Missing Briton found camping out on a remote island off Chumphon

[Khunangkaro]

53 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Just an old man doing what he likes to do. Nothing wrong with that. What he could have been doing was to inform his friends that he was going to spend a couple of nights camping.

No problem IF he had reported to Immigration Office, when he settled at the island. 

 

[anon789561]

8 minutes ago, ravip said:

Mr Watcharin, who is the chief of maritime rescue unit, then organized a team of divers and volunteers to get on board of a speed boat to make a search in the sea off Pathiu district.

 

Cool... but the FACT remains that valuable time AND resources (public) were wasted.

if they thought the guy was wasting that much time they wouldn't have said no worries, stay another night, we'll be back tomorrow to check on you. they would have made him leave.

**And the FACT is it's down to Mr Watcharin to decide if he thought that valuable time and resources were wasted, which it seems he didn't

Edited February 16, 2018 by Happy enough
**

[The manic]

15 hours ago, ukrules said:

Well you've got to hand it to the guy at his age going off in a canoe on his own and having no problems.

 

Sounds like he knows what he's doing.

With age comes wisdom. And with luck chicks.  Youth is wasted on young people.

[shackleton]

Good luck to the guy doing his thing in his 70s

never read any positive  praise been given to the police  on finding him

only read when negative  things are said 

[The manic]

2 minutes ago, shackleton said:

Good luck to the guy doing his thing in his 70s

never read any positive  praise been given to the police  on finding him

only read when negative  things are said 

Good work by the Rozzers. 

[steven100]

He should have informed his friend and the nursing home.  When your old you can't just go wandering off like that.

[Crustyhk]

Full credit to you old boy and credit to the search party too for understanding that every now and then people might need to go sit on a rock and contemplate their navel. 

[Grusa]

22 minutes ago, ravip said:

Mr Watcharin, who is the chief of maritime rescue unit, then organized a team of divers and volunteers to get on board of a speed boat to make a search in the sea off Pathiu district.

 

Cool... but the FACT remains that valuable time AND resources (public) were wasted.

Where I come from, such exercises are regarded as valuable training - cost is never considered, and here the military etc. Have unlimited budgets - if they choose not to steal them.

[NanLaew]

12 hours ago, Donotdisturb said:

great guy! much more impressed by him than by those 70+ guys with a dark 29 year old around their neck 555

x

She's 19 actually.

[taipan1949]

Thirty odd years ago when I wandered the mountains of Chiang Mai I often ran into people from the "world" who did not want to be found. A few made me promise that I would not talk about meeting them. They probably used false names anyways. For thirty two years I lived in Thailand and considered it "home". I am in the PI now but miss Thailand every day but a "good life is a happy wife". Semper Fi.

[Tony125]

53 minutes ago, ravip said:

I also hope Mr. Smith inform some one of his movements so that he will not waste other peoples valuable time & resources in vain in the future.

It was probably a spontaneous decision, took out the canoe to paddle around  ---maybe got tired from the effort and decided to rest up on the island.

[GarryP]

8 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

It was probably a spontaneous decision, took out the canoe to paddle around  ---maybe got tired from the effort and decided to rest up on the island.

With all the stuff he took with him, it does not look very spontaneous. 

 

Anyway, when I am his age I hope I am physically fit enough and have the cojones to go on my own adventures.

[impulse]

More power to the guy. 

 

I'd love to do something like that, but was under the impression that rocking up on uninhabited islands in Thai waters was trespassing on Royal land- subject to all kinds of penalties.  Or is that a myth?

 

BTW, I've paddled around a few, but it would have been nice to land and have a lunch, a look-see, and a rest before paddling back to shore.

 

Edited February 16, 2018 by impulse

[Airbagwill]

looks like a sailing canoe....where can I rent one of those??

[anon789561]

8 minutes ago, impulse said:

More power to the guy. 

 

I'd love to do something like that, but was under the impression that rocking up on uninhabited islands in Thai waters was trespassing on Royal land- subject to all kinds of penalties.  Or is that a myth?

 

BTW, I've paddled around a few, but it would have been nice to land and have a lunch, a look-see, and a rest before paddling back to shore.

 

that's the thing. it is illegal. even the locals can't rock up and stay over night although it does happen. a lot of the islands around where he is have loads of birds nest and armed guards so he chose the right one. if he'd have been a young guy, they would have escorted him off straight away. i just think they respect him, that's how he's got away with it

[Wake Up]

Oscar Wilde said it best 

 

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist, that is all.”

 

This is man is living. Congrats to him. 

 

Peace

[mogandave]

12 hours ago, Donotdisturb said:

great guy! much more impressed by him than by those 70+ guys with a dark 29 year old around their neck 555

x

 

Great guys don’t take off for days without letting their friends and family know.

 

 

[Wake Up]

12 hours ago, Donotdisturb said:

great guy! much more impressed by him than by those 70+ guys with a dark 29 year old around their neck 555

x

I currently have a 29 year old around my body and the only thing I hope is that when I reach age 74 I have a 29 year old around my body camping with me. ?

[billd766]

3 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

    " Take your time for your friends before time's taking them away from you.'

 

Sadly our friends Dad went into hospital last week with a heart attack and died on Monday.

 

A lovely man. I never saw him cross or angry and he was always smiling.

 

I will be going to the temple for him later.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Happy enough said:

i live in paknam, chumphon. the main fishing port down here. i'm the only farang around here and everyone has been coming up to me and asking if i knew about it. their response has not been that he is wasting time. they just say. 'very strong' and 'good' with a thumbs up so maybe give the guy a break as the locals are cool with it. beats spending your retirement sat in front of the tv mate

 

Or on a bar stool somewhere all day.

[Altalake]

<deleted> did he not TELL someone where he was going?

[billd766]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

He should have informed his friend and the nursing home.  When your old you can't just go wandering off like that.

 

Why not?

 

It is HIS life to live as he pleases and nobody elses.

[JLCrab]

Because if something had happened to him and nobody bothered to look for him the posts on here would have been 180 degrees different as to how irresponsible was everyone who might have helped the guy.

[ThaiFelix]

Good onya mate...the spirit of adventure lives on (but next time tell ya mates!)

[sawadee1947]

I think this remote and lost island reminds him of where he's originally coming from..... ?

[Media1]

it seems he knew about the island and wanted a fishing adventure perhaps

Wouldn't mind it myself. Have the rods ready 

[Miss Pickle]

So glad he is safe and sound. fantastic  he is not letting age hold him back. I hope he has a great celebration with his friend when he gets back. 

[cheshiremusicman]

Well done ginjag. I did the same at age 70 when I went touring Malaysia playing golf. Played 20 + golf courses in one month, then drove from Kuala Lumpur to Hua-Hin - about 1150kms in about 13 hours. You're only as old as you feel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[toofarnorth]

2 hours ago, Happy enough said:

that's the thing. it is illegal. even the locals can't rock up and stay over night although it does happen. a lot of the islands around where he is have loads of birds nest and armed guards so he chose the right one. if he'd have been a young guy, they would have escorted him off straight away. i just think they respect him, that's how he's got away with it

I agree Mr Happy.  I tell my mates that if I accidently pinch a bottom that is in my why or call every lovely female I meet darlin' , I get away with it because ' Forgive him , he is 70 you know '   I have just rediscovered 'One foot in the grave '  and I have morphed in to Victor Meldrew .

[steven100]

2 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

looks like a sailing canoe....where can I rent one of those??

Chorakae island