A Russian teenager died after being electrocuted while playing basketball at a Pattaya public sports center.
Alexey Sobolev, 19, died in hospital Dec. 15 after the accident at the Community Sports Field on Soi Sukhumvit Pattaya 15 Pattaya.
Phubodin Thongsua, 20, said many people were playing basketball and the ball got away, bounced off a steel fence and lamp post. While corralling the ball, Sobolev touched the post and was electrocuted, as it was badly wired.
Many of those playing at the field claimed that many light posts are broken and electrified. Everyone must be very careful playing there.
Ironically, Deputy Mayor Manote Nongyai said Dec. 16 that city workers had checked the field and its lights in early December and claimed everything was A-OK.
Pattaya netizens excoriated the city online, saying city hall knew about the leaking electricity and had placed tires in front of the poles to block them rather than fix them. Manote denied that, saying the tires were piled for athletes to use in strength training.
Manote said the city takes full responsibility for Sobolev’s death and will pay compensation. Meanwhile, the sports field has been closed as city workers were unable to find the source of the current leak.
Police were given responsibility in tracking down the source of the power surge, although they’re untrained to do so. The Provincial Electricity Authority undoubtedly will be called into investigate and remediate.
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