Lightning Kills Teen Golfer After Officials Ignore Storm Warnings
A 15-year-old junior golfer, Eyawarin 'Eya' Pradap-nyat, was killed by a lightning strike during a tournament in Chachoengsao province. A fellow competitor's father alleges that officials were asked to suspend play due to lightning but dismissed the danger as 'just light rain' and allowed the tournament to continue. He demands accountability for the negligence that led to the teenager's death.
The parents of a junior golfer competing in the same tournament as "Nong Eya" Eyawarin posted a message recounting the day of the lightning strike, confirming they asked officials whether to stop play but received no order to halt. They insist someone must be held accountable.
From this heartbreaking event, Thai golf lost "Nong Eya" Eyawarin Pradap-nyat, a 15-year-old junior golfer, struck by lightning on a course in Don Ko Ka subdistrict, Bang Nam Priao district, Chachoengsao province.
Recently, Facebook user "Tonkla Sethawut Weerachumpol" — Watsurat Weerachumpol, father of a junior golfer also competing in that tournament — came forward to describe the incident. He confirmed he asked officials whether play should be suspended but no stop order was given. He emphasized this tragedy resulted from negligence in duty that must be corrected and someone must be held responsible.
His post stated: "There is only one truth, because my son and I were victims on the course. As a victim present at the scene, I recorded the event believing it would be useful. I take responsibility for every word. If we view this positively, we will develop the sport on a foundation of proper safety, which will be the greatest benefit for our beloved athletes — so they can play safely and happily in the game they love.
"I, Watsurat Weerachumpol, often called 'Tom', am the father of Sethawut Weerachumpol, nicknamed 'Ton Kla'. Ton Kla was playing on hole 14, on the green at approximately 15:43. I have a precise time because I was videoing him.
At that moment, dark clouds began moving into the area of hole 15. Light rain started falling, alternating between heavy and light. After finishing hole 14, Ton Kla teed off on hole 15. By then, thunder could be heard from a distance not far away, but it seemed still outside the course.
After Ton Kla teed off on hole 15, I walked about 30-40 meters ahead of him toward the green, where there is a shelter. Dark rain clouds covered overhead. The thunder overhead was so loud I asked nearby parents, 'Why haven't they blown the horn yet?'
I walked past one official, whom I greeted with a wai as usual, though I didn't know his name. I asked with concern, 'Teacher, the thunder is right overhead. Aren't you going to blow the horn?'
That official was busy with small talk on a radio, presumably coordinating with the tournament committee, then drove off.
According to Ton Kla, when he ran from the lightning into the shelter, he told me: 'I saw an official. I asked, "Should we keep playing, Teacher?"' It was the same official I had asked. The official replied, 'It's just light rain. Play as normal.'
Less than 10 seconds after the official's words, lightning struck next to Ton Kla, about 30 meters away at a tree beside the hole 15 fairway. The tree fell and showed burn marks. In the surrounding area, lightning struck in all directions — apparently the same bolt that hit Nong Eya.
After the violent lightning strikes across the course, all the children ran frantically into the hole 15 shelter. Their shocked chatter mixed with heavy rain and continuous thunder.
Then the unthinkable happened: a caddie said someone had been struck by lightning on the hole 11 fairway.
This would never have happened if safety protocols had been followed. The carelessness, the neglect, the failure to prioritize safety — until it led to this."
