A football match in southern Thailand ended in tragedy after a player was killed and 12 others injured when lightning struck the pitch [Visegrád 24, X]
A football match in southern Thailand ended in tragedy after a player was killed and 12 others injured when lightning struck the pitch during a local tournament on Tuesday.
Twenty-four-year-old winger Sofwan Awae succumbed to his injuries after being hit by a powerful lightning bolt during a Golok FA Cup fixture at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok.
The terrifying incident unfolded midway through the match between amateur sides SAMCOLTS and Abu x Nong Sirin, with dramatic footage circulating on social media showing a lightning flash hitting the playing surface before players collapsed to the ground.
Awae's teammates immediately rushed to his aid, turning him onto his back and attempting to revive him as panic spread across the stadium. Emergency responders later rushed him to hospital, but he could not be saved.
?? Horrifying moment from Thailand when a freak lightning strike kills a football player and injures 12 others during a match pic.twitter.com/lAwYJxhtUo
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 5, 2026