Police were called to the street, behind the Phuket Tennis Courts near Phuket Provincial Hall, at 3am, after a local resident reported finding the body.
At the scene police found the body of 60-year-old Suphab Meesan under a tree beside a power pole. He had suffered severe head injuries believed to have been inflicted in an attack, and a broken left hand.
His motorbike was on its side with both of Mr Suphab’s feet pinned underneath and his motorbike helmet was on the ground.
According to his government ID card, Mr Suphab was registered as living in Kathu, but the local resident who reported finding his body confirmed that he lived in the area near the tennis courts.
Also found on his body was an ID card confirming that Mr Suphab worked at Phuket Wittayalai School, where some news sources reported that he worked as a cleaner.
In his pockets police also found B40 cash, some tobacco and a nasal inhaler.
Somehow, in the dark some 20 metres away discarded under a bench beside the tennis courts officers found a stick that was about one meter long with the sharp tip covered with traces of blood.
The stick was taken as evidence and to be tested for fingerprints, officers noted.
After officers had conducted their initial investigation of the scene, rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation transported Mr Suphab’s body to Vachira Phuket Hospital for post-mortem examination.
The local resident who reported finding Mr Suphab’s body told police that she and her husband were shocked by the gruesome discovery.
Mr Suphab lived near their house. He was quiet and kept to himself, but liked to drink alcohol, she said.
It was not known whether Mr Suphab was involved in any conflict with anyone, she added.
The woman said that did not not hear any loud noises before finding Mr Suphab’s body. She was out walking when she saw him lying beside the road, she said.
Police have yet to report what the woman was doing to be out walking along the dark street at 3am.
Inspectors, led by Capt Surachat Thongyai of the Phuket City Police, said they were to CCTV from around the area and question friends and relatives of Mr Suphab to track down the perpetrators and bring them to face legal action as quickly as possible.