Newly Elected Sub-District Councillor Shot Dead in Nakhon Ratchasima

NAKHON RATCHASIMA — On 18 February 2026, a newly elected sub-district councillor was found shot dead in Bua Yai district, with circumstances raising suspicions of potential election-related conflict. Sunet Phakdee, 69, a member of the Dan Chang Subdistrict Administrative Organisation council, was discovered beneath a village water tank with a single gunshot wound to his right temple. A legally owned .22-calibre pistol was found beside his body, and while initial findings showed no signs of struggle, his wife Samran Phakdee, 63, expressed doubts about the possibility of suicide, noting her husband had previously discussed election-related disputes. Police are currently investigating the death, awaiting autopsy results to determine the exact cause.