A member of Dan Chang Subdistrict Administrative Organization was found dead under mysterious circumstances at the edge of a village, with a firearm found nearby. His wife does not believe he took his own life. Police have investigated and confirmed it is not a murder case, suspecting stress from complaints related to local elections.
At 3:00 p.m. on 18 Feb 2026 GMT+7, investigators at Bua Yai Police Station received a report of a shooting death in a rice field at the back of Non Thong Village, Moo 3, Dan Chang Subdistrict, Bua Yai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. They coordinated with the Bua Yai Police investigation team, Huk 31 rescue unit at Bua Yai, the on-duty doctor, and forensic police from Division 3 to examine the scene.
At the scene, a green Isuzu pickup truck with Chaiyaphum Province plates was parked under a village water tank. About 10 meters away lay the body of Mr. Sunet Pakdee, 69, a Dan Chang SAO member, face-up in a pool of blood. He wore a blue-and-white collared shirt, cream-colored jacket, and navy slacks. A .38 caliber pistol was found near his left waist. Initial examination found a gunshot wound to the right temple and blood coming from his mouth.
Mr. Thanakorn Pliannok, 27, a neighbor, said he saw the deceased drive out of the village that morning but did not know where he went. Later, he heard the news of the death.
Mrs. Samran Pakdee, 63, the deceased’s wife, said that around 10 a.m., villagers heard three gunshots, but the body was only discovered around 3 p.m., when someone informed her. She insisted there were no family problems and does not believe her husband took his own life. Previously, he told her he had only one issue: a complaint regarding the recent SAO election on 11 Feb, involving allegations to the Election Commission about mismanagement of village fund money.
Police Colonel Suranat Sakolwat, Superintendent of Bua Yai Police Station, said initial findings showed a gunshot wound to the head, and a pistol was found beside the body. There were no signs of a struggle. Whether it was a murder or not requires further forensic examination.
On 19 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Police Colonel Suranat Sakolwat gave a telephone interview updating the investigation. Forensic police from Division 3 collected evidence, photographed the scene, analyzed bullet trajectories, and tested for gunpowder residue. Their findings clearly indicated suicide. The wound was caused by a .38 caliber handgun shot to the right temple. A .38 caliber bullet casing was found near the body, alongside the deceased’s registered handgun on his left side, with gunpowder residue on his hand. The revolver held six bullets, five remaining and one fired.
Regarding villagers’ claim of hearing three shots, investigation showed only one bullet was fired from this pistol. The remaining five bullets stayed in the cylinder. The head wound corresponded to the fired bullet found near the body. The vehicle was parked adjacent, on the deceased’s own farmland. No signs of a struggle were found around the scene. A note written by the deceased was also discovered, expressing resentment toward those who filed complaints against him, accusing them of scheming to ruin his reputation and disqualify him, and cursing them. After forensic evidence and seeing the note, the family began to accept it was not a homicide.
Authorities believe the motive was stress caused by complaints about alleged election law violations, which are still under investigation. Investigators will summon both the complainants and the SAO chief to provide statements about the disputes that might have motivated the suicide. The family is also scheduled to provide further statements to clarify any remaining concerns. All evidence and witness testimonies will be compiled to confirm that the death was self-inflicted, not murder. Police Major General Narongsak Promtha, Commander of Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Police, will personally visit Bua Yai Police Station today to review the investigation results.