Sofwan Awae was 24 years old and had just signed for Yala FC, a third-division team in southern Thailand. On Tuesday, August 4, he was playing a Golok FA Cup match at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok, when lightning struck the pitch.
The impact was captured on video: the flash, the burst of light, and the players running toward where it had struck can be seen. His own teammates tried to revive him right there on the grass, while police were notified after 17:30.
Mohamad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli, a 22-year-old Malaysian footballer, was injured at the same moment along with other players who were taken to Sungai Golok Hospital. Awae did not survive despite the efforts of the emergency medical team, as confirmed by police chief Thun Sirikhunt.