Chonsawat Asavahame, a key political figure in Samut Prakan province, was pronounced dead at the age of 54 on early Friday morning after driving in a practice car race in the northeastern province of Buri Ram.
Chonsawat reportedly passed out after participating in the race at Chang International Circuit in Buri Ram on Thursday afternoon and was rushed to Buri Ram Hospital.
Initially he was suspected of having suffered from heatstroke but was later diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Sunthorn Pansaengthong, a member of Chonsawat's political faction in Samut Prakan, said the politician was pronounced dead at Buri Ram Hospital at 1.15am on Friday and his body would arrive in Samut Prakan for funeral rites on Friday afternoon.
Chonsawat was the son of former deputy interior minister Vatana Asavahame. He was the chief of the Samut Prakan provincial administrative organisation and was married to popular singer Nantida Kaewbuasai, the current president of the Samut Prakan administrative organisation. In 2022, he became embroiled in a temple fund corruption scandal.
In 2016 he was hospitalised for a possible heart attack.
