BANGKOK, Thailand – A 47-year-old Cambodian rubber plantation worker and her puppy have died after lightning struck a rubber tree in Trat province, with the victim, identified as Hai So, resting in a hammock beneath the tree near Wat Khao Tapon in Tha Kum subdistrict, Muang Trat district, when the strike hit at about 2pm on 2 October.

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Police and rescue volunteers arrived after being alerted to the deaths. Hai So was found dead in the hammock with a burn mark on her left shoulder, while her young male black puppy lay dead beside her. Initial inquiries found the skies had turned overcast and a storm appeared to be closing in, though it was not raining when thunder was heard, followed by the lightning bolt that struck the tree. The current killed both instantly, according to the preliminary investigation.

Police and an on-duty doctor examined the scene before volunteers took Hai So’s body to hospital for further examination, and authorities contacted her employer and relatives to arrange the funeral. The case is a stark reminder that lightning can strike before rain starts or when a storm still seems distant. Anyone outdoors who hears thunder should avoid sheltering under isolated trees, especially in plantations and open rural areas, and instead move to a substantial building or a fully enclosed vehicle until the storm passes.

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Trat’s plantations, beaches and islands leave travellers and workers exposed during sudden storms, so those hiking, working outside or riding motorbikes should watch for darkening skies and seek proper shelter as soon as thunder begins.

-Thailand News (TN)