Photo via Thatsanee’s Facebook account

Thatsanee Saelee, a 45-year-old Thai national, has gone missing after traveling from Thailand to Laos with her Thai-born American ex-husband, George. Since December 29, her family has been unable to contact her, raising serious concerns about her whereabouts. George, 46, has denied any involvement in her disappearance and insists on communicating only through a lawyer.

Thatsanee, from the Hmong ethnic group, initially informed her family she was traveling with George's American wife. However, Winyu, her son, discovered through immigration records that she was actually with George. The couple lived together in Phetchabun province in the past, during which time George allegedly abused Thatsanee and once set her home on fire.

Despite separating, George and Thatsanee reportedly rekindled a romantic relationship. After her disappearance, Winyu filed a missing person report and learned that George returned to Thailand alone on December 31, eventually flying back to the US. This information, coupled with George's past threats, led Winyu to suspect him in his mother’s disappearance.

When contacted, George claimed he and Thatsanee parted ways after arriving in Laos, stating she left with friends and providing no further details. Videos from Thatsanee’s TikTok showed her in Vientiane province before attending a party in Vang Vieng. Her last known activity was on December 30, and the investigation continues without an official police statement, reported The Thaiger.

Key Takeaways

• George, a Thai-born American, is suspected in the disappearance of his ex-wife, Thatsanee Saelee.

• Thatsanee was last seen on December 30 in Laos, with conflicting claims about her travel companions.

• The investigation is ongoing, with no official police statement yet released.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2026-01-29

 

 

Let us hope that she is found safe and well.

George sounds a very good person to be looking at from his history 🫩

I'm sorry but I could not finish reading this article after I read that she traveled to Laos with her ex-husbands wife who turned out to be her ex-husband, after he abused her and set her home on fire? I have to question her sanity.

51 minutes ago, Noah K said:

I'm sorry but I could not finish reading this article after I read that she traveled to Laos with her ex-husbands wife who turned out to be her ex-husband, after he abused her and set her home on fire? I have to question her sanity.

I completely agree, and where there's a smell of fish there is usually grounds for suspicion. This has fishy written all over it. I hope she's found, and she is okay.

He is thai before being american

3 minutes ago, Raymonddiaz said:

He is thai before being american

Thai couple break up while in Laos. Could happen to anyone, though since an ex, not sure why he'd need to harm or get rid of her.

I went to Laos with my ex Thai wife, and could see this scenario happening with us. Hopefully she'll turn up (not my ex) somewhere ... alive.

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Thai couple break up while in Laos. Could happen to anyone, though since an ex, not sure why he'd need to harm or get rid of her.

I went to Laos with my ex Thai wife, and could see this scenario happening with us. Hopefully she'll turn up (not my ex) somewhere ... alive.

I went to Thailand with my ex- Lao wife. It was an increasingly tumultuous relationship but luckily for me, her pistol jammed because she put too many bullets in the clip.

3 hours ago, Homburg said:

Let us hope that she is found safe and well.

He must have been British and pretended to be Thai/American as only the British according to this blog are capable wrong doing in Thailand by farangs. 😀

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I completely agree, and where there's a smell of fish there is usually grounds for suspicion. This has fishy written all over it. I hope she's found, and she is okay.

It all sounds as if something very horrible has happened

I hope we are all wrong in our suspicions - time will tell

Usually, innocent people do not need a lawyer to speak on their behalf. Exceptions exist but I don’t think in this case.

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That would sure suck, and ruin the ethos of this website we all get so much out of.

GET LOST, "Jeremy" and "Tony"! We don't want your slimy adverts! "Let's get divorced, honey!" Eff off!

It’s easy to draw conclusions especially after he abused her before, even setting her on fire, and chooses to respond only via his lawyer, doesn’t do much for him claiming innocence about what has happened to his ex-wife. I hope she’s found, but I fear the worst case scenario will be the outcome.

RIP

6 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

Usually, innocent people do not need a lawyer to speak on their behalf. Exceptions exist but I don’t think in this case.

Always ask for a lawyer when speaking with police in any matter more serious than a speeding violation. The police aren't your friend. Remember anything you say can and will be used against you. And in a situation of stress you could say something stupid even if you're innocent as a little white lamb.

2 minutes ago, Autocan said:

Always ask for a lawyer

Unless you know of a local lawyer and have their number on your phone which type of "lawyer" do you think the police will provide and at what cost?

53 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Unless you know of a local lawyer and have their number on your phone which type of "lawyer" do you think the police will provide and at what cost?

Always have these numbers on speed dial:

Lawyer

Broker

Dealer

Hooker

21 minutes ago, Autocan said:

Always have these numbers on speed dial:

Lawyer

Broker

Dealer

Hooker

In which order?

Hope all are ok.

Was there some money issue involved as often with a falang man around ?

Do they still allow "tubing" in Vang Vieng?

He definitely wins the ugliest beard award.

8 hours ago, Autocan said:

Always have these numbers on speed dial:

Lawyer

Broker

Dealer

Hooker

Do they have to be 4 different people? Or can my (female) lawyer also be my favourite hooker?

On 1/30/2026 at 9:07 AM, Noah K said:

I'm sorry but I could not finish reading this article after I read that she traveled to Laos with her ex-husbands wife who turned out to be her ex-husband, after he abused her and set her home on fire? I have to question her sanity.

Sanity has nothing to do it. There are complex reasons why people stay in abusive relationships, and cannot be described in a few short statements. A lot of times the woman came from a lifetime of abusive parents, and such damage causes them to equate abuse with the expression of parental love. So they take the abuse as part of a normal love relationship because it was "normalized" as part of their upbringing, and is the only example of love they've ever known. People who are abused by their parents can't process the fact that the people who they are 100% dependent on are also their enemy, so their minds take the opposite road. "they MUST love me, so I must deserve the abuse" is one facet.

On 1/30/2026 at 12:26 PM, Autocan said:

Always have these numbers on speed dial:

Lawyer

Broker

Dealer

Hooker

One wouldn't need those phone numbers on speed dial if they went straight to the airport and left Thailand. 🙂

On 1/30/2026 at 2:57 PM, KhunHeineken said:

Do they still allow "tubing" in Vang Vieng?

It used to be an awful dump with pot heads everywhere doing stupid acrobatics.

Maybe the ladies son could go to Laos and check out the hotel she/ they were staying in. That’s what I would do.I doubt police will help much.

14 hours ago, geisha said:

It used to be an awful dump with pot heads everywhere doing stupid acrobatics.

Maybe the ladies son could go to Laos and check out the hotel she/ they were staying in. That’s what I would do.I doubt police will help much.

It could be a methanol drink poisoning cover up.

Not so long ago 6 young foreigners died in Vang Vieng from drinking methanol. I brought a lot of bad publicity on Laos. and some people were charged.

Perhaps they are covering this one up.