Former Thai National Tennis Coach Found Dead in Pattaya
PATTAYA – Police in Chon Buri province have launched a full-scale homicide investigation following the tragic death of a prominent former national beach tennis player. Officers discovered the victim inside his locked bedroom on July 26, 2026, with severe injuries suggesting a violent struggle took place.
The deceased was identified as 64-year-old Nattawee Sukantharun, fondly known in sports circles as “Coach Nat.” Relatives alerted a local property caretaker after failing to reach him by phone, leading to the grim discovery inside his home located in the Nong Prue area of Bang Lamung district.
Key Takeaways
- Victim Identified: Former Thai national beach tennis player and veteran coach Nattawee “Coach Nat” Sukantharun, aged 64, was found dead in his Bang Lamung residence.
- Evidence of Foul Play: Investigators found deep knife wounds, severe neck bruising from strangulation, and a blood-stained 12-inch kitchen knife at the scene.
- Ongoing Investigation: Nong Prue police are questioning associates, examining fingerprint evidence, and reviewing local CCTV footage that captured suspicious activity outside the property.
When caretakers unlocked the bedroom with a spare key, they found Coach Nat lying dead on his bed beneath a blanket. Forensic officers from Chon Buri Region 2 Evidence Police quickly secured the crime scene to preserve critical physical evidence.
Initial medical inspections revealed deep slashes above both of the victim’s elbows, which severely cut major blood vessels. Investigators also identified heavy bruising on his throat consistent with manual strangulation, along with extensive bloodstains across the mattress.
According to reporting by Thairath, police recovered a foot-long sharp kitchen knife resting near the head of the bed. Authorities immediately sent the victim’s body to the Police General Hospital Forensic Institute for a detailed autopsy.
Police Forensic Technicians Check Fingerprints
Pol. Col. Nattapol Phongsuk-sakul, chief of Nong Prue Police Station, stated that initial evidence points toward a personal dispute. Family members shared that Coach Nat had recently expressed deep distress over ongoing arguments with former trainees.
The victim’s brother revealed that Coach Nat called him just two days before to discuss tensions with a former student. Despite receiving years of mentorship and personal care, the individual had recently shown aggressive behavior before separating from the sports academy.
Regular patrons of the tennis facility also recalled similar conversations where the coach vented about workplace friction. Friends confirmed that Coach Nat was a gentle, generous mentor, making suicide highly unlikely in their view.
Detectives have already brought several close associates and workers from the nearby sports club in for formal questioning. Police technicians are running fingerprint analyses on items found inside the room to identify anyone present during the incident.
Security cameras located near the residence captured valuable timeline evidence from the night of the crime. At 11:11 PM, footage showed Coach Nat driving his white electric vehicle past his entrance before parking safely in his garage.
Later that night at 12:38 AM, cameras recorded an unidentified man lingering directly across from the victim’s house. Shortly afterward, two motorcycles approached the suspect before he walked past the home, giving investigators crucial leads in identifying the perpetrator.
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