today villagers gathered to request Buddhist Lent candles and set up oil torches to increase lighting as a protest against the Rural Highway Department office.
