It is understood that Paiboon – President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (OrBorJor or PPAO) – had been suffering of cancer for some time.
He was pronounced dead by doctors at 1.09am this morning (August 2).
Prior to taking the reigns of the PPAO, Mr Paiboon was a Senator of the kingdom's only island province.
Several weeks ago, Mr Upasating was suspended from his post without pay by the kingdom's prime minister pending investigations into corruption (story here).
As head of the OrBorJor, Mr Paiboon was responsible for securing funding for various civic, sports, health and educational projects and programmes that the central government did not fund directly.
It is noted that Mr Paiboon was a prime supporter of Phuket FC (also previously known as FC Phuket), backing them during their rise to national glory in their promotion campaign to the Thai Division One in 2010.
A prominent figure head in Phuket's Christian community, he helped fund many schools and the building of the Phuket OrBorJor Hospital and was a proponent of building a subway in Phuket to solve traffic problems in light of high land prices.
He was head of the company that had exclusive distribution rights in Phuket for Singha and Leo beverage products, among others.
Read more from his recent exclusive interview with The Phuket News.
Mr Paiboon's surprise death during a high-level corruption investigation echoes that of former Patong Mayor, Pian Keesin, who perished last year amid a Patong corruption purge.
The Phuket News would like to extend our condolences to the Upatising family, as well as government and business associates of the former Phuket Senator, all of whom are at a great loss today.