PRACHINBURI, THAILAND – A powerful summer storm in Kabin Buri district toppled 24 electricity poles, brought traffic on Suwannason Road to a standstill and triggered widespread power outages, with supply restored only late in the evening as clean-up continued.
Storm hit Kabin Buri in the evening
Local reporters stated on 18 April that the storm had already struck Kabin Buri district on the evening of 17 April. Strong winds caused significant damage to the power infrastructure.
In total, 24 poles fell: seven high-voltage steel structures rated at 115 kilovolts and 17 low-voltage concrete poles. The damage led to major disruption for residents and road users.
Damage near Khok-Hom junction on Highway 33
The incident occurred near the Khok-Hom junction on the inbound route toward Suan Nom Klao. The affected section was the old Suwannason Road (Highway 33) in the Muang Kao subdistrict.
Fallen poles blocked one traffic lane and simultaneously impaired the power distribution network. As a result, there were extensive blackouts across large parts of Prachinburi province.
20,000-volt high-voltage poles crashed onto the roadway
Bandit Panthum, head of the Kabin Buri office of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), said that high-voltage poles carrying 20,000 volts had collapsed. One inbound lane toward the town market was blocked.
Cranes were deployed to remove debris and carry out urgent repairs. The goal was to reduce disruption for the public as quickly as possible.
Authorities coordinated response on governor’s orders
Acting Sub Lt Thanongsak Suwannathami, head of the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office, said Governor Weeraphan Dee-on had ordered close cooperation among the relevant agencies. These included disaster prevention, the power authority, the highway department, Kabin Buri police and a rescue foundation.
Emergency teams closed off damaged sections and managed the grid so that supply could be stabilised step by step. The coordination was intended to support both repair work and road safety.
Power back from 8 p.m. as clearing operations continued
According to the authorities, power supply was restored at around 8 p.m. on 17 April. Before that, damaged parts of the network had been isolated and the system switched accordingly.
One traffic lane, however, remained closed late into the night so cranes and technicians could remove the fallen poles and equipment. Additional lighting units were used to support the night-time operations.
No injuries reported
So far, no injuries or fatalities were reported. Despite the considerable impact, damage was limited to property and infrastructure failures.
The incident illustrated how quickly summer storms in Thailand could disrupt traffic and utilities when lines and poles were hit. Main routes such as Highway 33 were particularly critical, as even one blocked lane could cause traffic jams.