Thailand’s junior golf community is mourning Aeyavarin “Aeya” Pradubyart, 15, who died on 2 November 2026, a day after a lightning strike during a youth tournament in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok. The death was reported by The Nation and Thai PBS World and separately carried by the Thai News Agency. A 31-year-old female caddie was also seriously injured and remained under medical supervision, Thai PBS World reported on 3 November.
What has been confirmed
The incident occurred on 1 November during a junior competition at a course in Bang Nam Priao district. Reports place the strike near the 11th hole as thunderstorms affected the course. First responders performed CPR and the girl was taken to a local hospital before being transferred for further treatment. She died the following day. Published accounts vary over the precise time of the lightning strike; without an official chronology it would be misleading to assign an exact minute.
Family members told local reporters that thunder and lightning had been evident before play stopped. They have questioned how quickly the field was cleared and whether an ambulance was available at the venue. These remain the family’s allegations, not investigative findings. Thai PBS World reported on 3 November that the organising committee expressed condolences and said it was working with course management to establish the facts. The report also said a subsequent round scheduled for 7 November had been postponed indefinitely. No independent final investigation report has been published at the time of writing.
A young golfer’s record
Known as Aeya, Pradubyart had competed regularly in junior golf and had been selected as a reserve athlete for Chon Buri province. In March she won the girls’ Class B division at the opening Junior Asian Tour event of 2026 in a playoff. Her longtime coach publicly paid tribute to her commitment. Her sporting promise deserves to be remembered separately from the questions about the organisation of the tournament.
What golf’s lightning rule actually says
Under Rule 5.7a of the R&A and USGA Rules of Golf, a player may stop playing on their own when they reasonably believe lightning poses a danger, provided they report their decision to the Committee as soon as possible. When the Committee orders an immediate suspension, Rule 5.7b requires every player to stop at once and make no further stroke until authorised to resume. The Rules explain that the purpose is to clear the course quickly when danger is present.
Those provisions do not establish responsibility for what happened in Chachoengsao. They do, however, frame the questions every organiser needs to answer: how storm conditions are monitored, how suspension signals reach groups across a course, how people are moved to suitable shelter, and whether emergency assistance can arrive promptly. The answers in this case must come from evidence and the organisers’ investigation, rather than speculation.
Reporting and rules: Thai PBS World (3 November); The Nation Thailand (2 November); Thai News Agency (3 November); R&A Rules of Golf, Rule 5.7. The accompanying photograph is archival and does not depict the incident.
