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Wednesday, Aug 05, 2026
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Lightning Strike Kills Yala FC Player During Match in Southern Thailand
Safwan Awae, 24, died after lightning struck the pitch during the Golok FA Cup in Narathiwat; 12 other players, including a Malaysian, were injured.
A lightning strike killed Yala FC player Safwan Awae during a football match in southern Thailand, injuring 12 other players and forcing the abandonment of a regional cup fixture in Narathiwat province.
Awae, 24, was struck when lightning hit the pitch at Santiphap Stadium in Su-ngai Kolok on 4 August.
The Golok FA Cup match was being played amid heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms when a sudden bolt sent a flash across the field.
The player, whose name was initially reported in some accounts as Suphan Awae, was Safwan Awae.
He received emergency treatment at the stadium and was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Police said 12 others were injured, including Malaysian player Mohamad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, 22. Players suffered burns and other effects of the electrical discharge, and several required hospital monitoring.
Local reports varied over the number of people who remained in hospital after the incident.
The match was a Golok FA Cup semi-final, not a friendly.
The tournament features local teams from Thailand’s southern border provinces and teams from Malaysia.
Awae had recently signed for Yala FC, a Thai League 3 club, after previously playing for Pattani FC.
Yala FC expressed condolences to his family, describing him as a new player of the club.
The death has renewed concern about suspending outdoor sporting events when thunderstorms are active, particularly during Thailand’s rainy season.
Awae, 24, was struck when lightning hit the pitch at Santiphap Stadium in Su-ngai Kolok on 4 August.
The Golok FA Cup match was being played amid heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms when a sudden bolt sent a flash across the field.
The player, whose name was initially reported in some accounts as Suphan Awae, was Safwan Awae.
He received emergency treatment at the stadium and was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Police said 12 others were injured, including Malaysian player Mohamad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, 22. Players suffered burns and other effects of the electrical discharge, and several required hospital monitoring.
Local reports varied over the number of people who remained in hospital after the incident.
The match was a Golok FA Cup semi-final, not a friendly.
The tournament features local teams from Thailand’s southern border provinces and teams from Malaysia.
Awae had recently signed for Yala FC, a Thai League 3 club, after previously playing for Pattani FC.
Yala FC expressed condolences to his family, describing him as a new player of the club.
The death has renewed concern about suspending outdoor sporting events when thunderstorms are active, particularly during Thailand’s rainy season.
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