A ten-year-old girl was found dead after being electrocuted by a hair dryer believed to be of substandard quality, which her mother had purchased online several years ago.
The incident occurred at a house in Ban Tako village, Nong Teng subdistrict of Krasang district, on Friday evening. The girl’s grandmother broke down in tears upon discovering her granddaughter lying motionless on her back, mouth agape, with a hair dryer still clutched in her right hand and plugged into a power socket.
Rescue workers arrived after relatives called for help, but the child was already unresponsive. Preliminary examination revealed burn marks on her right hand, suggesting electrocution as the cause of death.
The grandmother said she had just returned home to Buri Ram from Bangkok, where she works as a street vendor, and had planned to take her granddaughter to stay with her during the school holidays. On the day of the incident, she was sitting outside the house when another grandchild ran to tell her that the victim was ‘playing with the plug socket’.
When she entered the room, she found the girl collapsed on the floor with the hair dryer still connected to the power outlet. She immediately unplugged the device, but it was too late.
According to the child’s mother, the hair dryer had been purchased online around two to three years ago but was rarely used and kept in a cupboard. It is believed the girl may have retrieved it herself after taking a shower, intending to dry her hair before the fatal accident occurred.
It was unclear, whether the device was poorly manufactured or malfunctioned due to long-term disuse. The family expressed deep regret, urging others to be cautious about using uncertified electrical appliances purchased online.