Missing Person

[dsfbrit]

Thanks theoldgit. Yes it was a nice feeling knowing there is some official action ongoing. Just have to see how it goes now. It was a really pleasant surprise to find this fantastic service to help Thai nationals abroad.

[CharlieB]

Let's hope you get some news soon.

[dsfbrit]

Thanks CharlieB, its a painfully slow process. We provided the Singapore police with the information they required and just asked them to reply to let us know if she is still in the country. I appreciate they are busy, but we need to know this quite quickly as if she has left the country, we need to start looking elsewhere. That was 3.5 days ago - I dont wish to be ungrateful, but we have had no reply. How long does it take to fire up a computer and put in a passport number that shows when someone has entered and left the country. Maybe flying down there would get a bit more of an urgent response. Mind you - if she is not still in Singapore its a completely wasted trip.

There is a charitable womens rights organisation in Singapore called 'Aware', who have been very responsive, reply to emails within a day, and keen to get involved. They seem to have lots of contacts relating to what is more and more looking like a case of 'forced labour'. As we do not want to 'tread on the toes' of the Singapore police I have asked them not to get involved yet.

This is the Aware web-site. It has the look and feel of one of those organisations that would be quite effective in its efforts to find a woman in trouble with forced labour criminals

http://www.aware.org.sg/

Edited July 2, 2010 by dsfbrit

[dsfbrit]

I will keep updating this thread to help others in our position. Sadly today the Singapore police sent this email:-

Dear David,

As per screening results, Chakkaphatkaeo ^^^^, Passport no. V******,

came into Singapore on the 08/04/2010 and have left on the 24/05/2010.

Thank you.

Regards,

Joshua ****

Investigation Officer

Bedok Police Division

Oh well - now what - we have asked whether it was via the land border or aircraft. We may ask if they take fotos of people leaving to see if we can at least make sure it really is her and not someone using her passport. All in all a pretty c**p day.

[CharlieB]

I will keep updating this thread to help others in our position. Sadly today the Singapore police sent this email:-

Dear David,

As per screening results, Chakkaphatkaeo ^^^^, Passport no. V******,

came into Singapore on the 08/04/2010 and have left on the 24/05/2010.

Thank you.

Regards,

Joshua ****

Investigation Officer

Bedok Police Division

Oh well - now what - we have asked whether it was via the land border or aircraft. We may ask if they take fotos of people leaving to see if we can at least make sure it really is her and not someone using her passport. All in all a pretty c**p day.

Have you let the MFA know the latest news you have? This has to be your next move. They may be able to trace where she went after this if you let them know that she left Singapore on the 24/05.

[theoldgit]

Have you let the MFA know the latest news you have? This has to be your next move. They may be able to trace where she went after this if you let them know that she left Singapore on the 24/05.

That certainly is your next move, do they photoraph Thai's as well as foreigners? then they would be able to ascertain it is her.

[dsfbrit]

I will keep updating this thread to help others in our position. Sadly today the Singapore police sent this email:-

Dear David,

As per screening results, Chakkaphatkaeo ^^^^, Passport no. V******,

came into Singapore on the 08/04/2010 and have left on the 24/05/2010.

Thank you.

Regards,

Joshua ****

Investigation Officer

Bedok Police Division

Oh well - now what - we have asked whether it was via the land border or aircraft. We may ask if they take fotos of people leaving to see if we can at least make sure it really is her and not someone using her passport. All in all a pretty c**p day.

Have you let the MFA know the latest news you have? This has to be your next move. They may be able to trace where she went after this if you let them know that she left Singapore on the 24/05.

You are right and we did that first thing this morning by email. We spent some time debating whether someone had left the country using her passport and she was still in Singapore or that she had really left the country. I decided in the end that it was too difficult if she were still in Singapore - so have decided she is WITH the passport!!!

So we have asked the MFA to switch their efforts to Malaysia (please - with lots of 'pleases').

My wife will phone as well later on.

By the way, she left by bus at the Woodlands checkpoint into Malaysia.

The Singapore border patrol do not take photos of foreigners entering or leaving the country - well not via the Woodlands border anyway.

Edited July 6, 2010 by dsfbrit

[dsfbrit]

Have you let the MFA know the latest news you have? This has to be your next move. They may be able to trace where she went after this if you let them know that she left Singapore on the 24/05.

That certainly is your next move, do they photoraph Thai's as well as foreigners? then they would be able to ascertain it is her.

The Singapore border police do not take photos of anyone. However as she entered Malaysia she may have had her picture taken. Same if/when she left Malaysia. I have been googling the Malaysian police, immigration system etc... No real idea if they are as good as the Singapore police - who were excellent.

[ding]

Do you know what airline she flew? I would go to their office in Bangkok, complete with all the Singapore Police information and try to get the details from them. If they won't give it to you, you may be able to at least get the name and contact details of a manager that can talk with the Singaporean Police. Luckily if it's Sing Air then the Police could probably liaise with their HQ in Singapore.

Alternatively if you know where she bought her ticket, maybe the agent has passport details.

My instinct would be to go where she provided her PP# and offer to pay a fee for the "data retrieval service". Hotels often ask for that #, at least as a foreigner. If mom/dad can't go with housebook in hand and get it I'd start trying tea money.

Next I'd try anti human trafficking agencies, an NGO, and assert that she may be being exploited or even got kidnapped.

Edited July 6, 2010 by ding

[dsfbrit]

Ding - thanks for the feedback.

The MFA provided the passport details and offered to look for her for us.

The Singapore police used these details to show she left Singapore 6 weeks ago and entered Malaysia.

Its been difficult deciding the best approach - we spent a lot of time deciding how to handle this and my wife wants to use the Thai authorities first. The MFA said they would need a month to carry out all their checks - and that was for Singapore.

The search has switched to Malaysia so we dont know what that means and how it affects the MFA. The trouble is, if we do get information that she is not now in Malaysia - what can we as individuals DO with it. Just provide it to the MFA and they should really be able to find that out themselves, without our help.

What else can we do - even if we pay tea money to someone - we can hardly wander around Singapore nor Malaysia with her details and maybe a photo of the girl.What if we were to walk into a place where someone knew her - highly unlikely - but if we did it would be more than likely they would have contacts with a criminal gang. Great - I would have stirred up a hornets nest in a foreign country. The next thing you know they would be looking for ME!

So I have to agree with my wife - let the authorities exhaust all their efforts first - then see where we stand.

Edited July 6, 2010 by dsfbrit

[dsfbrit]

My wife's sister has now been found - in Thailand. After returning from Singapore she simply was hiding in Southern Thailand - near Pucket - as she did not want her husbands family to find her. They want her to return to her husband and she quite obviously does not want to return. The husbands family has followed her before when she left him some time ago. She had not contacted her 6 year old daughter as the husband would not let her talk to her anyway.

I still do not understand WHY she did not phone her family nor friends to let them know she was OK, but she didn't and she has wasted a lot of peoples time and effort.

She is still in Pucket and is planning to return to Singapore with her friend to work down there.

What a mess - I will now continue to follow my normal course of action when it comes to my wifes family - and keep my big nose out of it!

I would like to advise anyone that reads this thread after trying to find advice about a Thai national going missing:-

1. Contact the MFA in Thailand first - they are very helpful and will contact the relevant foreign governments for you. No need to contact anyone outside Thailand yourself.

2. You have to write a letter telling the MFA exactly what you want them to do, where to search. I would suggest you ask them to check if she has returned to Thailand. I wish we had done that first for sure

[theoldgit]

All that said, I really admire your tenacity and compassion, you certainly went the extra mile.

What do they say? you can choose your friends.............

[dsfbrit]

All that said, I really admire your tenacity and compassion, you certainly went the extra mile.

What do they say? you can choose your friends.............

Thanks for your feedback theoldgit - I am pleased she has turned up. Its a sad story all around really. Like a lot of 'farang' here in Thailand with a wife that has a poor family, I could solve most of this girls problems just by using my ATM card. I stopped doing that several years ago ... it does not make me sleep any easier though and I am wondering if I should do it just one more time...

edit: just had a word with my wife about this girls problems - it would take more than just a few trip to the ATM to resolve - so I will mind my own business

Edited July 13, 2010 by dsfbrit

[paully]

Glad she turned up.

Edited July 13, 2010 by paully

[dsfbrit]

Thanks Paully, she is now going back to work in Singapore, in a bar. She is being scammed of course. It turns out that when she was there before, she ended up having to pay most of the money she made for her rent, food and to pay back the money spent by her 'friend' to get her passport. Its a real life play out of stories I have read over the years in British newspapers, seen on the TV, about this kind of con.

Mind you, she would rather go and do this than return to her husband and his family even though she misses her kid. Its difficult stopping myself getting involved to sort it out, the trouble is once I 'own' the problem it could become a bottomless pit of aggravation as it did a few years ago when I used to help those family members less fortunate than myself.

Anyone who has got involved in this will know what I mean - its then just one phone call after another with family members who need money for one problem or other - all genuine - but just too much to take on.

[soihok]

Does she know what you have been going through because of her reluctance to contact home ?

At least she could have called your wife to ask about her kid...

Sounds to me like you,re better off without the hassle of this person. Sorry for the daughter though and to think that her mother did'nt even try to call her,,,,shame.

[CharlieB]

Glad you finally found out what had happened to her. At least you made the effort to try and locate her and could put your mind (and your wife's) at ease that she's alive and well, even if she is making some fairly bizarre life decisions. Probably best to let her live her life now, but make sure your wife makes her realise the trouble she caused you and that you'd appreciate some communication next time she decides to go to ground.

[paully]

Its difficult stopping myself getting involved to sort it out, the trouble is once I 'own' the problem it could become a bottomless pit of aggravation

Absolutely, dsf, you can't protect her from her own stupidity. Nothing you can do. Of course it will all blow up again for her, but just steer clear of it as much as you can.

[dsfbrit]

Does she know what you have been going through because of her reluctance to contact home ?

At least she could have called your wife to ask about her kid...

Sounds to me like you,re better off without the hassle of this person. Sorry for the daughter though and to think that her mother did'nt even try to call her,,,,shame.

I don't think the thought she has caused a lot of hassle has even crossed her mind.

I do not understand WHY she did not contact my wife nor her other sisters nor friends. She said she did not want her husbands's family to know where she was. My wife would not have told him.

She also said she did not have a phone and has no money.

The irony is, as the husband has been involved in providing her ID card details and Tabien Bahn housebook copies to prove to the MFA the relationship to my wife, we have to contact him anyway to let him know we have found her and where she is!

I told my wife she could not just phone and say she is safe and nothing else as it would be quite obvious we were lying if we said we did no know where she is. I have no desire to lie for this girl who seems to think of no one but herself.

Edit: I have just remembered I bought her a cheap Nokia mobile when she first came to Pattaya so she could call her kid. I forgot about that - I suppose she has sold that as well or whatever!!!

Edited July 15, 2010 by dsfbrit

[dsfbrit]

Glad you finally found out what had happened to her. At least you made the effort to try and locate her and could put your mind (and your wife's) at ease that she's alive and well, even if she is making some fairly bizarre life decisions. Probably best to let her live her life now, but make sure your wife makes her realise the trouble she caused you and that you'd appreciate some communication next time she decides to go to ground.

Yes agreed - let her get on with it. I still do not know why she did not contact anyone for 6 weeks. It makes me wonder if she is telling the truth. Still she is OK so I certainly will keep out of it from now - like I promised I would do several years ago. This is the first time for a long time that I have got really involved in a family 'crisis' and I seem to recall the last time I got involved was a similar disaster and a lot more costly.

Will I never learn!!

[dsfbrit]

Its difficult stopping myself getting involved to sort it out, the trouble is once I 'own' the problem it could become a bottomless pit of aggravation

Absolutely, dsf, you can't protect her from her own stupidity. Nothing you can do. Of course it will all blow up again for her, but just steer clear of it as much as you can.

I certainly will try.

There are other members of my wife's family to avoid as well - dafter than this girl. I do a pretty good job of it usually.

Edited July 15, 2010 by dsfbrit

[theoldgit]

I look forward to reading the book in due course

[dsfbrit]

I look forward to reading the book in due course

theoldgit, this little saga would not even make the appendix. I stopped helping out my wifes family after the following little saga played out.

I spent about 60,000 baht sprucing up my wifes mums house. It is one of those little single story houses you see a lot on the side of the road in Issan. I have built most of it anyway over the years, with a kitchen, then a bathroom and toilet etc... This time I fitted a tiled verandah and an inner roof and some other bits and pieces.

After it was finished and my wife returned to Pattaya, the other sister - not the one in this thread - went to see it. She said as it was worth more now she wanted more money as she had paid some money some years ago to build what was there intitially. She was told 'where to go', by me and others, so she threatened to burn the place down!!! The other sister - yes a fourth sister - who was living with her mum at the time fled the place as she knew the girl that treatened to do this was mad enough to do it.

My wife had to go back and sort it all out. I think she paid her 1000 baht to get her to go without setting light to anything.

Anyway, that was the final straw for me. This is the first time I have got involved again and it will be the last!!!

Fortunately I live a long way away from any of the family and intend to keep it that way!!!

Edited July 16, 2010 by dsfbrit