District Official Takes His Own Life With Shotgun in Car Park

Picture courtesy of Workpoint.

A senior district official was found dead in the car park of his former workplace early morning in an apparent suicide, after what appears to have been a carefully prepared and deeply personal final act.

The body of the 53-year-old deputy district officer (ปลัดอำเภอ) was discovered at approximately 07:00 on 1 September, behind the district office in Wan Yai, Mukdahan province. The discovery was made by a local village defence volunteer who alerted the Wan Yai Police Station.

Police arriving at the scene reported a grim discovery. The man was found seated in a chair, next to his car, with a severe head wound. Fragments of skull and brain matter were scattered across the area. A long-barrelled shotgun was found between his legs, its muzzle pointed towards his chin.

A witness reported hearing a single loud noise around midnight, which they mistook for a firework or a boiler exploding. It was not until the following morning that they investigated and recognised the car as belonging to the deputy district officer. Upon approaching, they discovered the body and immediately contacted the police.

Initial investigations by officers who searched the deceased’s living quarters revealed three handwritten letters. The letters, described as final instructions and messages of farewell, were addressed to loved ones. While the family has declined to make the contents public, they provided some context to investigators.

They revealed that the official had been under significant personal stress. He had been transferred from his home district approximately five months prior and would return to his family home on weekends. It was at his former office in his home district where he ultimately took his own life.

Police have stated they are not treating the death as suspicious and an investigation is ongoing to fully understand the circumstances that led to this incident.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Workpoint 2025-09-02