Songkhla: An investigation is underway to find out who should be held responsible for the death of Narun Nattharom.
The university lecturer was electrocuted at his home in Hat Yai district while closing his front gate in waist-high floodwater.
Officials from the Provincial Electricity Authority's (PEA) Hat Yai branch scoured the scene and discovered a copper-exposed wire near the victim's gate. It is speculated it became worn by frequent contact with the gate.
The wire was found to have only one layer of protection, which is against safety regulations. Normally, electrical wires exposed to the air should have two layers of protection, while those with one layer should be housed within protective conduits.
Other houses that are part of the housing estate were also found to have similar substandard wiring. Consequently, the PEA has cut power in the estate until all faulty wiring is replaced and warned residents to avoid handling metal objects or electrical devices in standing water to minimise electrocution risks.
The PEA is responsible for denying power distribution to any housing estates that have substandard electrical wiring.
The housing estate's developer pledged to assist the victim's family and rectify the electrical installations to meet safety standards while local authorities and the PEA are collaborating to ensure compliance and prevent future incidents.
King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) electrical engineering lecturer Asst Prof Dusit Suksawat suggested the death occurred when the metal gate came into contact with the damaged wire, and the electric current likely passed through the victim's body into the water, causing immediate organ failure.
Narumon Mekborisut, deputy director of the Foundation for Consumers' rights protection unit, emphasised the need for accountability, stating that both the PEA and the housing estate developer might have to bear responsibility if negligence is proven.
Authorities are conducting further investigations.
