KHON KAEN, THAILAND – A 40-year-old public prosecutor was found dead in his car near the entrance of a school in northeastern Thailand, with police investigating possible links to work-related stress and mental health.
Body found in parked car near school
According to Ban Ped Police Station, an emergency call was received at around 6:30 p.m. on 23 January 2026 reporting an unresponsive man in a parked vehicle on the roadside in Ban Wa subdistrict, Mueang district. Officers cordoned off the area near a school entrance and coordinated the response with medical staff, Region 4 forensic police and local rescue teams. At the scene, investigators found a white electric sedan with Khon Kaen licence plates and the body of a man, estimated to be about 40 years old, in the driver’s seat.
Neck injuries and knife inside vehicle
Police stated that the man had visible injuries to his neck, and a knife was found inside the car. No other individuals were present at the location when officers arrived, and a handwritten note with phone numbers of family members was discovered in the vehicle. The deceased was later identified as a prosecutor responsible for cases involving the protection of human rights.
Timeline before the death
Initial findings indicated that the man had worked as usual at the Office of the Public Prosecutor on the day of the incident and left his workplace at around 3:30 p.m. He then drove home before leaving again in the car, while his mobile phone remained in the residence, according to police. When he did not return and could not be reached, his wife used a vehicle tracking app linked to the car, which located it near their child’s school entrance, prompting her to alert the authorities.
Reports of depression and heavy workload
Family members told investigators that the prosecutor had previously spoken about work-related stress and had suffered from depression. Police said there were no immediate signs at the scene that another person had been involved in the incident.
“At present, there are no indications that other persons were directly involved in what happened.”
said investigators from Ban Ped Police Station, as quoted by local media.
Autopsy and forensic analysis underway
The body was transferred to a medical facility for a full autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. In parallel, investigators reviewed footage from surrounding surveillance cameras and collected forensic evidence in and around the vehicle.
“Further information will be released once the forensic results are available.”
said the investigators, according to a report by the newspaper Khaosod. The outcomes of the autopsy and data analysis were expected to be crucial for how the case would ultimately be classified.