Lightning horror at junior golf tournament. Ayawarin Pradabyat, 15, dies after a strike near the 11th hole. Family says play continued despite prior lightning and no ambulance was waiting. Rescuers revived her, but she died after her father returned.
A 15-year-old Thai golf star died after lightning struck her during a junior tournament in Chachoengsao on Sunday. Her family claims organisers ignored repeated lightning strikes and failed to suspend play. Ayawarin Pradabyat suffered horrific burns and cardiac arrest near the 11th hole. Rescuers revived her after nearly an hour, but she died on Monday. Meanwhile, her grandmother alleges no ambulance was stationed at the course. A female caddie was also injured. Her father rushed back from Burma for a final goodbye. Organisers have yet to explain why play continued.
A 15-year-old Thai girl died on Monday after lightning struck her during a junior golf tournament in Chachoengsao province. Her death has sparked a bitter controversy over why officials failed to halt play despite repeated lightning strikes.
Her family claims children continued competing as a violent thunderstorm approached the course on Sunday afternoon. Worse still, relatives allege no ambulance was stationed at the venue, delaying emergency treatment.
The promising young golfer suffered severe burns and cardiac arrest. Rescuers eventually restored her heartbeat after nearly an hour. However, she died the following morning, shortly after her father rushed back from Burma to say goodbye.
Teen golfer struck near the 11th hole as her mother says lightning warnings went ignored at course
Ayawarin Pradabyat, known as Nong Aya, was competing at a golf course in Bang Nam Priao district on Sunday, November 1. Lightning struck the teenager near the 11th hole at approximately 4 pm. A 31-year-old female caddie was also injured. At the time, Aya’s mother was waiting near the clubhouse, unaware that her daughter had been critically injured.
The competition was taking place along Ongkharak–Bang Nam Priao Road, in Moo 8, Don Ko Ka subdistrict. Young competitors and their caddies were scattered across different holes when the weather deteriorated.
Aya had already established herself as a successful junior golfer from Chonburi province. She had collected awards at several tournaments and represented her province in competitions. In addition, she was being considered as a reserve player for Chonburi’s provincial golf team.
Her mother, Natcha Pradabyat, 49, has accused tournament officials of failing to suspend play despite clear signs of danger. She said thunder and lightning were already occurring near the course while children continued their rounds. According to Natcha, the first lightning strike was heard at approximately 3 pm. It appeared to come from the left side of the course, near pine trees beside the competition area.
Officials halt junior tournament only after further lightning as mother discovers her daughter is missing
More lightning followed as the weather worsened. Yet officials had not announced a suspension, leaving the young golfers competing outdoors. Rain began falling, but play continued. Natcha said another particularly loud lightning strike was then heard from the opposite side of the course.
Soon afterwards, heavy rain swept across the venue. Only then, according to her account, did officials announce the suspension of the tournament.
Vehicles were dispatched to collect competitors and return them to the designated rest area. However, Aya was already missing from her playing group. Her mother became concerned when two golfers who had been competing alongside her daughter returned without her. Natcha immediately asked where Aya was. The other children reportedly told her that she was sleeping.
Initially, Natcha assumed her daughter had reached a shelter or was resting elsewhere at the course. Moments later, somebody informed her that a young golfer had been struck by lightning. She demanded to know who had been injured. The answer was devastating. The victim was her daughter. Natcha immediately sought help from tournament officials to reach the scene.
Rescuers restore teenager’s heartbeat after nearly an hour but she dies following overnight treatment
When she arrived, people were already attempting emergency first aid. Aya was critically injured, with severe redness and burns across her face and body. Her mother said the teenager was suffering convulsions before losing consciousness again.
Meanwhile, rescuers struggled to restore her heartbeat after the lightning strike caused cardiac arrest. According to Natcha, nearly an hour passed before emergency workers managed to revive her.
The teenager was subsequently transported to Bang Nam Priao Hospital. Doctors assessed her condition as critical and began emergency treatment. Despite the successful initial resuscitation, Aya remained in a life-threatening condition throughout Sunday night. Medical personnel repeatedly attempted to revive her as her condition deteriorated.
Furthermore, she required medication to maintain vital functions while doctors continued treatment. Her injuries remained severe, and her condition showed no sustained improvement.
Meanwhile, Aya’s father was working in Burma when the accident occurred. The family contacted him and arranged his urgent return to Thailand. He reached the hospital on Monday morning and was finally able to see his daughter. Shortly afterwards, the teenager died. Her family subsequently confirmed her death through the Facebook account Icezy Aya Ivy Pradabyat.
Father returns from Burma for final goodbye as family challenges tournament’s response to the storm
Her mother published a message describing the family’s decision to let her daughter go. “No parent would ever willingly let their child go. But if holding on means causing more pain to our beloved daughter, we have to let her go peacefully,” she wrote. “You fought so hard, my beloved Aya. Rest in peace, my darling.”
The family collected Aya’s body from Phutthasothon Hospital in Chachoengsao on Monday afternoon. Religious ceremonies were subsequently arranged at Darul Ibadah Mosque in Chonburi province.
By then, the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death had raised serious questions about the tournament’s management. Particular attention centred on the failure to halt play and the reported absence of emergency transport.
Aya’s grandmother, Aphorn Pradabyat, 67, delivered another account of the conditions before the fatal strike. She claimed lightning had already struck twice before her granddaughter was injured. Nevertheless, tournament officials had not ordered the competitors to stop playing. According to Aphorn, Aya had been competing since approximately 11 am. She was playing alongside several other golfers and caddies when the thunderstorm developed.
Grandmother claims two lightning strikes preceded fatal blow and questions absence of an ambulance
The grandmother said the first two lightning strikes occurred during the afternoon. Despite these warnings, the competition continued without an official suspension. Aphorn questioned whether organisers had been attempting to finish the tournament quickly. However, she acknowledged that she did not know why play had continued. The third lightning strike occurred while Aya was near the 11th hole, leaving her critically injured.
The impact caused extensive burns along the teenager’s right side. Aphorn described injuries extending from Aya’s hair down her body, arms and legs. Her golf cap was also torn during the incident. The teenager was left unconscious and without a detectable heartbeat.
Emergency workers subsequently performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until her heartbeat returned. Nevertheless, her condition remained critical throughout the night.
The grandmother also raised a separate allegation concerning the emergency response. She claimed no ambulance was stationed at the golf course when Aya was struck. As a result, the family faced a considerable wait before the injured teenager could be transported to hospital. Aphorn questioned why immediate emergency transport had not been available during a competition involving young golfers.
Family’s claims over delayed emergency transport and late suspension remain unanswered by organisers
The precise duration of that delay has not been established. Equally, the family’s account of the ambulance arrangements has not been independently verified. However, the allegation has intensified questions surrounding the organisation of Sunday’s competition. It has also drawn attention to the emergency resources available when the lightning strike occurred.
At the centre of the controversy is the timing of the decision to suspend play. Natcha maintains that thunder and lightning were already occurring near the course before officials acted. Her grandmother separately claims two strikes preceded the one that injured Aya. Both accounts place the fatal incident after earlier signs of the approaching storm.
However, the precise timing of each lightning strike has not been independently established. Nor has the official sequence of decisions leading to the suspension been confirmed. The available reports contain no detailed explanation from tournament organisers or golf course management. Consequently, the family’s allegations remain unanswered by those responsible for running the competition.
There is also no confirmed information about weather-monitoring equipment at the venue. It remains unclear whether officials had access to lightning detection systems or received warnings before the accident. Separately, the identity of the person responsible for ordering the suspension has not been established. No official explanation has been supplied concerning the timing of that decision.
Golf courses face particular lightning dangers as storms threaten players across exposed open ground
The incident has focused attention on established safety procedures governing outdoor sporting competitions during thunderstorms. Golf courses present particular difficulties because players are spread across extensive open areas.
Competitors may be hundreds of metres from permanent buildings when dangerous weather develops. In addition, trees, water features and exposed ground can increase the danger during electrical storms.
According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lightning can strike several kilometres from the main rain clouds. Heavy rain does not need to reach a location before lightning becomes dangerous. Indeed, thunder itself indicates that lightning may be close enough to present a threat. Electrical currents can also travel through the ground following a nearby strike.
As a result, people can suffer serious injuries without being directly struck by lightning. Electrical currents may spread through nearby objects or the surrounding ground. Large trees and open shelters do not necessarily provide protection. Similarly, standing beneath a tree during a thunderstorm can expose people to electrical currents travelling through its trunk or roots.
Weather authorities recommend early suspension, rapid evacuation and properly protected shelters
The United States National Weather Service recommends that outdoor sporting organisers appoint personnel to monitor changing weather conditions. Its guidance also covers procedures for suspending competitions and evacuating participants when lightning threatens.
Such arrangements involve clear communication between tournament officials, competitors and emergency personnel. For golf competitions, warnings must reach players scattered across multiple holes.
Evacuation arrangements are especially relevant when participants are far from permanent buildings. Fully enclosed vehicles with hard roofs can provide protection from lightning.
By contrast, ordinary golf carts and open-sided shelters do not offer equivalent protection. Weather safety guidance also recommends waiting at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming outdoor activities.
Emergency medical arrangements form another part of the dispute surrounding Sunday’s incident. The National Weather Service recommends that outdoor sporting venues establish emergency response procedures before competitions begin.
These include evacuation plans, communication systems and access to life-saving equipment. Automated external defibrillators can also be used alongside cardiopulmonary resuscitation when medically appropriate.
Emergency response guidance highlights CPR and defibrillators as caddie’s condition is unclear
Thailand’s emergency medical hotline, 1669, provides access to emergency assistance. Meanwhile, medical guidance from the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention addresses treatment following lightning strikes.
Victims do not retain an electrical charge after being struck. Therefore, rescuers can administer assistance without receiving an electrical shock from the victim, provided the surrounding area is safe.
Cardiac arrest is among the serious medical consequences of lightning exposure. Victims may require immediate CPR and defibrillation. In Aya’s case, rescuers performed resuscitation until her heartbeat returned. However, the teenager remained critically injured and required further emergency treatment. Her family said repeated attempts to revive her continued throughout Sunday night.
The second person injured was a 31-year-old female caddie. The supplied reports confirm her involvement but provide no further details about her subsequent condition. Likewise, there is no confirmed account of the medical personnel stationed at the course. The available information does not establish whether an operational defibrillator was present or whether emergency transport had been arranged beforehand.
Mother demands stronger safeguards as questions persist over suspension and ambulance arrangements
These gaps remain central to the family’s complaints. Natcha has questioned the failure to suspend play before the lightning strike. Her mother-in-law’s account raises further concerns about the availability of an ambulance. Yet the tournament committee has not provided a response in the available reporting addressing either allegation.
On Monday, Natcha called for golf courses and tournament organisers to introduce stronger safety procedures. She specifically requested preventive measures and arrangements allowing emergency personnel to respond quickly when competitors were injured. Her appeal followed the loss of a daughter who had already achieved success in junior golf.
“May Aya’s case be the first and last of its kind involving a junior golfer,” she wrote on Facebook. “I urge every golf course and tournament organiser to have proper measures in place to prevent such incidents and respond as quickly as possible when emergencies occur. No one should have to suffer a loss like this again.”
Aya had been competing since late morning when the storm approached on Sunday. By approximately 3 pm, according to her mother, lightning was already occurring near the course. Nevertheless, the competition continued. Around 4 pm, the teenager was struck near the 11th hole, suffering catastrophic injuries.
The family’s account indicates that officials announced the suspension only after further lightning and heavy rain. Vehicles were then sent to retrieve competitors. However, Aya’s playing partners returned without her, prompting her mother to search for the missing teenager. Only afterwards did Natcha learn that her daughter was the golfer struck by lightning.
Family recounts fatal strike and overnight fight for life while tournament organisers remain silent
The emergency response that followed restored Aya’s heartbeat after a prolonged period of cardiac arrest. She was transferred to hospital, where doctors continued treatment throughout the night. Meanwhile, her father travelled back from Burma after learning of the accident. He arrived on Monday morning and saw his daughter before she died.
The family’s allegations concern two separate decisions: the continuation of play and the arrangements for emergency treatment. Neither has been independently resolved in the supplied material. There is no established finding that tournament officials breached regulations or acted negligently. Equally, no detailed response from the organisers has been provided explaining their decisions.
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Middle-aged farm woman struck down by lightning and dies in Chanthaburi province, Southeast Thailand
The exact weather conditions, timing of the suspension and availability of emergency resources remain unconfirmed. Those details are central to establishing what happened before and after the fatal strike. For now, the family’s account stands as the principal description of the tournament’s final minutes.
Aya was 15, an award-winning junior golfer with ambitions to progress further in provincial competition. On Sunday, she was competing alongside other children when lightning struck the course.
By Monday morning, she was dead. Her family has accused officials of failing to stop play despite repeated lightning strikes. Meanwhile, the tournament organisers have yet to explain, in the available reporting, why the competition continued as the storm approached.
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