A respected Uttaradit council chief made a chilling final call asking his mayor to arrange his funeral before a gunshot blasted through the phone. Minutes later, the 49-year-old was found dead in his still-running car as police launched a mystery death probe.
A respected local council chief in Uttaradit, northern Thailand, made a chilling final call to his mayor on Thursday, apologising and asking him to arrange his funeral before a gunshot blasted through the phone line. Minutes later, the 49-year-old was found dead inside his still-running car near a municipal office, a handgun beside him and a shocked community demanding answers. With no known work disputes, political feuds or family troubles, police are now racing to unravel the mystery behind the sudden death of a popular local leader whose final words stunned a local community. They believe the root cause to be personal problems.
“Please arrange my funeral.” Those were the final words a respected local government chairman told his mayor moments before a gunshot thundered through a telephone call.
Seconds later, the line went dead.
The mayor immediately alerted municipal staff and sent them to the location. However, when they arrived, the chairman was already dead inside his car.
Chairman’s chilling final funeral request ended in silence moments before deadly gunshot call
The victim was identified as Mr. Wattana, 49, chairman of a sub-district municipal council in Uttaradit Province. Police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the shocking death, which unfolded on Thursday morning near a community market behind a municipal office.
According to the mayor, the call came at approximately 8.18am. It lasted barely a minute. During the conversation, Mr. Wattana first apologised. He then made a request that stunned the mayor.
“Please arrange my funeral.”
In response, the mayor tried to find out what was wrong. He urged the chairman to stay calm and asked where he was. Mr. Wattana replied that he was parked near the community market behind the sub-district municipal office.
Then came the gunshot.
The mayor said the blast rang clearly through the telephone. Afterwards, there was only silence. The call ended abruptly.
Mayor raced help to market after hearing a fatal gunshot echo through the phone during a brief call
Alarmed by what he had heard, the mayor immediately contacted municipal personnel. He directed them to the market area identified by the chairman. Yet by the time they arrived, there was nothing they could do.
At 9.15am, Police Lieutenant Traikun Khonchom of Mueang Uttaradit Police Station received a report of a fatal shooting inside a parked sedan. Police officers rushed to the scene without delay.
Joining the investigation were Pol. Maj. Gen. Suthep Praphakorn, commander of the Uttaradit Provincial Police, and Pol. Col. Kraisit Phrompatima, superintendent of Mueang Uttaradit Police Station. Forensic officers and a doctor from Uttaradit Central Hospital also attended.
At the scene, officers found a Toyota Corolla Altis with Bangkok registration plates. Notably, the engine was still running. Investigators also believed the air conditioning remained switched on. Meanwhile, the driver’s window was lowered by about five inches.
Police immediately established a security perimeter. As part of this, officers sealed off the area with tape and restricted access. Forensic teams then began documenting evidence around the vehicle.
Running engine and loaded handgun were discovered as police sealed off the shooting scene in Uttaradit
News of the incident spread rapidly through the nearby municipal office. Consequently, the mayor, deputy mayor and municipal employees rushed outside. Local residents soon followed. Before long, a crowd had gathered near the police cordon.
Inside the driver’s seat, investigators found the body of Mr. Wattana. He was wearing a green-collared shirt and blue athletic shorts. According to police, he was lying face up on the seat.
A gunshot wound was found on the right side of his head. The bullet exited through the opposite side before passing through the vehicle’s left-side window. Separately, investigators recovered a .38-calibre handgun from inside the car. The weapon was found between the chairman’s legs.
Photographs were taken from multiple angles. Evidence was carefully collected. Officers also began interviewing municipal officials and witnesses.
Mayor says respected chairman showed no warning signs before shocking final telephone call
During questioning, the mayor recounted the final conversation. He said he had no indication that anything was wrong before the call. On the contrary, the chairman had continued performing his duties normally.
“I was shocked by what had happened and immediately called the municipal service team,” the mayor said.
“They rushed to the scene, but it was too late.”
The mayor said he did not know what problem Mr. Wattana may have been facing. He added that the chairman remained committed to public service.
“Otherwise, he was performing his duties normally,” the mayor said.
“He was a dedicated person committed to developing the sub-district and solving community problems, which had become his hallmark.”
Dedicated council chairman earned respect through years of hard work and community service
Mr. Wattana was a familiar figure in local government. Previously, he served one term as a member of the sub-district municipal council. Later, fellow councillors elected him chairman during his second term.
According to colleagues, he earned that position through diligence and hard work. Moreover, officials described him as deeply involved in local development efforts.
At the same time, investigators have yet to identify a motive.
Police said there were no known work-related pressures affecting the chairman. Likewise, officials reported no disputes within the municipal council. Authorities said no significant municipal issues had emerged before the incident.
Grieving wife unable to assist investigators as police widen inquiries into chairman’s death
Following an inspection of the scene, Pol. Maj. Gen. Suthep addressed reporters. He described the victim as a hardworking and respected member of the community.
By contrast, investigators obtained little information from family members on Thursday.
Police attempted to interview the victim’s wife. However, she was unable to provide detailed information. Officers said she was overcome with grief and fainted several times after learning of her husband’s death.
On another front, detectives continued gathering information from relatives, colleagues and people close to the chairman. They are also reviewing evidence collected from the vehicle and the surrounding area.
Police pursue a personal motive as autopsy ordered and an investigation into the death continues
According to Pol. Maj. Gen. Suthep, preliminary information points towards a personal matter. So far, investigators have found no immediate evidence linking the death to business interests.
Similarly, police have found no indication of a political motive. People close to the chairman also reported no known family problems.
Nevertheless, investigators stressed that the inquiry remains active. No final conclusions have been reached.
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Meanwhile, the body was transferred to Uttaradit Hospital for a detailed autopsy. The examination is expected to provide additional findings.
For now, investigators remain focused on the final moments of a respected local official. They are trying to understand how a routine morning turned into tragedy.
The last known conversation began with an apology. It continued with a request for funeral arrangements. It ended with a gunshot that echoed through a telephone line and stunned a tightly knit local community.
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