Did an ailing woman die because her electricity was cut off over pending dues?
Grand daughter forgives employee and hopes lessons will be learned
The granddaughter of a bedridden patient who had her electricity cut off on Tuesday (October 1) and later passed away, said she had forgiven the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), hoping that this incident would serve as a lesson.
Police have said they were willing to look into the case.
The incident involved an employee of a private electricity company, contracted by the PEA in Wang Yang district of Nakhon Phanom province. The employee cut off the electricity supply to 68-year-old Mrs. Kian, a bedridden patient who required an oxygen machine and an air mattress 24/7, due to unpaid electricity bills.
The power cut lasted for around two hours, and during that period Kian's condition deteriorated, leading to her death the same night.
The PEA absolved itself of responsibility, saying Kian's death did not meet the criteria for compensation as it had not occurred immediately after the power cut. The family of the deceased remains convinced that the death had been caused by the suspension of electricity supply.
On Friday, the police said they were willing to assist in taking the case up as a criminal matter if the family wished to pursue legal action. However, the process must be followed, and a key step in the investigation involves sending the deceased's body for an autopsy to confirm the cause of death, ensuring fairness to both parties.
Miew, the deceased’s 44-year-old granddaughter, believes that the power cut had caused her grandmother's death. She is particularly troubled by the actions of the employee who cut off the power, despite family members informing him that a bedridden patient was at home. The response reportedly was that he was simply doing his duty, but after the incident, the same employee claimed he was unaware about the bedridden patient.
She said that she was not seeking compensation and had forgiven the PEA staff, wishing instead that the incident serve as a lesson for the electricity authority. She believes her grandmother's death will benefit society, and the care and support provided will depend on the organisation's sense of responsibility and common sense.
