The body of a former governor of several provinces was found in an irrigation canal in Photharam Municipality area of Ratchaburi province on Wednesday morning, police said.
After police and rescuers pulled the body from the water the dead man was identified as Supakij Boonyarithipong, 65. He was wearing sports shorts, a T-shirt and running shoes. There were injuries on his forehead and scratches on his knees and elbows.
The dead man's wife, Parinda, 60, told the police her husband went jogging every morning. He usually left home about 5am, jogged along the track beside the irrigation canal and returned home late in the morning.
She said her husband was healthy and made a blood donation only last week.
It was initially suspected the former governor fell, knocked his head on the canal-side barrier, then tumbled into the water and drowned.
The body was sent to Photharam Hospital for a post mortem examination.
Supakij served as governor of Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Sawan and Lampang. His last position before retirement in 2011 was as an inspector-general of the Interior Ministry.