Severe Storm Strikes Chainat, Killing One Woman Struck by Falling Power Pole While Riding Motorcycle Home

A severe storm struck Chainat province at 8:45 p.m. on May 4, 2025, when Deputy Investigation Officer Lt. Col. Pisit Bunmee of Muang Chainat Police Station received a report of a woman killed by a falling electrical pole on Phahon Yothin Road in Village 3, Sua Hok Subdistrict, Muang District, Chainat Province. Officers responded with emergency medical personnel from Chainat Narenthorn Hospital and volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.

At the scene, over 30 electrical poles were found collapsed across more than one kilometer, blocking the incoming lane to the city and causing widespread power outages. The body of Ms. Thaworn (surname withheld), 74 years old from Sua Hok Subdistrict, was discovered pinned under a fallen pole against her motorcycle, surrounded by grieving family members.

Initial investigation revealed that before the accident, the victim had ridden her motorcycle to deliver rice to her sister in Tak Li District, Nakhon Sawan Province, located in a border region. On her return journey, a violent summer storm with strong gusts and lightning struck the area. Electrical poles near the Baan Mee intersection began collapsing in rapid succession like dominoes at the exact moment the victim was riding home. She was struck by the falling poles just 2-3 kilometers from her house.

The victim's son, tearfully recounting the events, revealed that he had called his mother during the storm to warn her not to go out, as the wind had already blown away part of their roof. However, because his mother cared deeply for her sister and was concerned about her, she insisted on delivering the rice as she always did. When the storm intensified and his mother did not return, he went out searching and found her deceased beneath the fallen power pole. Authorities released the body to family members for religious rites and coordinated with relevant agencies to clear the area and restore traffic flow.