Thai tennis star 'stabbed to death in luxury bed' as police probe suspected murder

A Thai tennis star was allegedly stabbed to death in a luxury bed, with police now hunting his suspected killer.

Nattavee Sukantarun, 64, failed to answer phone calls before he was found dead in his home in Pattaya, Thailand, on July 26.

Worried relatives notified the property caretaker after Nattavee became unreachable by phone. The man used a spare key to enter before making the grim discovery and alerting the cops.

Nong Prue Police Station officers arrived at the scene at around 3 pm local time, where they found the former athlete lying face up on a fancy double bed, covered with a bloody blanket.

He had blood on his body and a deep wound to his left elbow. A 12-inch-long kitchen knife measuring about one foot (30.5cm) long was found near the ornate upholstered headboard.

The detached home had a private sports club and tennis court nearby.

Nattavee's brother, Thoranin Sukantarun, 81, said the alleged victim called him two days earlier over concerns involving his tennis protege from Laos.

He said the pair had fallen out after the student 'became aggressive and refused to listen' despite Nattavee spending years mentoring him.

Police said they were tracing the Lao man for questioning.

Police Major General Chokchai Ngamwong, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 2, said: 'The case has made significant progress, but because the incident only occurred on the night of July 25, we cannot yet disclose full details to avoid compromising the investigation.

‘We have been continuously gathering evidence, including interviewing witnesses, examining the scene and collecting forensic evidence, which has enabled us to identify a group of individuals who require further investigation.

‘However, those brought in for questioning currently remain in the status of witnesses.

‘We are screening the information and ruling out uninvolved individuals one by one to ensure the investigation is as thorough and watertight as possible.

‘Regarding arrest warrants, we are still gathering evidence to confirm the identity of the perpetrator, so no warrants have been issued at this stage.

‘We have established several possible motives, including personal conflict, robbery and personal issues.

‘We are working urgently to solve the case and bring the offender to justice.'

Officials said CCTV footage captured a suspicious man inside the housing estate at around 12:38 am on July 26.

The man, who was wearing a brown hooded top with the hood pulled over his head, was allegedly lurking near Nattavee's house, sparking alarm among nearby residents.

An 18-year-old resident who rode past the man on a motorcycle said the man was standing near the street and kept trying to hide his face.

She added: 'I did not know what to do so I just screamed at him. I did not get a good look at him because I was scared.'

Nattavee was reportedly a member of the LGBTQ community. Authorities believe the alleged killing was carried out by someone close to him over a personal dispute.

Nattavee's sister, who travelled from Phuket after learning of his death, said she was shocked as her younger brother was a 'good person always willing to help others'.

She said: 'Before this happened, my brother told me he was under a lot of stress because one of the tennis players he coached had been treating him badly. He felt he wasn't being respected or given the credit he deserved, and it was really taking a toll on him.

'He had planned for all four of us siblings to get together this week, but we never got the chance. I'm heartbroken. I don't know who could have done this to him, but I don't want to speculate because my brother was always kind to everyone.'

In a tribute, the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand Under His Majesty's Patronage expressed sorrow over Nattavee's sudden passing.

The group said: ‘The Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand Under His Majesty's Patronage expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of Nattavee Sukantarun, a former member of Thailand's national beach tennis team.

‘We are grateful for his contributions while representing the nation and extend our heartfelt sympathies to the Sukantarun family during this difficult time.

‘Nattavee also represented Thailand at the ITF Beach Tennis World Team Championship 2017 in Moscow, Russia, where the national team finished 18th in the world.'