UTTARADIT – A man died after being electrocuted, bursting into flames, and then swept away by strong currents in the Nan River on Wednesday morning. He came into contact with a high-voltage cable hanging from a bridge in Pichai district, Uttaradit province.
The incident happened as he tried to secure a drifting fish raft to the bridge at Ban Dong village, Moo 3, in tambon Phaya Man. The raft had reportedly broken free in tambon Tha Mafueang and was racing downstream in fast water.
Video recorded the moment the raft passed under the bridge. It shows the man on board trying to fasten a rope to the structure. As the raft moved past, he touched a hanging high-voltage line. A powerful electric shock struck him, and sparks burst around his body.
The man fell into the river and vanished beneath the strong flow. People on the bridge watched in shock, unable to help.
Jakapan Chanthrathippayarak, chair of the Taluk Krathiam tambon administration in Phrom Phiram district of Phitsanulok, said officials in tambon Phichai had warned him that a raft was drifting towards his area.
Mr Jakapan, a rescue volunteer, drove to the bridge to assist. He filmed the incident as the raft arrived. “The raft was moving very fast. As soon as it passed under the bridge, the man tried to tie it but was suddenly electrocuted.
The man’s body fell into the river and disappeared,” he said. Rescue teams later retrieved the raft along the bank of the Nan River. Search teams are still looking for the man’s body.
Accidental electrocution deaths in Thailand have been reported in many areas. They stem from faulty wiring, electrical leaks during floods, and contact with live wires or poles. Cases include people shocked in floodwater, by fallen power lines, or by unsafe home systems.
Heavy rain and flooding raise the risk of shock. Water can carry current from downed lines and damaged equipment, turning streets and homes into hazards. Direct contact with live cables or unsafe poles, such as during a fall on a wet surface, can be fatal.
A 2009 report from the Thai Public Health Ministry estimated about 11,060 electric shocks each year, including lightning strikes, with around 548 deaths. Annual deaths rose from 493 in 2002 to 673 in 2006, which pointed to an upward trend at that time.
Recent national figures are scarce. Anecdotal reports from 2024 to 2025 suggest hundreds of incidents each year, with deaths likely in the low hundreds. Thailand’s population is about 70 million, and safety standards in cities have improved.
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On May 27 at 6:30 a.m., police received a call about three deaths from electrocution in a home carport in Samphao Lom subdistrict, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Officers, electric company staff, and a local rescue foundation arrived to investigate.
The garage, built with a steel frame, held two parked cars. Next to one of the cars, they found three people who had died. The victims were Ms. Kanokporn (surname withheld), a 75-year-old nun, Mr. Udomsak (surname withheld), 73, and Mr. Teera (surname withheld), 34.
Their bodies showed signs of burns, especially on the hands. A dog was also found dead, lying on top of the victims. Nearby, police noticed a rice cooker filled with rice for the dogs.
