BURIRAM, Thailand – A heartbreaking tragedy occurred at a school in Non Suwan District, Buriram, when a five-year-old boy was electrocuted while playing on a swing in the school’s outdoor playground.
Relatives of the child, named Model, a kindergarten 2 student, brought his body to their home in Ban Fai Yai Village for funeral rites. The family expressed deep sorrow and frustration, saying the school had been warned several times about the electrical hazard but never fixed it.
Mr. Kamphan, 60, the boy’s grandfather, said he had been caring for his grandson while the parents worked in another province. He explained with tears that the child was simply playing in the designated area. “I can’t accept this. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, just playing like any other child,” he said.
The boy’s aunt, Mrs. Thassaneeya, said she rushed to the school after receiving the news. “When I arrived, he was lying motionless against the swing frame. They performed CPR and took him to Non Suwan Hospital, but he had no pulse,” she said.
She added that others had been shocked at the same spot before and that complaints were made to the school director. “Nothing was ever repaired. Now my nephew is gone. He had just started the new term two days ago,” she said.
The school director stated that the school would help by claiming the accident insurance coverage for the family. When questioned about the alleged prior warnings, the director replied briefly, “No one ever informed us,” before leaving the scene.
Authorities are now investigating whether faulty wiring or poor maintenance of the playground equipment caused the tragedy. (TNA)
