PATTAYA, Thailand – The death of a former Thai beach tennis national player and respected Pattaya tennis coach has taken a more complicated turn after police uncovered signs of a possible struggle and questioned people close to the victim, while CCTV footage revealed a suspicious figure near his home before the discovery of his body. The victim, identified as Nattavee Sukkhantarun, 64, a former member of Thailand’s beach tennis national team, veteran tennis player and owner of Pattaya Sport International Club, was found dead inside his bedroom at his home in east Pattaya, on July 26.
Police initially discovered the body lying on the bed with a blanket covering him. A kitchen knife was found on a pillow nearby, while forensic officers collected evidence from the scene. Further investigation later revealed additional details. Nongprue Police Chief Pol. Col. Nattaphon Phongsuksakul said officers found signs of a struggle on the bed. Investigators also found injuries indicating possible strangulation and cuts to major blood vessels on the back of both arms above the elbows.
Police are investigating a possible personal conflict, as the victim had reportedly experienced problems with people close to him. Officers are gathering evidence and questioning individuals connected to the victim. One person being questioned is Somwan, 22, a Lao national, who had lived with the victim for around three years. He said he came to Pattaya to work and train in tennis and pickleball under Nattavee, eventually becoming able to coach others.
Somwan said that before the incident, he returned from a tennis competition and came back in the evening before resting. During the night, the victim called and asked him to open the gate near the tennis court because he planned to bring his electric vehicle inside to charge. However, the victim later changed his mind and decided to park the vehicle inside his own house.
The following morning, Somwan said the victim’s house appeared quiet and closed. After checking upstairs, he could not find him. Later in the afternoon, a close acquaintance entered the room and discovered the victim had died. Somwan added that he had previously lived with four other Lao nationals at the tennis facility. One of them later left following disagreements with the victim, reportedly after being criticized. He confirmed that all four remained in Thailand.
The victim’s elder brother, Thoranin Sukkhantarun, 81, said his younger brother had recently contacted him to discuss concerns about a former Lao tennis student. He said Nattavee had supported and taken care of the student for years, but later became uncomfortable with the person’s behavior, which he described as increasingly aggressive and difficult to manage. Thoranin said his brother had only recently shared these concerns with him, but he could not confirm whether the former student had any involvement in the death. He said police would need to investigate all possibilities. He added that Nattavee was a close friend of former world-ranked Thai tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan and was widely respected in Thailand’s tennis community as a coach who helped develop many players.
A tennis customer identified as Ms. “Eiw,” 46, who had become close with the victim through the sports club, said Nattavee had recently sent her messages expressing concerns about the behavior of a Lao employee whom he had supported and trained. She said the victim had helped the employee extensively and had even planned to take him to Europe, but later became disappointed after the person allegedly showed aggressive behavior and problems after leaving his employment. Ms. Eiw said she personally did not believe the victim would harm himself and suspected he may have been targeted, although police have not confirmed any conclusion.
Meanwhile, investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from inside the housing estate. Footage reportedly showed the victim’s white electric vehicle passing the entrance of the home at around 11:11 p.m., travelling toward the tennis court before returning and parking at his house. At around 12:38 a.m., CCTV captured an unidentified man standing and appearing to observe the area opposite the victim’s home. The footage also showed two motorcycles entering the housing estate near the man before he later walked past the victim’s house. Police are continuing to collect evidence and question people close to the victim as investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of the well-known Pattaya tennis figure.
